Ever broadening the range of interests and competitions, organisers of the Royal Welsh Show Ornamental Ironwork Section have this year introduced a new Open Jewellery Competition as part of its exhibition.

The new classes will be held under the National Blacksmiths Competition Committee Rules and include:

• Any item of ironwork made by traditional methods only.

• Any item of modern artistic work including figurine.

• Any finished article of wrought ironwork £100 and over in value

• Any finished article of wrought ironwork not exceeding £100 in value.

• Any finished article of wrought ironwork made by an apprentice or trainee currently pursuing formal training.

• Any Welsh student though they may be continuing their studies in Technical Institutions outside Wales. An article of ornamental ironwork made during the previous 12 months.

Mr David Perks Steward for the section said “We are extremely happy to hold a new Open Jewellery Competition for the first time in 2015 to recognise the increasing interest in quality handmade work and hope that we get many entries from all types of craftspeople.

“Blacksmiths have recognised for many years that there is much in common with all craft trades and in particular between blacksmiths and jewellery makers. Many students have started in one discipline and then specialised in another and this creative crossover is something we wish to celebrate and encourage”.

The other popular live wrought ironwork competitions will be held on the Thursday of the show and include a class for students and apprentices and another for individual blacksmiths. Along with the new jewellery classes, the entrants will be competing for cash prizes, a chance to win a trophy and points for the Champion Blacksmith of the Year Competition.

The ironwork exhibition and Thursday’s live competitions can be seen in the Farriery / Blacksmiths Pavilion situated just above the Main Ring at the Royal Welsh Show, held at the showground in Llanelwedd from 20 – 23 July 2015.

More details of all the competitions can be found in the schedule, available now on www.rwas.co.uk

The deadline for entries is 24 June 2015.