Charging along......

...which is what  I hope to be doing in more way than one on my North America ride.   I am intending to travel without vehicle support as far as possible, so charging my electrical equipment when I am back country is an obvious concern.  I have been very grateful to receive support from family business Outdoor Chargers www.outdoorchargers.co.uk who offered a very generous deal on a couple of solar powered chargers.
This includes a compact and sturdy Powermonkey Extreme which is arguably the most impressive portable solar charger on the market.  Capable of charging a variety of devices from cameras to ipads, the battery unit can also be charged up from a conventional power source.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEXwG47laYk

.......In addition I have acquired a Bushnell Solarwrap Mini   which is a very lightweight small solar charger which I intend to use to keep my mobile topped up as I ride along.  It can be hung across a saddle bag, and the flexible solar panel wraps away around the battery unit when not in use.

 

 

 

Outdoor Chargers supply a variety of chargers (including the two shown above) at very competitive prices.

VOTE LAURA FOR THE BRIT AWARDS!

Following her success at the MOBO (Music of Black Origin) awards, where she won the Best Female Artist (over Jessie J and Rita Ora) and Best R&B/Soul artist awards, it is now time to vote for Laura in the all important BRIT AWARDS, where she up for Best Breakthrough Act and Best Female Artist.   
You can VOTE FOR HER for her now by clicking BEST BREAKTHROUGH ACT
http://www.brits.co.uk/voting

Laura on Jools Holland Live (Iona on harp)....

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

When I reached the westernmost point of mainland Ireland at Slea Head on the Dingle Peninsula last year, the only place to go further west was to the tiny Blasket Islands just off the coast, and then North America.  And that is where I plan to continue the Long Horse Ride later this year, starting from Cape Spear near St John's in Newfoundland.

I am hoping to ride without vehicle support for much of the time, either carrying my kit in saddlebags or on a packhorse, so sourcing lightweight gear will be of the utmost importance.  A constant concern when wild camping is keeping clean.  I was thus intrigued to find on the internet an innovative brand of washcloths and dishcloths marketed by Lunatec. 

Not only lightweight but self-cleaning, quick dry and odour-free, they seem perfect for the job, and I am very grateful that Lunatec have generously offered to provide cloths for my trip.

http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gearcaster/2011/07/innovative-camping-towels-from-lunatec.html

MOBO Awards 2013 - VOTE NOW!

...and for those of you who do not know what MOBO stands for, it is Music of Black Origin.
Laura Mvula  is up for five awards.  Laura and the band (with my youngest daughter Iona on harp/vocals) will be playing at the Awards Ceremony at 9pm on BBC3 this Saturday 20th October , and 11.15 pm on BBC1 on Sunday 21st.

There is still just time to vote for Laura at   http://www.mobo.com/voting2013

For a reminder of her fabulous songs, here are the band on last month's North American tour performing on the David Letterman Show ...

and in Chicago...

Unfortunately the videos from the Today show in New York, and the Jimmy Kinmel Show no longer seem to be available.

For those of you who are in North America, watch out for their November tour which may be coming to a venue near you!  - link to schedule as follows   http://www.lauramvula.com/events

STOP PRESS - LAURA MVULA WINNER OF MOBO BEST FEMALE ARTIST AND BEST R & B / SOUL AWARD!!

Laura beat Jessie J and Rita Ora in the MOBO Best Female Performance 2013 group.   I will put a link to the MOBO ceremony later in the week.

With a different hat on.

Just to show I am not always wearing smelly trousers and a weird gold helmet, here I am with my judge's hat on at the Welsh National Show a few weeks ago.  The lovely horse is my Part bred Welsh champion Stanleygrange Regal Empire, bred by Jerome Harforth.

A Missionary in Belgium

I had a lovely unexpected surprise on Wednesday when Kris Annaerts and Sabrina Proost from Belgium turned up on my doorstep.  It transpired that about ten years ago Kris had bought Cwrtycadno Cenhadwr, a young colt that I had sold to Holland and subsequently lost track of.  Quite a timely re-discovery as he is a full brother to my 2013 Royal Welsh Champion Cwrtycadno Perlen (see previous post) and the first foal by Cwrtycadno Cymro.  He was called Cenhadwr (the Welsh for missionary) as we had just moved into our present home Ffrwdfal House which had previously been set up as a religious retreat for returning missionaries, and the colt was one of the first ponies I exported to the continent.
 At the time he was born he was a great disappointment as I was eagerly hoping for a filly foal, but had to wait another two years!  However he has landed on his feet, or should I say hooves, leading a fulfilling life as a marathon driving pony.  Kris and Sabrina gave me lots of photos and video clips of him in action.  Here he is in his role as lead pony in a tandem.....

 

.............and in action at Hatrival ...........

 





Cloud Nine

Absolutely thrilled to bits that my Welsh pony mare Cwrtycadno Perlen trotted her way to victory last week when she was awarded the Overall Welsh Pony Championship at the Royal Welsh Show, arguably the highest accolade in the Welsh Pony showing world, and a once in a lifetime achievement for most people.   It was particularly gratifying as it is the only time I have won it as an owner-breeder.  

 

 

Many many thanks to Tom Best and David Blair of the Waxwing stud (where she has been on lease while I have been riding in foreign parts) for producing and showing her so superbly once again - last year she was Reserve Female Champion.  A tremendous effort considering these have been her only two outings as an adult! 

 

 Perlen (and handler Tom Best) receiving the Coed Coch cup from judge Meirion Davies of the Heniarth stud, Perlen apparently fascinated by the cup!  She also won the Queen's cup which is awarded to a different livestock section every year - unfortunately no longer by Lizzie in person!  And of course a coveted gold Welsh Pony and Cob society medal to add to her silver and bronze ones.

...a proud and excited owner who had just scrambled over the fence into the ring, with Tom and Perlen - the pony may look resigned, but she can now afford to rest on her laurels!  Photo taken by visiting Ozzie friend Toni.

Unsurprisingly the bubbly came out in force at home, and not least because our Dutch guests Geert Verbaas and Marit Timmermans won the Junior Mare class with their lovely mare Stougjeshoeve Emilia and also a third place with a two year old filly.
Other successes were a 3rd place in the yearling colt class for Coriolan de L'Aurore out of my mare Cwrtycadno Colomen (on loan with Ingrid Delaitre who took the lovely photo of Tom and Perlen in middle), and 4th place in the two year old colt class for Debbie Thomas's Waxing Glimmer who is out of my mare Cwrtycadno Glain (on loan with Perlen at the Waxwing stud).

And in the unlikely event that there is someone out there who will not only be as transfixed as me but also can understand Welsh, here are links to S4C video clips of her winning the Senior Mare class.......
http://s4c.co.uk/sioe/cgi-bin/2013.pl?rm=vt&vt=181&l=c
and the Overall championship............
http://s4c.co.uk/sioe/cgi-bin/2013.pl?rm=vt&vt=194&l=c