# Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake

The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, at Brockworth near Gloucester, England. Participants race down the 200-yard (180 m) long hill chasing a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. It is uncertain when the tradition first began, and is possibly much older than its earliest known written attestation in 1826. The event has a long tradition, held by the people of the village, but now people from a wide range of countries take part in the competition as well. The Guardian called it a "world-famous event," with winners coming from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States.

## Format

From the top of the hill, a 7–9-pound (3–4-kilogram) round of Double Gloucester cheese is sent rolling down the hill, which is 200 yards (180 m) long, and with a slope of around 50 percent (26.6 degrees). Competitors then start racing down the hill after the cheese. The first person over the finish line at the bottom of the hill wins the cheese. The competitors aim to catch the cheese; however, it has around a one-second head start and can reach high speeds, enough to knock over and injure a spectator. Multiple races are held during the day, with separate events for men and women.
In the 2013 competition, a foam replica replaced the cheese for safety reasons, but a real cheese was restored the following year.

## History

This ceremony originally took place each Whit Monday, but was later moved to the Spring Bank Holiday. The first written evidence of cheese rolling is found in a message written to the Gloucester town crier in 1826; even then it was apparent that the event was an old tradition, and it is believed to be at least six hundred years old.
Two possible origins have been proposed for the ceremony. First, it may have evolved from a requirement for maintaining grazing rights on the common. Second, there may be pagan origins for the custom of rolling objects down the hill. It is thought that bundles of burning brushwood were rolled down the hill to represent the birth of the New Year after winter. Connected with this belief is the traditional scattering of buns, biscuits and sweets at the top of the hill by the Master of Ceremonies. This is said to be a fertility rite to encourage the fruits of harvest.
In 1982, a team of students from the University of Bristol filmed the 31 May event using film cameras, with one camera overcranked to produce slow motion.
In 1993, sixteen people were injured, four of them seriously, chasing cheeses down the hill with its one-in-three gradient (18.4 degrees).
In 2009, safety concerns were raised after 15,000 spectators arrived, when there was only space for around 5000. These concerns led to the organisers cancelling the 2010 event. Despite the cancellation, around 100 people attended and held an unofficial event.
In 2011, a new 2-day ticketed event was proposed in order to address the safety concerns raised in previous years and to allow the event to continue operating. The proposals were received negatively due to the cost of tickets, and the proposed event was cancelled following the organisers receiving abuse. Despite the cancellation, the event continued unofficially with around 200 people attending.
The event has continued, however without official management or planning alongside the Council Safety Advisory Group.
In 2020 and 2021, the cheese-rolling event was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cheese-rolling event returned on Sunday 5 June 2022. ending a two-year absence.

## Cheese

The cheese currently used in the event is 7–9-pound (3–4-kilogram) Double Gloucester, a hard cheese traditionally made in a circular shape. Each is protected for the rolling by a wooden casing round the side, and is decorated with ribbons at the start of the race. Formerly, three cheeses were presented by parishioners, and the cheeses were usually rolled by them. A collection is usually made now to purchase them, as well as sweets, and also to provide prize money.
Since 1988, the cheese has been supplied by local cheesemaker Diana Smart and her son Rod from their Churcham farm. In May 2013, a police inspector warned the 86-year-old Smart that she could be held responsible for injuries. Chief Superintendent Nigel Avron of Gloucestershire Constabulary also made these comments: "If you are an organiser in some way or some capacity you could potentially be held liable for something that took place at that event". Diana Smart died in 2021. In recent years, organisers of the event have felt compelled to use a lightweight foam version for safety reasons. In the second race of 2013, Australian Caleb Stalder managed to catch the fake cheese and claim victory despite being some way behind the leaders.

