The coronavirus pandemic has brought change and delay for CheeseExpo, but the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) said it aims to keep one tradition alive in 2020. At 2 p.m. CDT on Friday, April 24, Madison, Wis.-based WCMA will recognize the great effort, the mastery of cheesemakers — Gold Medal winners in the 2020 World Championship Cheese Contest — with the Championship Cheese Auction.

“We hope this live online auction will bring a bit of CheeseExpo and a bit of normalcy during these challenging times,” said John Umhoefer, WCMA’s executive director.

The auction of the champion cheeses will take place at Koning Maple Lane Event Center in Monroe, Wis., executed by auctioneers Tim Slack and Dave Koning. The auction website, which may be accessed at TimSlackAuctionRealty.hibid.com/auctions, will feature each award-winning cheese up for bid. Interested bidders need to register on the bidding website, and will have a pre-sale opportunity to place silent bids before the live auction, WCMA said.

“The online auction is a meaningful way to celebrate the award-winning cheesemakers,” said Kirsten Strohmenger, WCMA’s events manager. “Simultaneously, by participating in the auction, bidders are generously aiding many key offerings hosted by WCMA.”

The Championship Cheese Auction provides crucial support to the World Championship Cheese Contest, funds WCMA’s scholarship-winning students and continues to support influential supervisor and manager training programs at WCMA. The auction offers supplier partners and processors a chance to thank and support the cheese companies that make this industry famous, WCMA noted.

WCMA staff will supplement the auctioneer’s live action with commentary and thanks in real time at the event center over Facebook Live on the World Championship Cheese Contest page on Facebook. For more information and to view the list of items for bid, visit https://www.worldchampioncheese.org/auction. Questions may be directed to Strohmenger at kstrohmenger@wischeesemakers.org.