The Royal Welsh Show 2009

Paul & Wendy Wright exhibiting at The Royal Welsh Show

Wendy and I have just returned from exhibiting our unique range of silver and gold jewellery at The Royal Welsh Show. This year we were invited to exhibit in the South Glamorgan Hall which meant that, despite the inclement weather, we remained dry and mud free!

This is the biggest agricultural show in Europe! It is organised by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, which was formed in 1904, and takes place in July of each year, at Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells, in Powys, Mid Wales.

The first show was held in Aberystwyth in 1904, and its success led to the development of the permanent showground at Llanelwedd, first used in 1963.

The show lasts for four days and attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually, making it a major boon for tourism in Wales. Events include competitions of cattle, sheep, horses, goats, pigs and various other domestic animals, Sheep dog trials, Sheep shearing competitions, Horse riding competitions, Four-in-hand and Carriage Driving displays, Falconry, Games and sports such as the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery of the Royal Horse Artillery, Arts and crafts and live music.

Given its "Royal" status it is not unusual for a senior member of the British Royal family to attend at the Show. A familiar sight is the Prince of Wales who is generally acknowledged to be a keen supporter of the farming community. Indeed following his outspoken support during the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, some farmers regard him as an influential figure. The royal interest in this year's show was provided by the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, and the Countess of Wessex. The couple spent several hours at Llanelwedd on Wednesday, having been greeted by the president, North Wales landowner and farmer Robin Price, of Rhiwlas, Bala, who then accompanied them on a tour of the showground. Unfortunately I was unable to find an opportunity to photograph the couple to add to my 'Royal photo' collection and so the 'blog photo feature' this time is one of Wendy and I on our trade stand!

Once again we stayed in our delightful rural B&B nestled in a beautiful valley a short distance from the showgrounds where the proprietor, Biddy Williams, provides not only the best Welsh breakfast 'fry up' in the world but an outstanding roast dinner with fresh vegatables grown in her own garden! Each evening all ten guests staying at this picturesque period cottage congregate in its' small dining room around an oak gateleg table and exchange diverse experiences of the days events at the show. This year's guests included a Vivien Westwood fashion designer (who was showing a pony in the competition of Welsh Cobs), two Irish cattle farmers from Donegal, the marketing director for Harper Adams Agricultural College, a country artist, a podiatrist and two market traders from London. It certainly made for varied and interesting conversation after the show each day!

NB. We acknowledge thanks to Wikipaedia for the factual information on the history of the Royal Welsh Show.

The Ghost of Abingdon Abbey!

"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Silver and Gold Jewellery

for Christmas at the Abingdon Craft and Design Show"

The Abingdon Craft and Design Show is held in the small town of Abingdon which is located on the rivers Thames, Ock and Stert, just to the south of Oxford. The venue is within the ancient remains of a famous Abbey.

There are many legends about how and when 'Abingdon Abbey' was first established. The most popular claims that a hermit called St. Abban initiated things shortly after the Romans left Britain. This story was probably made up so that the Abbey could claim it was the oldest monastery in the country.

Precisely how much of the Abbey's early history is true and how much is legend is unknown, but it is clear that by 675 there was a monastery in what is now the town of Abingdon. It was probably built by a local Saxon Prince called Hean. His sister set up a nunnery at St. Helen's Church at the same time. Sadly, nothing of this first Abbey remains, after it was destroyed by marauding Danes from nearby Reading.

The Abbey church was rebuilt in Medieval times and was completed in 1239. It is reputed to have looked like Wells Cathedral.

The Abbey was attacked in 1327 by a mob of very angry townspeople. They didn't like the Abbot having control of their market so they smashed up the church and chased the monks into the River Thames where some of them drowned!

During the War of the Roses, the support of the Abbot was sought by both sides. Queen Margaret and Edward IV both visited. As late as 1489, Abbot John Sant was still plotting to overthrow King Henry VII.

King Henry VIII 'dissolved' the Abbey in 1539. The church was pulled down, but the outer gateway, 'hospitium', long gallery and the exchequer building have survived. It was in these famous old and drafty buildings that Wendy and I spent two weeks exhibiting our special 'Christmas range' of silver and gold jewellery! The Abingdon Craft and Design Show has become a popular venue over the past 25 years and the event was well attended.

The town crier of Abingdon, featured above, visited our craft show each day - having walked the streets of Abingdon loudly announcing our presence in an effort to drum up business in these times of recession and 'credit crunch'. He warned us of the female ghost that inhabits the 'long room' of Abingdon Abbey - the very place in which we had erected our trade stand! Strange things happened during those two weeks in Abingdon, strange things we don't understand nor dare to question. Could the ghost have been the sister of Prince Hean?