## Injuries

Due to the steepness and uneven surface of Cooper's Hill, there are usually several injuries each year. St John Ambulance have previously provided first aid cover at the event; however, this stopped in 2012 when the event was no longer being officially managed.
Canadian competitor Delaney Irving won the ladies race in 2023, despite finishing unconscious, and only learning of her victory in the medical enclosure. A total of six competitors were transported to hospital by ambulance treatment following the event.
Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling has been summarised by a previous participant as "twenty young men chasing a cheese off a cliff and tumbling 200 yards to the bottom, where they are scraped up by paramedics and packed off to hospital".
There is no official medical provision on site, leading to concerns from the local resilience forum about the safety of the event.

## Results

Winners of the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling & Wake :
| Year | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 (Women's race) | Race 4 | Race 5 | Notes/Reference |
| 1948 | Roy Mitchell | Roy Mitchell | Jean Simpson | M.J.Russell | | |
| 1949 | Roy Mitchell | J.Binder | Betty Hunt | Bernard Morgan | | |
| 1950 | T.Brewster | H.Ireland | Miss.M.E.Light | Ken Davis | Bernard Morgan | |
| 1951 | Tom Holliday | M.C.Pinchin | Jean MacDonald | J.Bailey | | |
| 1952 | Tom Holliday | Hugh Atkinson | Hilary Cooke | no race | | |
| 1953 | Tom Holliday | Ronald Ray | Rosemary Cooke | no race | | |
| 1954 | Michael Price | Eric Avent | Elke Ellaway | Hugh Atkinson | | |
| 1955 | Michael Price | Hugh Atkinson | Rosemary Cooke | Roy Holliday | | |
| 1956 | Michael Price | Hugh Atkinson | Rosemary Cooke | Glyn Jenkins | Rosemary Cooke sets women's record of 3 wins | Rosemary Cooke sets women's record of 3 wins |
| 1957 | Izzy John | Izzy John | June Wheeler | Hugh Atkinson | Frank Faulkner | |
| 1958 | Izzy John | Izzy John | unknown | Clive walker | Izzy John | |
| 1959 | Izzy John * | Izzy John * | Mary Bancroft | unknown | * unconfirmed | * unconfirmed |
| 1960 | Izzy John | Stanley wilson-Copp | Sheenan McBride | Raymond Beard | | |
| 1961 | Izzy John | Izzy John | no race | Paul Quarry | Paul Quarry | |
| 1962 | Paul Quarry | Paul Quarry | no race | Roger Windo | Izzy John | |
| 1963 | Roger Windo | Roger Windo | Pat Harding | Clive Whittaker | | |
| 1964 | Clive Whittaker | Roger Windo | Julie Tiffany | Izzy John | Izzy John sets the record with unconfirmed 12 wins | Izzy John sets the record with unconfirmed 12 wins |
| 1965 | Raymond Giles | Michael Davis | Janet Ballinger | Clive Whittaker | | |
| 1966 | Raymond Giles | Raymond Giles | Janet Beesley | Michael Giles | | |
| 1967 | R.A.Copley | Eric Huckins | Diane Bowers | George Duckett | | |
| 1968 | Hugh Oxenham | Eric Huckins | Barbara Bayne | Michael Giles | | |
| 1969 | Richard Giles | Richard Giles | Diane Bowers | Joe Johnson | | |
| 1970 | Richard Giles | Richard Giles | Lynda Burnell | Peter Davis | Note: Gloucestershire echo wrongly reported her name as Lynda Burnett | Note: Gloucestershire echo wrongly reported her name as Lynda Burnett |
| 1971 | Steve Lott | Peter Davis | Lynda Burnell | Gordon Graham | | |
| 1972 | Steve Lott | Christopher Woodhouse | Deborah Harwood | John Hendzell | Steve Lott | |
| 1973 | Christopher Woodhouse | Alan Thorpe | Deborah Harwood | Patrick Hendzell | | |
| 1974 | Stephen Giles | Patrick Hendzell | Susan Keavy | Christopher Woodhouse | | |
| 1975 | Paul Chandler | Patrick Hendzell | Joanna Evans | Paul Brammer | | |
| 1976 | George Duckett | Stephen Gyde | Joanna Evans | Paul Williams | | |
| 1977 | Tony Hendzell | David Lawlor | Megan Morris | Rory Martin | | |
| 1978 | Tony Hendzell | John Lowe | Janice McGrory | Stephen Gyde | | |
| 1979 | Stephen Gyde | Stephen Gyde | Candice Phillips | Tony Hendzell | | |
| 1980 | Stephen Gyde | Stephen Gyde | Mandy Day | Stephen Gyde | | |
| 1981 | Kevin Gyde | Kevin Gyde | Amanda Turner | Andy Fuller | | |
| 1982 | Stephen Gyde | Stephen Gyde | Amanda Turner | Kevin Gyde | | |
| 1983 | Colin Hill | Stephen Gyde | Amanda Turner | 'Digger' Gardener | Amanda Turner sets joint women's record of 3 wins | Amanda Turner sets joint women's record of 3 wins |
| 1984 | Stephen Gyde | Steven Brain | Claudia Dart | Ian Campbell | | |
| 1985 | Stephen Gyde | Stephen Gyde | Leticia Burns | Costas Logothetis | | |
| 1986 | Steven Brain | Steven Brain | Leticia Burns | Stephen Gyde | | |
| 1987 | Steven Brain | Stephen Gyde | Rebecca Haines | Steven Brain | | |
| 1988 | Stephen Gyde | Stephen Gyde | Rebecca Haines | Steven Brain | | |
| 1989 | Paul Andres | Lawrence Farlow | Kathleen Underwood | Julian Pritchard | | |
| 1990 | Steven Brain | Stephen Gyde | Jacqueline McGinn | Steven Brain | | |
| 1991 | Stephen Gyde | Stephen Gyde | Christie Sweeney | Stephen Gyde | Stephen Gyde retires with an all-time record of 21 wins | Stephen Gyde retires with an all-time record of 21 wins |
