The Free Lancers Competitive Jousting Tournament at the Maryland Renaissance Festival

On the final weekend of the Maryland Renaissance Festival, the Free Lancers jousting troupe held a competitive jousting tournament instead of their usual show.

Gene Martino and Leland Coleman joust at the Maryland Renaissance Festival
(photo by Neil Rothschild)

The competitors used their stage names during the tournament, but the competition was real. Here are the results of the tournament as posted on the Free Lancers Facebook page:

8th place---Sir Rogan Lors with 84 points.
7th place---Sir John DeVere with 86 points.
6th place---Sir Robin Knox with 87 points.
5th place---Sir Barchan with 93 points.
4th place---Sir Michael Stafford with 106 points.
3rd place---Sir Edward of Rigney with 109 points
2nd place--Don Martino Fernandez with 132 points

And congratulations to Sir Ian McFarland with a record setting 148 points!!!!

He is the Grand Champion!

The Free Lancers jousting troupe(photo by Neil Rothschild)

DeSignet International Designs Custom Prizes for Lysts on the Lake 2013

Reg Schopp
(photo from deSignet International)

Third generation jeweler, Reg Schopp, currently runs deSignet International(aka raru.com), a 108 year old family business based in New York, USA, but serving customers around the world through their online store. DeSignet International specializes in custom jewelry, and when the prize committee for Lysts on the Lake wanted something special to award as the prizes for this year's tournament, they asked Reg to create a signet ring and set of pilgrim pins(similar to modern lapel pins) based on the Lysts on the Lake logo. Not an easy task, but one that Reg seemed excited to work on.

One would think that custom jewelry would be much more expensive than 'off the shelf' merchandise, but the prices at DeSignet are surprisingly affordable, and Reg is willing to work with his customers to create the beautiful custom designs they want while staying within their budgets.

“We want our customers to understand how the process works and, that having 'One of a Kind deSign' doesn't have to cost more, in fact, often less, without the hype.” – from the DeSignet website

The custom signet ring Reg created will be awarded to the Tournament Champion.

Lysts on the Lake 2013 Tournament Champion ring(photo from deSignet International)

The pilgrim pins he created will be awarded to the competitors who win the Tilting, Mounted Melee and Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course (a type of Mounted Skill at Arms Course) competitions within the overall tournament.

Lysts on the Lake 2013 Pilgrim Pin(photo from deSignet International)

There is one other award that will be given during the tournament. This award cannot be won based on skill alone. The Award of Chivalry is presented to the competitor who displays the most honourable behavior throughout the tournament. The prize committee for Lysts on the Lake decided that they wanted a traditional poesy ring which could be worn as a favour for this award and ordered a ring from Kathryn Riechert Jewelry which sells a variety of custom poesy rings.

Poesy Ring that reads "Chivalry Lysts 2013"(photo by The Jousting Life)

You can find out more about this year's tournament at the Lysts on the Lake website.

Competitive Jousting Featured in “Combatant Magazine”

Combatant Magazine is the first online magazine dedicated to Western Martial Artists and Re-enactors.
On right: Combatant Magazine cover October 2013
(photo from Combatant Magazine)

Though almost all of the articles are about ground combat, this month's cover story focuses on the sport of jousting and includes an interview with international jousters Luke Binks and Sarah Hay. Here is an excerpt from the article:

What drew you to jousting?

Luke: I’ve been interested in Medieval history as far back as I can remember. I believe one of my first introductions to jousting was while watching Ivanhoe(1952) as a kid. I collected knight Lego and made armour out of cardboard boxes – dressing my six-year-old younger brother up so I had someone to hit. My passion for all things medieval never really left me but as I got a little older, into my young teens, my focus shifted away from medieval toys.
Until one fateful day I came across a 14th Century re-enactment group at a local markets. I was 14 at this stage and found grown men dressing in real armour hitting each other with real swords. That spark came back to life and set a fire in me that was going to last until this day. I did re-enactments of foot tournaments with the Knights Order of Lion Rampant(KOLR) for many years before I found jousting. But after seeing Rod Walker and Justin Holland joust at the Abbey Medieval Fair in 2001, I was hooked. I had to give that a go.

Sarah: There are many things that drew me to jousting. A great friend of mine said, ‘It's as if everything you’ve ever done has led you to this point...’
I’ve always loved adventure. The thrill of jousting certainly is appealing to my need for some adrenalin pumping action. Since a toddler I’ve always loved dressing up, hence my attraction to ‘the look’ of jousting, including all the soft kit and the armour itself. I started riding before I could walk and have tried all equestrian disciplines available to me since then. I was very much drawn to jousting as the application of high levels of equestrian skill in a context unlike anything I had experienced before.

