The latest news and events with A Handful of Hats...
Not really .. :-) over 3000 attendees, set under the highest point in the Cotsworlds in beautiful countryside the Woodmancote May Day Fete resounded to the sounds of "Pecan Petes' Wild West Show " and the cheers of a packed arena.
“The feedback from everyone was fantastic! they loved the shows and the wild west workshops, you were a delight to work with , Thank you and “Running Brave” so much. ”
“Peter is a consummate professional and a genuinely lovely chap, ”
“With 15years of experience supporting events, I can say he was remarkably easy to deal with; calm, composed, organised, just a joy! His performance and presence improved the event a hundredfold, he was a compelling ringmaster, an enthralling entertainer,and, as a compere, held the event together beautifully. ”
A Handful of Hats came up to the mark and won the praise of the likes of Good Morning Britain, MTV, Culture Trip and The Radio Times. It helped having the sole use of the UK's only truly authentic Western Town Laredo in Kent where we taught them how to spin a lasso, spin a gun, throw a rope, shoot a 45, fire a Winchester , throw a knife, crack a whip and throw an axe!
“We’ve had the most enormous fun with the best trainers, thank you so much for looking after us and making it all so enjoyable despite the cold! :-) ”
“Thank you all for making it such an amazing day, all the guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We will absolutely recommend you to any company looking for themed entertainment like this. ”
He popped into Duffryn Gardens this weekend to see the 12 days of Christmas Trail they have installed as part of the free attractions, and he liked what he saw and is looking forward to visiting again from the 10th December. in the meantime he's busy trying to find Prancer and wrapping many many parcels .....
Delighted to be asked to perform at a fundraiser event for two talented performers from Cardiff who are off to Nicaragua in the New Year to spread the joy of circus to the the never regions of South America.
It was an ideal opportunity to get back together with Russell from Pick N Mix Circus and revisit the first ever live target knife throwing show to be seen at Glastonbury Festival , but this time we went two better !
Not only did he have the razor sharp Blades of Doom thrown around him but we cut targets out of his hands and mouth!!
and finaled with a target cut off his head with a twenty foot bullwhip while he was riding a unicycle !!
“That was an awesome show! my heart was in my mouth!”
An early Christmas Cowboy party got the festive season off to a galloping start for a group of pole dancers in Cardiff recently, working within No Fit State Circuses training space, we had them all cracking whips, spinning lassos and throwing knives and axes in no time. With performance ideas and tips provided for some cracking new routines, they all had a Wild Wild West time of their lives.
With whip cracking , gold panning, rodeo bulls, lasso workshops and shooting galleries the day was hailed as a rip roaring success by the public and traders alike.
“Thank you so much for a superb day, we loved your workshops and displays, they were the stars of the day, I’d recommend “ A Handful of Hats” to any event organiser anytime. ”
Joining up with Russ our old performance partner at Pick "N" Mix Circus we delivered our special Guide and Brownie Circus Workshop Package which was greeted with great joy by the members of the Wick Brownie and Guide group, three hours of fun and games and all 60 members gained their Circus Performers Badge having leant how to chase a circus mouse, build a circus tent, juggle, balance an object, spin a plate, ride a unicycle, hula, spin a diablo and ride a dragons tail, not all at once of course... silly!
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Come and join "Pecan Pete" the last surviving English Cowboy in Wales for a whole heap of Wild West fun! Learn how to crack a whip, spin a lasso and throw a horseshoe!!
Wild West Wednesday
Wednesday 26th October
12:00pm until 3:00pm
@ Stepney Square, Llanelli on Wednesday 26th October 2016 between 12noon and 3pm
Wild West Wednesday
@ Stepney Square, Llanelli
on Wednesday 26th October 2016
between 12noon and 3pm
see https://www.facebook.com/YmlaenLlanelli/ for more information
Visit Llanelli town centre (outside Boots) on Wednesday, 26th October for a FREE Wild West fun day!
Competitions and Prizes
Wild West Workshops with International Champion "Pecan Pete"
Rodeo Bull
Panning for Gold
Cross Bow Challenges
A personalised Western Skills Workshop with International Champion and circus performer, that star of film and TV, Pete Gamble!!! , The training includes all equipment for whip cracking, knife throwing and lasso spinning, either here in our rehearsal space just outside Cardiff or in the setting of your choice. From 2 hours for fun and fitness, to all weekend to ready you for your Hollywood blockbuster debut!
Charlie Bubbles goes surfing! when you've been invited to a " Party on the Beach" to take part in one of the biggest Carnival parades in the UK you have to dress the part! . Charlie went Hawaiian in a big way and even had a posse of bubble maids accompanying him on the route and then led a Hula workshop during the circus workshop to finish of a great day!