Perhaps we will never know ....!

Have you seen our:

Silver Daisy Jewellery Collection

White Sapphires
Diamond Wedding Rings

Lowther Horse Driving Trials - 2008

Wendy and I attended the Lowther Horse Driving Trials last week and, once again, exhibited our silver and gold jewellery designs at this prestigious event in the picturesque surroundings of the Lowther estate in the Lake Districts of Cumbria.

The most exciting feature of this three day event is undoubtedly the cross country obstacle course held on the Saturday. This draws huge crowds who come to see the thrills and spills of the adrenalin pumping competition where carriages, pulled by up to four horses, are driven at speed around a course with challenging natural hazards.

Another amazing spectacle to be seen this year was the main ring performance by Jean Francois Pignon who charmed the crowds with his magical sequence involving unharnessed horses. The horsemanship and his unique bond with these animals really is something to behold.

This year's event was marred to some extent by the poor weather which had resulted in heavilly churned mud around the trade exhibition areas. Whilst the climatic conditions provided even more excitement than usual at the cross country event, by Sunday it had simply become too dangerous and the event was finally called off. Much to the regret of everyone we all had to go home. No easy task for those of us with trade stands as vehicle movement had become totally impossible. The only way on or off the showground was by tractor!

















History of the Horse Driving Trials

Although horses have been driven and used as a form of transport for centuries, the ‘Horse Driving Trials‘ competition only came into existence as a sport in 1968 under the leadership of HRH Prince Philip. Similar to the horse riding triathlons known as 'eventing' and held at international events such as Burghley and Badminton each year, 'Horse Driving Trials' consist of three phases to test the overall versatility of the animal in a harness.

The dressage phase is the first to be completed and this essentially demonstrates the ‘schooling’ and obedience of the horses in which a sequence of movements is carried out.
Perhaps the most exciting phase is the cross country marathon carried out on the second day. The carriages are driven at speed and the horses must be directed through challenging obstacles with tight turns requiring skill and judgement on the part of the driver. The steep banks and water features can make this a potentially dangerous circuit particularly in poor weather.

The Cone Driving competition is carried out on the third day and this roughly equates to the show jumping phase of a horse riding event. The driver must negotiate his horse and carriage through narrowly spaced pairs of cones. It requires great driving skills and a well trained, obedient horse.

The driver is sometimes known as the ‘whip’ and his sole purpose is to control and direct the horses from the driving position in the carriage. The horse must be totally obedient to the instruction of the driver who uses his reigns, his voice and occasionally his whip. Each driver is also assisted by a ‘groom’ or navigator who is there for emergencies and to help with balancing the carriage in tight turns on the cross country obstacle course. By shifting his weight at the back of the carriage he helps the driver to negotiate tighter turns or uneven ground at greater speed. One groom is used for singles and pairs of horses and two grooms for carriages with 'four-in-hand'. The groom may not speak or signal to the driver.

Jean Francois Pignon

Visit our website to view our fabulous range of handmade
Silver Daisy Jewellery
Diamond Engagement Rings

Did you attend the Lowther Horses Driving Trials?
Give us your impressions of the show in the 'comment' box below.

Have you read:

Welsh Cobs and The Royal Welsh Show

Last Year at The Lowther Horse Driving Trials - 2007

Quick Links:

Diamond Wedding Rings Diamond Rings, Diamond Engagement Rings and Diamond Wedding Rings. You choose the diamond quality and size and we'll make a diamond wedding ring or diamond engagement ring to be proud of.

Diamond Stud Earrings A wide range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in yellow or white gold, platinum or silver. Our Diamond Stud Earrings have the very best diamonds. Take a look at our range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in gold, platinum or silver.

Silver Daisy Jewellery A unique range of handmade silver daisy jewellery to include daisy necklaces, daisy pendants, daisy earrings, daisy bracelets and daisy bangles too!

Handmade Silver Jewellery Handmade silver earrings, handmade silver necklaces and handmade silver bracelets and silver bangles. Our handmade silver jewellery is the best available with great new silver jewellery designs.

Pearl Stud Earrings Specialising in cultured pearl stud earrings, pearl necklaces and cultured pearl jewellery of every description. We have Akoya pearl stud earrings, Fresh Water pearl stud earrings and Tahitian pearl stud earrings too.