| 1992 | Terry Sawczuk | Stuart Heggs | | Rob Preece | Star Royles | |
| 1993 | Rob Preece | Rob Preece | | Jamie Barnes | Andrew Deveson | |
| 1994 | Rob Preece | Andrew Deveson | | Star Royles | Craig Carter | |
| 1995 | Stephen Brain | Jonathan Smith | Claire Carter | Darren Yates | | |
| 1996 | Steven Brain | Harry Hancy | Marie Andow | John Shelton | | |
| 1997 | Steven Brain | Steven Brain | Tina Rimmer | Craig Carter | | |
| 1998 | Peter Astman | | Amelia Hardwick | Two races cancelled for safety due to 33 injuries the previous year | Two races cancelled for safety due to 33 injuries the previous year | Two races cancelled for safety due to 33 injuries the previous year |
| 1999 | Steven Brain | Steven Brain | Helen Thorpe | Steven Brain | | |
| 2000 | Steven Brain | Steven Brain | Kirby Shepherd | Craig Brown | | |
| 2001 | Event cancelled due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition | Event cancelled due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition | Event cancelled due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition | Event cancelled due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition | Event cancelled due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition | Event cancelled due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition |
| 2002 | Simon Fowler | Craig Brown | Saskia Thomas | Jack Williams | Event took place on Tuesday due to Queen's Jubilee celebrations | Event took place on Tuesday due to Queen's Jubilee celebrations |
| 2003 | Event cancelled due to volunteer safety team being diverted to assist in the aftermath of the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to volunteer safety team being diverted to assist in the aftermath of the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to volunteer safety team being diverted to assist in the aftermath of the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to volunteer safety team being diverted to assist in the aftermath of the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to volunteer safety team being diverted to assist in the aftermath of the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to volunteer safety team being diverted to assist in the aftermath of the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. |
| 2004 | Padam Shreer | Marc Ellis | Dionne Carter | Aaron Walden | Race 1 winner: British Army Gurkha Padam Shreer Race 2 winner: former New Zealand All Black Marc Ellis | Race 1 winner: British Army Gurkha Padam Shreer Race 2 winner: former New Zealand All Black Marc Ellis |
| 2005 | Jason Crowther | Chris Anderson | Dionne Carter | Aaron Walden | | |
| 2006 | Jason Crowther | Craig Fairley | Dionne Carter | Chris Anderson | Andrew Brewin (Fifth race added for more competitors) | Dionne Carter sets joint women's record of 3 wins |
| 2007 | Jason Crowther | Aaron Walden | Jemima Bullock | Alan Morris | Chris Anderson | |
| 2008 | Chris Anderson | Peter Mackenzie-Shaw | Flo Early | Craig Fairley | Wade Sansom | |
| 2009 | Chris Anderson | Scott Bevan | Michelle Kokiri-Gisbon | Chris Anderson | Josh Geitz | |
| 2010 | Chris Anderson | Craig Fairley | Tanya Silverman | Chris Anderson | | |
| 2011 | Chris Anderson | Chris Anderson | Jo Guest | Chris Anderson | | |
| 2012 | Chris Anderson | Chris Anderson | Lucy Townsend | Craig Fairley | | |
| 2013 | Kenny Rackers | Keleb Stalder | Lucy Townsend | Ryan Fairley | Tomoaki Tanaka | |
| 2014 | Joshua Shepherd | Ryan Fairley | Lucy Townsend | Sheldon Ronald | Lucy Townsend sets joint women's record of 3 wins. | Lucy Townsend sets joint women's record of 3 wins. |
| 2015 | Chris Anderson | Ryan Fairley | Keavy Morgan | Chris Anderson | |
| 2016 | Chris Anderson | Chris Anderson | Flo Early | Ryan Fairley | | |
| 2017 | Chris Anderson | Chris Anderson | Keavy Morgan | Chris Anderson | | |
| 2018 | Chris Anderson | Christopher Parperis | Flo Early | Chris Anderson | Chris Anderson sets all-time record of 22 wins Flo Early sets joint women's record of 3 wins | Chris Anderson sets all-time record of 22 wins Flo Early sets joint women's record of 3 wins |
| 2019 | Max McDougall | Ryan Fairley | Flo Early | Mark Kit | Flo Early retires with all-time women's record of 4 wins | Flo Early retires with all-time women's record of 4 wins |
| 2020 | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. |
| 2021 | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Cheese still rolled to maintain tradition. |
| 2022 | Chris Anderson | Jamie Evans | Abby Lampe | Robbe Gabriels Amr El Shourbagy (joint winners) | Robbe Gabriels Amr El Shourbagy (joint winners) | Chris Anderson retires with an all-time record of 23 wins |
| 2023 | Matt Crolla | Cooper Cummings | Delaney Irving | Ryoya Minami | Cooper Cummings sets record for fastest race time at 13 seconds | Cooper Cummings sets record for fastest race time at 13 seconds |
| 2024 | Tom Kopke | Dylan Twiss | Abby Lampe | Joshua Shepherd | | |