From: “Destrier: Jousting in the modern idiom” in Combatant Magazine

To read the entire article, you need to pay either for this issue or a subscription to the magazine, but the rates are very reasonable. You can find out more about the magazine and how buy a single issue or a subscription at the Combatant Magazine website.

If you are curious, some of the other articles in this issue are:

"Spotlight on... Kryal Castle, Victoria's newly re-opened medieval themed attraction"

"Mordschlag: Fighting with the Murder Stroke in halfsword"

"Historical Hardcase: William Wallace - Guardian of Scotland"

"Ode to the longsword"

"Fight like a girl"

"The Dragon and the Crow: An excerpt from a novel by TB McKenzie"

The “Events” section also has interesting and informative summaries of HEMA and WMA events around the world. I was especially impressed by what the members of Forte Swordplay(referred to in the article as Forte Productions) are working towards with their HEMA Livestream Series. I would love to get to the point where jousting tournaments could be streamed live over the internet.

Images from article: Left-Luke Binks(photo by Garry Davenport)
Right-Sarah Hay(photo by The Jousting Life)

Historical Images: Snail Jousting

Although this website focuses on the sport of contemporary competitive jousting, jousting is an historical sport, and it can be both educational and entertaining to look at historical images of jousting. However, some of these images can be a bit strange. Apparently, there are quite a few manuscript illuminations that feature knights battling snails in some way or another, including jousting against them.

Knight jousts snail, Frontispiece to Le livre des enseignments des visces et des vertus France, N.(Picardy)(From the British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts)

"What we have here is your basic snail/knight standoff. You get these all the time in the margins of gothic manuscripts. And I do mean all the time. They’re everywhere! Sometimes the knight is mounted, sometimes not. Sometimes the snail is monstrous, sometimes tiny. Sometimes the snail is all the way across the page, sometimes right under the knight’s foot. Usually, the knight is drawn so that he looks worried, stunned, or shocked by his tiny foe." – Carl Pyrdum in "What’s So Funny about Knights and Snails? (Mmm… Marginalia #46)"

Knight jousting with snail, Brunetto Latino's Li Livres dou Tresor, St Petersburg Manuscript, fol. 30v(From the 'PROMPTORIUM PARVULORUM')

It's caused some speculation on the part of historians.

"There has been much scholarly debate about the significance of these depictions of snail combat. As early as 1850, the magnificently-named bibliophile the Comte de Bastard theorised that a particular marginal image of a snail was intended to represent the Resurrection, since he discovered it in two manuscripts close to miniatures of the Raising of Lazarus. In her famous survey of the subject, Lilian Randall proposed that the snail was a symbol of the Lombards, a group vilified in the early middle ages for treasonous behaviour, the sin of usury, and ‘non-chivalrous comportment in general.’ This interpretation accounts for why the snail is so frequently seen antagonising a knight in armour, but does not explain why the knight is often depicted on the losing end of this battle, or why this particular image became so popular in the margins of non-historical texts such as Psalters or Books of Hours....
Other scholars have variously described the ‘knight v snail’ motif as a representation of the struggles of the poor against an oppressive aristocracy, a straightforward statement of the snail’s troublesome reputation as a garden pest, a commentary on social climbers, or even as a saucy symbol of female sexuality. It is possible that these images could have meant all these things and more at one time or another..." – Sarah J Biggs in "Knight v Snail"

Knight charging a snail and a bird, Brunetto Latini's Le Livre du Trésor Origin: France, N. (Picardy) (From the British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts)

We'll probably never understand why those who illuminated manuscripts drew so many scenes of knights in battle with snails, but the images, as well as the speculation about them, are certainly interesting.

Grotesque knight fights snails, Queen Mary's Psalter, Origin: England (London/Westminster or East Anglia?) (From the British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts)

Random Pic: Armoured Violinist

A picture of jouster Charlie Andrews playing the violin while wearing armour.

Charlie Andrews plays the violin(photo by Dreamline Photos)

In Memoriam: Bonnie

Richard Alvarez posted this announcement on Facebook on October 1, 2013:

"Got word that our noble warhorse Bonnie passed this weekend. She lived a long and wonderful life. She carried many of us through countless jousts. Here she is, enduring the freak snowstorm in Scarborough. She gave me 100 percent in the midst of a miserable day.

You couldn't ask for more.