Handmade Gold Jewellery Handmade gold earrings, handmade gold necklaces and handmade gold bracelets and gold bangles. Our handmade gold jewellery is the best available with great new gold jewellery designs.

Welsh Cobs & The Royal Welsh Show 2008

“Frankfurt approach this is Aer Lingus Three .. Two .. Nine at Flight level Three .. Five .. Zero..”

Carolin was already aware of the incoming Boeing 747 which had appeared moments before on her radar screen at Frankfurt airport. Responding politely, in perfect English, she said:

“Good morning Aer Lingus Three .. Two .. Nine.”

She monitored the Irish airliner as it continued along its approved flight path - along with five other approaching aircraft - and then spoke with authority into her VHF radio:

“Aer Lingus 329 descend to altitude 2500 feet, QNH .. One ..Zero .. One .. Five.”

What, you may ask, has this conversation between an air traffic controller in Frankfurt and a Boeing 747 pilot got to do with the Royal Welsh Show?

Allow me to explain.

Last week Wendy and I were attending Europe’s largest agricultural show with more than 230,000 visitors. The Royal Welsh Show is held in Builth Wells and we, alongside other trade exhibitors, were showing our new silver and gold jewellery designs for the 2008 season - including the popular silver and gold daisy jewellery collection!

Our Guest House accommodation in Wales is something quite extra-ordinary. Each morning, at the crack of dawn, we are treated to one of Biddy William's famous full 'Welsh' breakfasts. In the evening there is always a delicious roast dinner served once we return from the Show at 8.30pm sharp! We all sit around a large 18th Century oak dining table and share experiences with the other guests who have come to attend the Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd. This year two German air traffic controllers, Carolin and Stefan Klose, had flown to Wales from Frankfurt and booked into the same Guest House - a small Grade II listed cottage in a picturesque valley not far from the Showgrounds. We all immediately became firm friends and Carolin, also a semi-professional photographer, kindly agreed to provide the pictures for this our ‘Royal Welsh’ blog.

Princess Anne opens The Royal Welsh Show 2008

Carolin owns a Welsh Cob stallion called “Old Radnor” and she and Stefan had come to see the famous Welsh Cob Pony competitions held every year at this world renowned event. One of the most stunning spectacles at the show is undoubtedly the running of the Section D Welsh Cob Stallions on the Wednesday afternoon. This attracts huge numbers and the noise from the crowds is matched only by the most excited football fans at a top international game! This is partly down to their enthusiasm for these very special horses and partly as an attempt to actually influence the judge who must make the difficult decision of declaring a very highly prized winner!

This year’s event was judged by the Synod stud breeder Doreen Jones of Gellihen Farm who, along with her husband Cerdin, was also staying at our Guest House ... making our Tuesday evening roast dinner all the more interesting! This appointment is a once in a lifetime honour and one that Doreen was taking very seriously indeed. The winning Stallion can instantly become a

priceless asset as far as future stud fees are concerned! The judge must make a completely impartial and 'objective' decision based on the criteria laid down by the British Show Horse Association. We enjoyed discussing the enormity of the task that lay ahead of Doreen the following day!

Apparently all sections of the Welsh pony and Welsh cob competitions demand horses that are sure-footed with sound feet, dense bone, and that display very hardy characteristics. The ponies should also have a well-laid back shoulder, deep chest, short back, well-sprung rib cage and strong hindquarters. Their legs should be “clean" with good bone, short cannons and correct hocks. Indeed they must exhibit the substance, stamina and soundness of their ancestral bloodstock!

DROGEDA ‘Stormy Tempest‘, a beautiful chestnut displaying lively action and striking beauty in equal measure, was finally named the Stallion Champion Cob by our recent acquaintance, Doreen. It took more than an hour of careful studying of nearly fifty fabulous entries, and a whittling down to an impressive shortlist, before she could be sure. And the George Prince of Wales Perpetual Cup went to junior mare, Trevallion Racheal’s Miracle, a glossy-coated and spirited bay, with quite unusual markings.

DROGEDA ‘Stormy Tempest' - Champion Cob 2008

I am pleased to say that our display of silver and gold jewellery attracted almost as much attention as the famous Welsh Cobs! We were happy to see our regular customers, who have been enthusiastically faithful to us over the past twelve years, at this event. We were delighted to have assisted with two romantic engagements at our stand too and we will be making very special diamond engagement rings for these happy couples!

