The Sizzling Scintillating Angie Sylvia ! Lasso Spinning Star

“ my workshop with Pete was more than I could ever ask for! I learnt so many different tricks with lasso and the whip in just 2 hours! Definitely recommend to learn from him! The hospitality from him and his wife was so amazing! She made the most amazing dinner and food to bring with me for my journey back to London “”

— Angie S , Dancer, Actor, Fire Performer

Angie jumped on the Megabus from London to Cardiff and we wafted her off to the wilds of Barrybados where we trained her not only in how to spin and throw and lasso but to crack a whip too! We can’t wait to see what this talented Dancer , Actress and Fire and Burlesque Performer does with her new found skills.

Getting in a spin !

It appears that the epicentre of lasso training is in South Wales! :-)

The fact that it’s only a couple of hours from London attracted two talented performers, Kate and Sophie who wanted to add lasso spinning to their skill set, so they joined us for an enjoyable afternoon of fun and games!

“Hi Pete,
Just wanted to thank you so very much for your generosity, giggles and training today. What a wonderful time and we are thrilled we can now spin a rope. I will be practicing to get it much better and hope to learn more.

The time just flew by and you and the guys couldn’t have been nicer company. You are such a natural and fun teacher. We so hope we can see you all again.

My job involves a lot of smiling but I don’t always feel like it’s a true smile as we all do I guess. Today I laughed so much as well as learnt such a coveted skill (all be it knowing full well that I am very much at the beginning). Laughs are like gold dust so thank you for something I can’t always truly feel.
We love that we have some lovely new pals.”

— Kate H Cos Productions

A Cracking Corporate Workshop

When one of the UKs’ top training organisations has a Train the Trainer day we were delighted to provide a much needed Energiser Circus Skills workshop in the lovely surrounds of St Pierre Golf Club and Country Hotel

“That was exactly what the delegates needed! professional, fun, polished, challenging, engaging, entusiastic aand did I mention the fun they had? ”

— CW HR Director SmartSol.com

Guided by the light!

For the fifth year running we were delighted to provide 4 hours of circus workshops for groups of Guides and Brownies who all achieved their Circus Skills Badges .

With our own especially written approved programme for the Scouts and Guides they had a range of activities to choose from :

object balancing and club swinging

• diabolo

• devilstick

• juggling with three or more items (scarves, rings, balls, clubs)

• lasso

• plate spinning

• stilt walking

• tumbling

• unicycling

• yo-yo

• balloon modelling

• cigar boxes etc

• and all were able to demonstrate three skills and took a part in a show at the end.

Albert Stumblemore steps out ..

The Headmaster of Bogwarts roamed the quadrangles of Llanelli in celebration of his schools’ arch rivals star pupil Harry Potter.

Arriving in a veteran Ford Anglia, Harry was soon joined by a whole host of likely looking characters and made merry with mythical spells and mystery moves.

An incredibly popular day of fun, with hundreds and hundreds of people young and old turning up to be involved in photo shoots and parades.

The Wild Wild Sunset Circus with Citrus Pips / Arts

An innovative, enthusiastic circus company Citrus Arts have founded a youth circus group in Pontypridd called Citrus Pips and we were delighted to be asked to be part of an extraordinary community circus day in partnership with The Bike Shop to put on a day enjoyed by hundreds.

Our Western Skills workshops was just a small part of a full range of activities Citrus Pips provided with all the junior members either facilitating or teaching a whole range of skills culminating in a illuminated bike ride , fire sculpture and circus show,

A Western Skills Master Class

Delighted to provide a sell out Western Skills course at Upside Down Circus in Cardiff.

Our lead instructor is an international whip cracking champion , award winning circus performer and European Whip Cracking Association, Master Trainer. He has taught over a thousand circus performers, actors, celebrities, jugglers and western skills fans all over the world, knife throwing, whip cracking, gun spinning and lasso .

Later on this year, look out for a Performance Whip Cracking Master Class back at Upside Down Circus and workshops from Peter and friends at The British Juggling Convention in April and the European Juggling Convention in August where he is co-ordinating and teaching at Europes’ biggest EJC Western Skills Village.

Come on Down!! www.BJC2019.co.uk, wwwEJC2019.org for more details.

The Ty Hafan Big Top Ball

Delighted to be asked to host, compere and be the auctioneer for the prestigious annual Big Top charity ball for Wales’ Ty Hafan Childrens’ Hospice at the Exchange Hotel in Cardiff, 300+ guests enjoyed fantastic surroundings, glorious food and drink, two kinds of auctions that raised thousands of pounds, finished off with a cabaret show from the Ringmaster and a superb band. A hat tip to Russell Wells from Pick N Mix Circus for a fiery welcome and his famous stilted balloon modelling.

Relax with an Axe!

Our Knife and Axe throwing and Western Skills Workshops are proving so popular we thought we’d best learn how axes are made. Thanks to Phoenix Forge in Carmarthen we now know. A whole glorious day of beating, bending, heating, rolling, quenching, firing, tempering, grinding, filing, curling and drinking tea was spent in a fantastically appointed forge that lets you do and experience every step of the process under the cheerful supevison of a master blacksmith. Such fun! we are going back to do knives ..