### Multiple winners
#### Men's race

* Chris Anderson – 23 (2005 - 2022)
* Stephen Gyde – 21 (1976 - 1991)
* Steven Brain – 18 (1984 - 2000)
* Islwyn "Izzy" John – 12 (1957 - 1964)
* Hugh Atkinson – 5 (52,54,55,56,57)
* Ryan Fairley – 5 (13,14,15,16,19)
* Craig Fairley – 4 (06,08,10,12)
* Rob Preece – 4 (92,93,93,94)
* Paul Quarry - 4 (61,61,62,62)
* Roger Windo - 4 (62,62,63,64)
* Richard Giles - 4 (69,69,70,70)
* Roy Mitchell - 3 (48,48,49)
* Michael Price - 3 (54,55,56)
* Clive Whittaker - 3 (63,64,65)
* Steve Lott - 3 (71,72,72)
* Patrick Hendzell -3 (73,74,75)
* Tony Hendzell - 3 (77,78,79)
* Raymond Giles - 3 (65,66,66)
* Kevin Gyde - 3 (81,81,82)
* Aaron Walden – 3 (04,05,07)
* Jason Crowther – 3 (05,06,07)
* Bernard Morgan - 2 (49,50)
* Tom Holliday - 2 (52,53)
* Eric Huckins - 2 (67,68)
* Peter Davis - 2 (70,71)
* Star Royles – 2 (92,94)
* Andrew Deveson – 2 (93,94)
* Craig Carter – 2 (94,97)
* Craig Brown – 2 (00,02)
* Joshua Shepherd - 2 (14,24)