I must, of course, thank Carolyn Klose for her photographic contributions which have made this blog a really special one. She and Steffan are now on their way back to Frankfurt and I leave them with the rest of my fictitious recording taken from Frankfurt radar control to the approaching Irish 747 jet:

"Aer Lingus Three .. Two .. Nine, you have traffic, a Fokker at one o'clock, two miles, Eastbound," Carolin warned the incoming jet.

The Aer Lingus pilot quickly responded:

"Frankfurt approach .... I've always wanted to say this... I've got the little Fokker in sight!"

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to the feed here!

Photos by Carolin Klose for
Paul Wright Jewellery

Quick Links:

Diamond Engagement Rings

Handmade Silver Jewellery

Kent County Show 2008

The Kent County Show is the largest outdoor event held in the County and this year saw a fantastic extravaganza of competitions and performances that attracted literally thousands of visitors. One of the main attractions was undoubtedly The Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers who gave us splendid performances in the main arena over the three days ... many of us remember seeing them at last year’s first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium.

Also new this year was the larger Countryside Area that featured Fly-fishing, Ferret Racing, Birds of Prey, Otters, Hounds and other countryside pursuits such as working Gun Dogs. This year saw a greater number of entries in livestock featuring Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Llamas, Alpacas, Rabbits ... and the welcome return of the Donkey classes on the Sunday!

Titan the Robot returned and once again drew huge crowds wherever he went around the Showground. At an imposing 8 feet tall, he amazed everyone with his singing abilities and flattering comments ... However I think he may have also turned one or two little ones to tears.

The traditional mix of shopping trade-stands seemed to have increased this year. It always amazes me that one can buy almost anything at this show whether it be a porche, a tractor, a holiday, fashionable jewellery or clothing or even extra tuition in mathematics for a struggling ten year old!

Paul Wright Jewellery was once again a popular attraction within the Rural Crafts shopping marquee and the good folk of county Kent were certainly impressed with the new silver daisy jewellery collection not to mention the new range range of diamond wedding rings. Many of the visitors to our stand enthusiastically entered our free prize draw in the hope of winning £50 of designer jewellery on 15 September. If you missed the chance simply log onto the website and send us your name and email address through the contact page and you'll automatically be entered.

The Extra Tuition Centre

This year I met an inspirational educationalist at the Kent Show who was promoting the 'Extra Tuition Centre' based in Gravesend with centres located throughout the county and employing over 100 committed teachers. His name is Shaun Drury. He made me think about the basic skills and abilities we all need to lead successful lives in our chosen professions. A child's education is paramount and weaknesses in any area of their learning can be detrimental in later life.

Let me put this in context. As a jewellery designer I naturally have a talent for art and design which is undoubtedly required to conceptualise and create aesthetically pleasing silver and gold jewellery. However it is also necessary to have mathematical abilities in order to accurately measure and calculate each detailed design in order to ultimately created the original concept. Costing and pricing the jewellery involves a whole range of basic skills and abilities that need to be understood and mastered. Then there is the necessity to be able to use language effectively in order to sell the product and to handle customer enquiries both verbal and written. Yes there is no doubt in order to be a successful jeweller one needs to be more than simply 'good at art and design'.

No matter how good we are at something we will never achieve overall success if we lag behind in other important basic skills. These weaknesses need to be addressed and corrected early on so that, while a child may shine in one particular subject, he or she is still basically competent in all the other necessary skill sets.

I was amazed to learn from Shaun Drury that these weaknesses in a child's education can actually be clearly identified through a series of carefully designed tests and activities that will reveal not only the difficulty but very often the potential cause of that weakness. With this knowledge the Extra Tuition Centre can more fully understand the nature of a child's difficulties and then formulate a series of tailor-made lessons that will correct the fault, possibly over a period as short as just six weeks!

What really impressed me about The Extra Tuition Centre was their progressive approach to education. A very substantial and ongoing investment has been made in modern educational techniques and the use of computer technology that is quite simply years ahead of its time. There is no doubt that many hundreds of children in Kent have already made advances in their education through the help of the 'Extra Tuition Centre' and I look forward to seeing this highly effective approach being rolled out through the United Kingdom in the coming years.

My impression is that no one will stop Shaun Drury's courageous mission - he is a teacher to be reckoned with!

