RAGLEY HALL 2018 - FIREWORK CHAMPIONS EVENT

WHAT: FIREWORK CHAMPIONS 2018 – RAGLEY HALL
WHEN: SATURDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2018
WHERE: RAGLEY HALL, ALCESTER, WARWICKSHIRE, B49 5NJ
WHY: NATIONAL FIREWORK COMPETITION

One of the newcomers to the Firework Champions venue list, Ragley Hall is a beautiful stately home which epitomizes the sheer beauty and elegance of our fantastic heritage.

The lands on which the Hall stands were given to Evesham Abbey in 711 AD and is currently home to the 9th Marquess and Marchioness of Hertford.

Ragley was built by Robert Hooke who was intrinsic in the recovery of London after the Great Fire as he surveyed over half of the bigger buildings affected and with his friend Sir Christopher Wren. The building of the house took an incredible 70 years 1680 – 1750, but in the meantime, the family were housed in the Old Hall which served them well and stood where the now rose garden is established.

The house was used as a hospital during both the World Wars and since 1958 has been to the public to help to maintain this gorgeous house for the future. Today, the house and gardens are hired out for corporate events, weddings and of course, the annual Firework Champions Event.
Competing this year at the Ragley Hall Firework Champions Event are:

CAMBRIDGE FIREWORKS – ST IVES, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Established 10 years ago, this team is run and managed by two pro firers who also hold down full- time careers. Martin is a farmer and Mark works in the construction industry. The pair have little competitive display experience but as such are a bit of an unknown quantity only adding to the mystery, but we are certain to get a beautiful show.

This little team has a full order book all year around for weddings, private and corporate events along with some product launches. I for one am really looking forward to seeing the new an innovative display. One to watch.

SKYDAZZLE PYROTECHNICS – NEWPORT, SOUTH WALES
The team have been in the firework display business for 20 years and public-address systems for more than 30 so they know and a thing or two about crowds and widespread entertainment. With displays for everything from the local village fete to a huge military show over in Germany, they have done it all at one point or another.

Very much a family affair the business is run by Mike, his wife Karen and their family as well as a sizeable team of other technicians. The team fired in 2016 at the Belvoir Castle Firework Champions event and then won in 2017 with their display at Stanford Hall, battling with what can only be described as ‘adverse’ weather conditions. Known for their use of a wide range of effects and colour as well as brilliant choreography. Best of luck to the team.

G-FORCE FIREWORKS LTD – EVESHAM, WORCESTERSHIRE
Rob and his team of professional pyrotechnicians are a busy bunch and have a bulging orders book, thanks to their ethos of only using the highest quality products which are sourced from across Europe and China. The team have lifted the awards for the British Firework Championships in Plymouth in both 2009 and 2011 and have competed at the British Musical Firework Championships in Southport too. Over the last couple of year’s they have also shown their exceptional talents at several other Firework Champions events including competition in 2014 and 2017 at Stanford Hall and in two years ago, they competed here at Ragley Hall, narrowly missing out on the win. Come on G-force, let's see you beating off the competition this time around.

If you do require more information about the event, venues or ticketing, please contact MLE Pyrotechnics via the Firework Champions page and one of their team will get back to you.

Once all the competitors have fired, it is time for them to sit back and take stock whilst watching the prowess of organisers MLE as they fill the night skies with stunning pyrotechnics whilst the votes are cast and counted.

A lovely evening event which can be enjoyed by all the family and there will, of course, be places to picnic and spend time chatting and catching up with family and friends before the start. There are camping facilities on site at all the Firework Champions events so again, please contact organisers MLE for more details.

Good luck to all the competitors.