Rest in Peace Bonnie. Your name is on the honor roll." – Richard Alvarez

Richard Alvarez on Bonnie at Scarborough(photo from Richard Alvarez)

Promotional Information About the Upcoming "Tournament of the Phoenix"

Promotional information from the "Tournament of the Phoenix" website:

"The tournament of the Phoenix™ is a two day, six event sports contest, the original 'extreme' sport. The only event of its kind in the US, it is one of the most prestigious events in the world. It is invitational, and only the most highly skilled competitors are invited to compete for the coveted Phoenix prize.

Six knights will compete at the Tournament of the Phoenix 2013. Hailing from the US, England, and Poland,[Editorial note: it actually looks likes there are competitors from the US, Netherlands, New Zealand and Poland] competitors will accumulate points as they battle it out in a series of grueling events. An equestrian triathlon, the tournament will test the combatants' prowess and stamina as they pit themselves against each other in six events over the two day competition. Events include foot combat with axes, mounted melee, and four sessions of jousting.

The popular Festival of History complements the Tournament, providing a host of activities for all ages and interests. Costumed interpreters inhabit fully outfitted period camps spanning Rome to the Renaissance. With live music, demonstrations from blacksmithing and falconry to glass blowing and gladiator combat, this event provides fun, food and excitement for all that should not be missed!" – from the Media page

2013 Competitors(image by "Tournament of the Phoenix")

Modern Medievalist Interviews International Jouster Frederic Piraux

David Baker(aka The Modern Medievalist) interviewed Jouster Frederic Piraux, founder of the International Jousting League for his website, "Modern Medievalist":

"In 2001 I first met Frederic Piraux at Sunset Park , Las Vegas Nevada in October at the annual Renaissance and Medieval Fair.Sadly he had flown in from Canada where he had been a student at a week long school of European Medieval Martial Arts enthusiasts, only to find the person who had been contact with him was unable to make the event. He and his traveling buddy and my family spent most of that Saturday together walking around from one event to the next. At the end of day we exchanged e-mail address and promised to stay in touch. I think to the surprise of both of us, we did stay in touch.

On the anniversary of our first meeting, I decided to corner my friend, and ask him to give me an interview. Of course being a friend, and knowing I would probably hound him until he did, Fred as I know him, graciously sat down with me via Facebook and granted an interview. What follows is our conversation."

To read the rest of the interview, click here.

Frederic Piraux(photo by Danny Van Hecke)

A Dictionary of Jousting Terms

This is a work in progress. It will continue to be edited and updated as needed.
Last update: July 13, 2016

This dictionary is an attempt to create a standardized vocabulary for use when discussing contemporary competitive jousting. It is based not only on historical sources(which can vary greatly depending on time and place), but also on modern websites that deal with jousting, and discussions held between jousters/crew on social networking sites and at tournaments.

If you have suggestions for words/phrases to add to the dictionary, changes to existing definitions and/or other ways to improve this page, please email The Jousting Life. If you have a question about a word/phrase(either on this list or not), feel free to email TJL and ask about it.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Arçon: a traditional French word for the front part of a saddle, in English it's generally called the 'Pommel'.

Armour: the protective clothing worn by the jouster and sometimes the horse during jousting. It is usually metal, but occasionally leather or other materials are used depending on the type of jousting being done.

Arret and Grapper: The 'Arret' is a sort of hook attached to the breastplate of jousting armour for the base of the lance to rest upon. (Some breastplates include an arret and some do not.) The 'Grapper' is a sort of tight ring attached to the base of the lance just in front of where the lance rests upon the arret. The arret and grapper work together to hold the lance in place and prevent it from sliding backward in the jouster's grip during impact. They may or may not also increase the force of the hit.

Left: Arret attached to a breastplate, Right: Arret and grapper(photos by Rod Walker)

Articulation: in plate armour, it refers to the use of several smaller pieces of armour, such as 'Lames', connected to one another using sliding rivets or internal leather straps in order to achieve flexibility

Barricade: In jousting, when a jouster's lance tip has been swung too far to the left of the oncoming opponent(from the point of view of the oncoming opponent, it is too far to the right), it can form a 'barricade' across the opponent's body, and the lance can break because of the lever action against the lance as the opponent rides through this 'barricade'. Although the lance has broken, it is not considered a legal, or point-scoring, break in most tournaments for two reasons:

• Firstly, because the force of the oncoming opponent against the side of the lance frequently causes the jouster to lose control of the lance, and any loss of control of the lance is dangerous.
• Secondly, because the lance was NOT broken by accurately striking the TIP of the lance against the opponent's shield or upper body, but rather by hitting the opponent with the side of the lance.

Cantle: the rear part of a saddle

Caparison: the fancy cloth or strapping(Strap Caparison) that covers the horse during tournaments. It usually displays the jouster's colors and sometimes their coat of arms. It is not designed to provide protection; it simply helps to identify the jousters and adds to the pageantry of the joust.