#### Ladies' race

* Flo Early – 4 (2008, 2016, 2018, 2019)
* Rosemary Cooke – 3 (1953, 1955, 1956)
* Amanda Turner – 3 (1981, 1982, 1983)
* Dionne Carter – 3 (2004, 2005, 2006)
* Lucy Townsend – 3 (2012, 2013, 2014)
* Diane Bowers - 2 (1967, 1969)
* Lynda Burnell - 2 (1970, 1971)
* Deborah Harwood -2 (1972, 1973)
* Joanna Evans - 2 (1975, 1976)
* Leticia Burns – 2 (1985, 1986)
* Rebecca Haines – 2 (1987, 1988)
* Keavy Morgan – 2 (2015, 2017)
* Abby Lampe – 2 (2022, 2024)

## Similar event

An annual cheese-rolling event has taken place in Chester since about 2002, to promote the town's food and drink festival. The rolling takes place on the flat down an obstacle course.

## Cheese-rolling in popular culture

* 1948: Cheese Rolling on Cooper's Hill is a painting by Charles March Gere, is part of the Museum of Gloucester Collection, and depicts a live action scene of the event.
* Early 1970s: The New Inn pub was renamed 'The Cheese Rollers Bar & Restaurant' in the early 1970s. Located in the neighbouring village of Shurdington, it is named after the event, and has a collection of previous cheese casings along with photos and articles about the event.
* 2005: A children's computer game from Neopets named "Cheeseroller", involves different varieties of outlandish cheeses, rolled down a 120-metre hill in under 60 seconds, negotiating obstacles on route. Points are awarded for grade of cheese difficulty and speed of descent.
* 2008: Cheese rolling was prominently featured in the first episode of the UK television channel Five series: Rory & Paddy's Great British Adventure, broadcast on 13 August 2008, and was described as "the grandaddy of weird sports" by the titular Rory McGrath and Paddy McGuinness.
* 2018: The contest was the subject of the BBC One programme The Great Cheese Chase. The contest was part of the German reality show Joko gegen Klaas - Das Duell um die Welt, where German former football Thorsten Legat was supposed to participate, but at the end refused to do so.
* 2019: Let's Roll is a short film directed by Chris Thomas about a teenage girl Antonia (Amy Bowden) attempting to emulate her brother's successes in the cheese rolling. The film was screened at BAFTA-qualifying film festivals: Norwich and Edinburgh.
* 2019: Royal Mail issue a collectable stamps edition of UK Weird and Wonderful Customs which includes Bog snorkelling at Llanwrtyd Wells, World Gurning Championship at Egremont, Up Helly Aa in Lerwick, Burning the Clocks in Brighton, 'Obby 'Oss festival in Padstow, Samhain Celtic festival (Halloween) at Derry, Horn Dance at Abbots Bromley and Cheese-Rolling at Cooper's Hill.
* 2020: Netflix released a documentary We are the Champions, which covers six bizarre events and competitions from across the world, starting with Cheese-Rolling at Cooper's Hill. The Cheese-Rolling follows Flo Early in her preparations for 2019 and her attempt to win the ladies race for the fourth time, which had never been achieved before.
* 2021: The game Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a special item called Double Gloucester cheese that is only available from 22 May to 31 May, the period when this event takes place.