This is a Widget from:
Paul Wright Jewellery




Diamond Wedding Rings
Diamond Rings, Diamond Engagement Rings and Diamond Wedding Rings. You choose the diamond quality and size and we'll make a diamond wedding ring or diamond engagement ring to be proud of.
Diamond Stud Earrings
A wide range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in yellow or white gold, platinum or silver. Our Diamond Stud Earrings have the very best diamonds. Take a look at our range of Diamond Stud Earrings set in gold, platinum or silver.
Silver Daisy Jewellery
A unique range of handmade silver daisy jewellery to include daisy necklaces, daisy pendants, daisy earrings, daisy bracelets and daisy bangles too!
Handmade Silver Jewellery
Handmade silver earrings, handmade silver necklaces and handmade silver bracelets and silver bangles. Our handmade silver jewellery is the best available with great new silver jewellery designs.
Pearl Stud Earrings
Specialising in cultured pearl stud earrings, pearl necklaces and cultured pearl jewellery of every description. We have Akoya pearl stud earrings, Fresh Water pearl stud earrings and Tahitian pearl stud earrings too.
Handmade Gold Jewellery
Handmade gold earrings, handmade gold necklaces and handmade gold bracelets and gold bangles. Our handmade gold jewellery is the best available with great new gold jewellery designs.

The Royal Highland Show 2008

The Royal Highland Show has a proud and successful history with its origins dating back to 1784 when the 'Highland Society of Edinburgh' was formed to positively influence the industry, culture and social life of rural Scotland. Granted a Royal Charter in 1787, King George VI bestowed the title "Royal" on the Society at the Highland Show in 1948.

This year's exciting programme of events included comprehensive practical demonstrations and rural pursuits and other activities including over 4,000 competing animals and almost 1,000 trade stands! This year marks the show’s 168th year and the 49th to be held at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston just outside Edinburgh.

One of the highlights this year was the introduction of a Highland Games competition held in the main ring. International competitors demonstrated the skills involved in caber tossing, stone putting and weight for height where a 56lb weight is heaved over a bar. Other features included farming machinery demonstrations, sheepdog displays, axe throwing competitions, and a variety of popular equestrian events. The bandstand was naturally a big attraction with a wide range of talent featuring the Queen Victoria Pipes & Drums, The Royal British Legion Band and the Argyll's Cadet Band ... to name but a few!

Silver & Gold Jewellery

For those with a keen interest in serious shopping, Paul Wright Jewellery was once again a popular draw with a fine display of silver and gold jewellery including the popular "silver daisy jewellery" collection. One delighted customer, Fiona MacIntosh, was pleased to add to the silver daisy necklace she bought last year.

"I have had so many compliments - I just had to buy the matching silver daisy earrings and the new silver daisy bangle design. I am thrilled to see the new silver and gold jewellery products that have been added to this popular range."

Another equally satisfied customer had just purchased a diamond wedding ring set in platinum to compliment the diamond engagement ring bought earlier in the year from the new Paul Wright Jewellery website.

"We just love these original jewellery designs and the fantastic attention to detail that Paul Wright Jewellery has to offer", he said.

The short video presentation gives an idea of the great time had by all. For further information on the silver daisy jewellery, platinum wedding rings and diamond engagement rings available through Paul Wright Jewellery please log on to:

www.paulwrightjewellery.com

South of England Show 2008

This is the South Coast's biggest celebration of farming and country life!

2008 was certainly no disappointment as literally thousands of people flocked to the South of England Show held at Ardingly, near Haywards Heath and enjoyed three days of glorious sunshine.

Events this year included show jumping, carriage driving, daily displays by heavy horses and a polo demonstration. Although the cattle competitions were still a major feature of this important show, pigs were in the limelight as this was the 'Year of the Pig'. To celebrate, a pig village had been set up and a variety of different breeds could be seen, including rare long-haired woolly pigs called mangalitzas. In fact the South of England Agricultural Society's president, the Duke of Norfolk, brought one of his own pigs along to open the show!

As well as the animal classes, arena events included stunt rider Jason Smyth and his Adrenaline Tour Motorcycle Show. The crowds were enthralled ... especially when he progressed to the quadbike jumps!

The flower marquee proved to be another popular attraction with excellent exhibits and some notable prize winners this year.

Those keen on shopping were naturally attracted to the 'Rural Crafts Marquee' - possibly the most popular shopping area within the Showground. 'Paul Wright Jewellery' had a prominent corner position at the very front of the marquee and the mouth-watering silver and gold jewellery display remained a focus of attention for the appreciative crowds on all three days!

Jewellery designer and manufacturer, Paul Wright, said "Our new silver and gold jewellery designs for 2008 were extremely well received at the South of England Show, and our 'daisy jewellery' collection was most certainly a firm favourite this year!"

Silver Daisy Necklace - £69