The Greatest Show in Uxbridge !

When you are celebrating the 5th Birthday of the one of the most successful Shopping Malls in the UK , who are you going to call? The Ringmeister of course . Whip in hand he meeted and greeted all the guests, entertained during the meal and provided a circus cabaret of prestidigitation, levitation, fouettitation and tittilation to an eclectic and ecstatic group of guests.

Merlyne returns to Glastonbury

Home of the Glastonbuy Tor , the Festival and of course Michael Eavis, co-founder of the Glastonbury Festival and when he needed medieval entertainment fit for a Queen, we were only too delighted to oblige with a stunning Hula act, a glorious hurdy gurdy playing troubadour and Merlyn the ever so scary providing the centre of the hall show as part of Michaels’s, St Michaelmass Charity Ball held in the fantastic setting of the newly restored Pilton Tythe Barn.

The Finest Show on Turf

September saw us transported back in time to our all time favourite juggling convention of the past, the renowned Brizzle, transported in time to a field in Oxfordshire close to where the original Minis used to be built. A chance to try out the new car-a-van, provide some western skills and lock picking workshops and meet up with friends old and new. A jolly fine time was had by all and a place and event highly reccomended.

The Friday saw us enthralled with a performance workshop from the likes of Steve Rawlings, Ben Cornish and Haggis McCloud with contributions from Steve Mills , a Hat Therapy Workshop from Haggis led nicely into a strong performance from the cast of thousands for The Greatest Show on Turf

Rougher and tougher than Game of Thrones?

Course they are all jolly nice and have gone through battles galore and trials inumerable but at the end of the day they are all actors and they don’t really compare with the real live warriors that we had the privilege to entertain at a sumptious Dining In in a Mess that for the evening had been turned into a veritable citadel.

Of course we aren’t able to say who we provided Axe Throwing Workshops, Crossbow ranges, or throwing knives and razor sharp spinning cards, well of course we could but then we’d have to line you up against a wall.

Secure to be Sure!

When an international law firm wants to ensure their assets and securities are safe , who do they call? A Handful of Hats of course! Well, OK, not really, but we were thrilled to be asked to put on a conference energiser session in Birmingham for their heads of Data Security and what better way to relax and refocus than to learn how to pick a lock, not just any old lock tho, by the end of the session they were popping padlocks, money boxes, door locks, combination locks, safe locks and hand cuffs.

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The Pirates of Llanelli!

Pirate Catain Perilous Pete was proud to lead the parade down the gang plank and around the town celebrating the maritime heritage of this famous seaport, long before it became known as Tinopololis they had there very own Privateer and and of course many Princessess!

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A fanatastic day out with strolling players , fairgrounds, Pirate Workshops, Face Painters and Princesses galore it was all deemed a roaring success.

“Thank you so much for the Pirate Captain, the bubble shows and worklshops and the balloon modeller, we’ve never had so many people join in the parade before, the shops loved it, the children loved it and the folks of Llanelli loved it.
”

— Ylmaen Business Improvements

"Mosey on down to Minsterly they said"

Pecan Petes’ Wild West Show “The Shoot Out in Shropshire!”

Thanks to Jester Jack Green and his dream team for great fun shows in Shrewsbury where they provided a super circus school and play tents galore.

““I shall attempt to burst that balloon between your legs with his here rifle!
By the way what was it you said you did for a living? “ I’n a Doctor” he said “ That might be handy said I ... ”

— Dr Johnston Charles Ercoll

I say chaps! Jolly fine motor!

The historic town of Pontypridd echoed to the rumble of steam lorries, the purr of veteran cars and the popping of bubbles as Flying Officer Kite led the parade of historic vehicles through the town for It’s famous Vintage Transport Festival

With more family entertainment provided by A Handful of Hats including, Bubble Shows, Workshops, Stiltwalkers and a Storytelling musician who sang songs to the cars and made up stories about the owners too!

Western Skills Workshops with Pecan Pete! Saturday 20th Oct

Relax with an Axe!

Introducing our newest signature trademak workshops for the budding Nordic lumberjack, “ Relax with an Axe!”

We have big axes, camping axes, small axes, tiny axes, slim axes and heavy axes and now Viking axes!

By Odin! Bring me valour or bring me Valhalla!

Can it get better that Betley?

We get to work with some of the nicest people and today was no exception when courtesey of Jester Jack Green we travelled up to rural Shropshire to take part on a super sunny day in the prestigious Betly Show on the outskirtsof Shrewbury. With Cossack Riders , Traction Engines, Craft fairs, Fairgrounds, Horse Shows , Pecan Petes’ Wild West Show it was a great family day out.

“We were delighted to have you here for our show, your act was loved by old and young and they loved the chance to learn western skills in the workshops to. ”

— Neil Liversage Show Sec.