Jeffrey Basham's caparison reflects his coat of arms which is also displayed on his 'Ecranche'
(photos by The Jousting Life)

Chamfron: armour for protecting the horse's face. It can be made out of leather or metal. The word has been spelled in a variety of ways in different times and places. Two of the other popular spellings are 'shaffron' and 'chanfron'.

David Young's horse Boccaccio wearing his chamfron
(photos by The Jousting Life(left) and David Young(right))

Chivalric Martial Arts: a modern phrase that refers specifically to the kinds of 'Equestrian Martial Arts' used during the 12th through 16th centuries in Europe. A specific category within the broader category of 'Historical Mounted Martial Arts'.

Coronel: the shaped cap(frequently, but not exclusively, crown shaped) that is placed on the very tip of the lance. Coronels can come in a variety of shapes and materials.

Steel coronels(photos by Rod Walker(left) and Luke Binks(right))

Counter Tilt: see 'Tilt and Counter Tilt'

Court of Honour: a group of knowledgeable people who are in charge of judging the chivalry and horsemanship of all participants in the joust. In some tournaments, they have the ability to give extra points to those competitors who show higher levels of equestrian ability and/or chivalry. There may or may not be a 'Lady/Lord of Honour' who acts as the leader of the 'Court of Honour'.  See also 'Ladies Court'

Crest: a decorative item placed on the top of a jouster's 'Helm'. It usually reflects the jouster's 'Heraldry' in some way. It can be a few feathers in the jouster's colors, an elaborate sculptural piece that depicts some aspect of the jouster's coat of arms or anything in between.

Jousting helms with a variety of crests(left), Stacy Evans' crest(middle), Steve Gagnon's crest(right)
(photos by Ulrike Otto(left), Richard Pearn(middle), Stephen Moss(right))

Crest Melee: a type of 'Mounted Melee', and specifically a type of 'Elimination Melee', where competitors attempt to strike off or destroy in some way any opposing competitor's 'Crest'. The last person or team with an intact crest wins.(crest melee video)

Crinet: armour for protecting the horse's neck. Usually made of articulated plates or a combination of plate and mail. Though it can also be made of leather. See also 'Articulation'

Ecranche: a small wooden jousting shield which is usually strapped onto a jouster's left shoulder, though sometimes it is bolted in place. Ecranches were a common jousting target used from the late 14th century to the early 16th century. Modern ecranches are usually painted with the jouster's 'Heraldry'.

Ryan Saathoff(left) and Scott Wilson(right) wearing their ecranches
(photos by Jay Baum(left) and The Jousting Life(right))

Elimination Melee: a type of 'Mounted Melee' where competitors are eliminated throughout the competition based on a predetermined set of rules. The rules can be based on how many blows a competitor has received, how well a competitor defends his 'Crest' or various other objective standards. Or the rules can simply allow the competitor to withdraw when they feel they cannot or should not fight anymore. The competitor or team who has not been eliminated after every other competitor or team has been eliminated is the winner.(elimination melee video)

Equestrian Martial Arts: a general term that encompasses a broad variety of equestrian combat-based sports, including the variety of skills used in contemporary jousting tournaments (jousting, mounted melee, mounted archery, mounted skill at arms, mounted grappling, etc...)

Failure to Present: In jousting, unlike most other combat-based sports, there is NO defense. A jouster cannot block or dodge the opponent's lance during a pass. Instead the jouster must present themselves and their shield(ecranche, grand guard or heater) directly towards their opponent. If a jouster does not present themselves and their shield directly towards their opponent, it is called Failure to Present, and the jouster may receive a warning(for a first offense), be penalized in some way or even be disqualified from the competition altogether.

Ferrule: the metal tube used to connect the replaceable tip of a 'Frangible Lance' to the base of the lance.

Ferrule Strike: a lance hit so powerful that the entire replaceable tip of a 'Frangible Lance' is broken away, and the 'Ferrule' itself strikes solidly against the target.

Frangible Lance: In general use, the word frangible simply means breakable. However when used in reference to lances, it means a lance that has a replaceable tip that is designed to break upon sufficient impact and a base that is designed NOT to break so that it can be re-used. The base of a frangible lance can be straight and plain, or, since it is designed to be re-used, it can be more elaborately shaped and decorated. See also 'Lance'

The elaborately shaped bases of the frangible lances used at Lysts on the Lake 2011 
(photo by Melanie Yenawine)

Games: see 'Mounted Skill at Arms'

Garniture: a more accurate term for a complete set of armour, one which includes additional pieces that can be added on or switched out when the armour is used for different purposes, such as ground combat, mounted combat or the joust.

