Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling

The Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling is expected to make another unofficial comeback in 2012, with spectators flocking from far and wide to see the world-famous sporting action on Cooper’s Hill.

While the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling has a history dating back to at least the 1800s, health and safety concerns saw the 2010 and 2011 events cancelled, creating local and even international uproar from fans of the local tradition. But that didn’t stop loyal competitors taking to the hill, and hundreds of spectators showing up, to create their own unofficial versions of the world-famous spectacular over the last two years.

And unless organisers announce an official version of the event for 2012, Monday 4 June 2012 will undoubtedly see the third unofficial Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling in a row, with hordes of fearless contestants chasing a weighty 8lb Double Gloucester cheese down a death-defyingly-steep hill.

The slope on Cooper’s Hill in Gloucester, the setting for the world-famous event, is in fact so steep that very few contenders manage to even stay on their feet, instead tumbling head-over-heels down the hill in a desperate effort to catch the coveted dairy prize.

Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 2011 video

Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 2009 video

Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 2008 video

Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 2007 video

While in reality the cheese can never actually be caught – with a brief headstart it soon reaches breakneck speeds – the race winner is the first person to cross the line at the bottom of the hill. Some contenders sadly don’t make it all the way down though, and instead lie in wait for the St John Ambulance crew who have previously been on-hand during official versions of the event to fix-up the daredevils or whisk them away to the local A&E.

The highest injury toll in recent years occurred in 1997 when 33 competitors were treated for everything from splinters to broken bones, and in 2005 races were delayed as ambulances delivered victims to the local hospital before returning to wait for the next batch of casualties. Spectators have also be known to receive their fair share of injuries – one year an off-course cheese took out an innocent bystander – although such occurrences are rare.

While the 2012 details are still to be confirmed, in previous years five official downhill races have been held, including one ladies’ race, each involving around 20 competitors who will line-up and anxiously await the master of ceremonies’ commands before setting off.

The winner of each race receives a Double Gloucester cheese, supplied by Smart’s Farm for more than 20 years, as well as enjoying local and even international fame. Children also have the opportunity to get involved on the day in between adult races, but not downhill – instead taking part in a much safer up-hill race.

Growing in popularity every year, SoGlos.com’s videos of the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 events have been watched more than six million times on websites around the world, the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 2012, albeit in its unofficial form, is expected attract thousands of visitors for one of the world’s wackiest spectator events.

For more information about the annual event, see the popular website run by Jean Jefferies at cheese-rolling.co.uk.