The sixth year of the competition [article:12279;Best in tourism of the Prešov Region], announced by the KOCR Northeast of Slovakia, comes with a novelty. The traditional categories of Tourism Personality, Best CR Product, Best CR Facility and Best CR Employee have been supplemented this year by the category Craft has a golden bottom. In it they are looking for local craftsmen developing the rich traditions of crafts in the Prešov region and their work supports its attendance. The public can vote for their favourite in an online poll between 13 December 2019 and 13 January 2020.
Nominees
PAVOL BALÁŽ - leatherworker
In the Tatra foothills, in Veľká Lomnica, you will find a traditional leatherworker. Pavol Baláž produces horse harnesses, pouches, belts and various utilitarian items or souvenirs made of leather. It contributes to the development of tourism in the Prešov Region by operating the Carriage Museum. The exhibits consist of carriages from his private collection. The museum's services are also supplemented by horse riding or sledging sports for visitors.
JAROSLAV HYRJA - carpenter
He has devoted his entire professional life to working with wood. His realizations are located all over Slovakia. He realized a number of wooden buildingswhere he worked with great precision and original technique. The town of Veľký Šariš has been cooperating with Jaroslav Hyrj for ten years. His latest work can be seen at [trip:3802;Šariš Castle] in the form of a wooden bridge. It is a beautiful example of a classic medieval wooden bridge construction.
LADISLAV HORVÁTH - manufacturer of fujars
Ladislav Horváth, the manufacturer of fujars and other pastoral edge musical instruments, is self-taught and has been making them for an admirable eleven years. Although the fujara is not a musical instrument of Zemplín, he has achieved unexpected success in his art. His products, which he has either donated or sold, are distributed all over the world - in Canada, Poland, Czech Republic, England, Portugal, Spain and of course in Slovakia.
So far he has produced about 30 fujaris of various sizes and tunings from small fujaris to large G tuning fujaris of about 175 cm in length. In addition, he has made hundreds of small three-hole, six-hole squeakers and tailpieces - whistle with only one playing hole. Gradually, he also came to produce the trombit - a signaling device by means of which shepherds communicated with each other by blowing loudly on sticks. The production of this type of pipe is the most physically strenuous and time-consuming.
ALOJZ GÁLLIK - basketball player
A well-known basket maker from the region of northern Spiš and Pieniny, village Lacková, has been involved in basketry since his younger days. He represents the basketry village and the whole region at various events. He tries to pass on the craft he learned as a young boy in his free time to the younger generation. organising workshops and participating in eventswhere he teaches how to weave baskets. You are guaranteed to meet him at the "Lacka basket" event, in which he actively participates. He has actively participated in the creation of a permanent exhibition of basketry in the village of Lacková, where he selflessly, lovingly and enthusiastically guides visitors all year round.
MICHAL KAČMÁR - artistic blacksmith
Artistic blacksmith Michal Kačmár is known for his refined technique. He does not like fame, so few people know that he is the author of the symbol of Prešov, the statue of a horse, located on the Main Street in Prešov. However, he is involved in a number of projects, which testifies to his creativity. A few years ago he decided that translates brute force into fine art and with a hammer in his hand he began to create works of art.
Cover photo: Lucia Petrušová - Craftsmen - blacksmiths (KTH), Go and shoot 2019
The campaign "The Best in Tourism of the Prešov Region 2019" is implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic.
