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Tarrag Naegel had originally been designed to be a brand with my existing business
however launched in July 2015 by Christmas, it was a making up a third of the shops sales. I though maybe I should promote the brand and decided to take it racing at Perth Racecourse and to do a few local shows. By May it was obvious with the current climate on the high street and the pressure of trying to do two things the time had come to take a huge leap of faith and form a new company. On the first of June 2016 Tarrag Naegel Limited was born. Having grown up in Perthshire, I met people I had known in my youth ex school or ex pony club people and word began to spread. At this time we had Classic Tarrag Naegel and a large quantity of Cold Cast Bronze Horse and Dogs. Our very first Blue and white gazebo and it was all a very steep learning curve. Putting up at gazebo single handed is a skill that takes a while to master I will always be grateful to my fellow traders who were kind enough to point out the easy way to do things and had so many handy tips learned through experience. I clearly remember arriving at Forgandenny Horse trails in a frock straight from the shop. As I stepped deftly into my wellies to put up the stand I heard the familiar tones of Mr Jamie Innes a well know face from the Borders shouting "where the **** have you been" clearly after five years away from the borders I realised I might have been missed. Winter 2016 I came back to the borders to bring Tarrag Naegel to Kelso Races. The October meeting at Kelso has always been very special for me as it always falls the week of my birthday. For many years the children would bring me to Kelso Racecourse as my birthday treat. One of the down sides of being self employed is that you have to make sacrifices. For me the biggest one of all was my much loved thoroughbred Shannon. Although he was getting on in 2007 he needed to work everyday and I had a shop and a family. With my brave pants on I gave him to Dickie Jeffries at Kimmerston, on condition he gave him the life he needed. Come October 2016 I knew I was to be at Kelso, for the Border principles race for which Kimmerston supplied the horses. Little did I expect to have the pure joy of watching my lovely, brave, bold slightly bonkers old man lead the young horses up the straight. Well he lead until the last thirty yards, when the younger bigger horses over took him for him to finish fifth of fourteen. Not bad for 29 and he had been cubbing the day before. I make no excuses for the fact I watched with tears streaming down my face. I had often wondered if I had done the right thing giving him up. Now I had my answer, yes! Thank you to Kelso Racecourse who made sure I had a copy of the race on film. On the back of being at Kelso and Perth I started being invited to other events, Ingliston Country Club, Floors Castle, Ian Stark's. The list began to grow and life began to transform from a few days out to a new way of doing business. It is important to say at this stage although I no longer have a shop, I have kept the policy of value for money, service and honesty, trading with integrity is a large part of the companies success. Better still come and see for yourself this weekend we will be at College Valley Point to Point at Alnwick. |
AuthorWendy Ross-Smith Archives
February 2020
CategoriesArchives
February 2020
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