“That is the most fun thing we have had, I love Charlie Bubbles and his Bubble Trike, Go catch a wave Dude! ”
An invite to entertain at Penarth Carnival again this year, was the catalyst to unleash a new character on the unsuspecting home of the loveliest crowds and the scariest Downhill Derby in the UK. " Bertie the Balloon Bloke!" wove his magic patter on the crowds along the Clifftop Parade making anything they liked out of a balloon... as long as it was a dog...... ,,
No seriously .. he can make a myraid of other things but by Jove! he makes as fine a dog as one could hope for, big ones, green ones, long ones, thin ones , walking ones, marching ones, watch dogs , sausage dogs and even his own unique invention, " The Designer Dog!" " They goes darn a treat" says Bertie , who came all the way from Bermondsey on his bicycle made for two for the occasion.
A Rio themed Carnival in one of the prettiest villages in Wales called for a new character to make his debut! and that he certainly did!
“Hi Peter,
Thanks a million again for providing such wonderful entertainment at our Fete once again, we received so many compliments about Juan!
Thank you again, from me and all of the Carnival Committee ”
You're sure of a BIG surprise ..
For Charlie Bubbles and the Musical Magical Bubble Trike was entertaining at annual Teddy Bears Picnic, putting smiles on the faces of hundreds of children and adults alike, with Singalong songs, Bubble Workshops and Giant Bubble Displays .
Cowboy fun galore when A Handful of Hats organised a full day of Wild West acts , walkabouts and Whip Cracking and Knife Throwing workshops for the UK No1 Favourite Park at Margam Park in South Wales this Bank Holiday . Here's a taste of the fun with a great act from Si and Tor from Flambe Circus. Our thanks to Andrew McFetters
Peter started with a swivel handled leather bull whip, it was, in hindsight, truly horrible, but it was the only type of available in juggling shops 20 years ago, it took him three months of hitting chunks out of himself to finally make it crack, but now he can teach people how to crack a whip in three minutes, give him three hours and he'll have you performing an act.
Eventually, he was then very fortunate to be taught an Australian stock man and Royal Sydney Show Whip Cracking Competition Champion, John Leech, he used stock whips and guess which type Peter then favoured?
Stock Whip 4 plait red hide, very plain , very simple tough whip.
He then started to lean towards long handled bull whips for target work, but It took a trip to America to take part in the International Championships in Fort Worth that he came across the nylon or parachute cord Performance Hybrid or "tube" whip, when they are well made they crack so readily you wonder where the batteries are fitted.... The originals were designed by the world famous Circus Artiste Gary Brophy and made by Simon Martin in Tasmania.
Performance Hybrid Whip (plastic tube handles and nylon braid)
I always think that you can see their origin in the Florida Cow Whip which was made out of nylon parachute cord to cope with wet weather and Florida swamps. This whip was made by the lovely Lauren Wickline who has sadly had to stop making whips because of the RSI it had brought on. Get well soon Lauren.
Which one to go for will depend on your budget and access to the makers listed later on in this page, your budget and what you fancy doing with it , if you want to do multiple fast cracking routines then shortish stock or PH whips are great, if you want to do body wraps and target work then a long handled bull whip can be better.
But if you just want a good all round whip and unless you are an ardent traditionalist or need a whip to suit a character or costume (I feel it has to be a bull whip for Indiana Jones or a Medieval act , but then again I've used a PH whip for years and no one has noticed) then I personally think that a 4 1/2 ft Performance Hybrid whip if you are over 5 ft tall and a 5ft whip if you are nearer 6 foot would be a great way to start, they are light, tough and crack easily if they are well made.
PH whips from Adam Winrich . Mmmmm
(If you can't make your mind up, then catch up with me at the next whip or juggling convention workshop and try the different styles out or you can book a personal workshop here in Barry South Wales, which is now available every Thursday at our practice studio . ( I will however, travel pretty well anywhere if you need a lesson :-) )
If you want to see the different types of whip, here is Adam Winrich, the 12 times Whip Cracking Guinness World Record holder, WWPAS World Champion Whip Cracker, International Grand Master and Champion whip maker with one of his many great video's demonstrating the different types of whip. I met Adam when I competed in America at The International Championships in Fort Worth -Dallas where I was very fortunate to win the Freestyle Championship, competing against who? I couldn't possible say .. :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eHDeRxypFE
There's a new Marshall in town!
Needed some training in knife throwing for a new film and guess who had the pleasure of teaching her knife throwing?
With the opportunity to attend a performance master class from two of the UK's leading comedy circus performers everything got put on hold!