The garniture of George Clifford in the Metropolitan Museum of Art(photo by Thoog)

Gauntlets: hand armour

Grand Guard or Gridded Grand Guard: a small metal jousting shield that is bolted onto the jouster's left shoulder. It may be smooth or have a series of raised grids. Grand guards were a common style of jousting target used in the mid to late 16th century.

Left: Gridded Grand Guard from the Wallace Collection in London(photo from Steve Hemphill)
Right: Rod Walker's Gridded Grand Guard(photo from Rod Walker)

Grapper: see 'Arret and Grapper'

Groom: the member of the ground crew responsible for the care of the jouster's horse during the tournament.

Ground Crew: the absolutely essential personnel who organize and run the jousting tournament, set up and take down the 'Tilt' and other equipment, assist the jousters during the tournament, remove broken lance pieces from the 'Tilt Yard', and who generally make sure that everything that needs to be done actually gets done. See also 'Knight Marshal', 'Lady of Honour', 'Lance Handler', 'Lance Prepper', 'Runner', 'Scoring Judges' and 'Squires'.

Harness: When used in reference to armour, it is simply a more historically accurate term for a complete set of armour

Heater: a fairly large metal shield that is held in the left hand or strapped to the left arm during certain styles of jousting.

Shane Adams and another jouster using heaters at Estes Park 2012
(photo by Suzanne DeMink)

Helm: a piece of armour designed specifically to protect the head. There are many different styles of helms that can be worn for different types of combat.

Heraldry: the colors and symbols used to identify jousters. A contemporary jouster's 'Ecranche' is frequently painted with their heraldry.

Sarah Hay wears an ecranche and carries a flag displaying her heraldry
(photo by The Jousting Life)

Historical Equestrian Sports: A phrase used to refer to a variety of equestrian activities practiced in the present time, but designed to reproduce combat, hunting or sporting skills performed on horseback during various periods of history.

Historical Mounted Martial Arts: A phrase used to refer to a variety of 'Equestrian Martial Arts' practiced in the present time, but designed to reproduce combat skills performed on horseback during various periods of history. The word "mounted" is used instead of "equestrian" so that when abbreviated, HMMA is not confused with the abbreviation for 'Historical European Martial Arts' (HEMA).

Historical Solid Lance: a lance made from a solid piece of wood grown in (or sometimes worked into) a shape that tapers from a smaller tip to a broader base. Historical Solids are frequently made from young trees(which naturally taper from top to bottom), cut down, stripped of their branches and stored until they have dried out enough to be used as lances. See also 'Lance'

Horse Master: the person in charge over all of the grooms as well being ultimately responsible for the care and well-being of all the horses involved in the tournament.

International Jouster: a jouster who has competed in multiple countries.

Joust at Large: a joust done without a tilt.  See also 'tilt and counter tilt'.

Jouster: a person who participates in the equestrian sport of jousting. Usually a jouster will be assisted during a tournament by one or more members of the ground crew, such as a valet and/or a groom.

Jousting Shield: any of several different kinds of shields used for jousting in various times and places. See 'Ecranche', 'Grand Guard' and 'Heater'.

Jousting Stick: see 'Lance'

King or Queen of Arms: see 'Knight Marshal'

Knight Marshal: the main referee for the jousting tournament. Also called 'King/Queen of Arms' or 'Marshal of the Field'.

Ladies Court:  a type of 'Court of Honour' made up of knowledgeable people, usually female, who are in charge of judging the chivalry and horsemanship of all participants in the joust. In some tournaments, they have the ability to give extra points to those competitors who show higher levels of equestrian ability and/or chivalry. There may or may not be a 'Lady of Honour' who acts as the leader of the Ladies Court.  See also 'Court of Honour'.

Lady/Lord of Honour: the person in charge of judging the chivalry and horsemanship of all participants. She makes sure that everyone behaves with good sportsmanship and handles their horses with both competence and kindness. Her duties and amount of authority may vary from tournament to tournament, and some tournaments do not have a Lady/Lord of Honour. If there is a 'Court of Honour' or a 'Ladies Court', then she is the leader of the court.

Lames: small pieces of armour, usually narrow rectangular strips, that are connected together using sliding rivets or internal leather straps to create articulated pieces of armour. See also 'Articulation'

Lance: the long weapon used in jousting. Contemporary lances are usually about 11' (apx 3.3m) long. They can vary in a couple of significant ways. They can be frangible(having a replaceable tip that is designed to break upon sufficient impact and a base that is designed NOT to break so that it can be re-used) or solid(one piece construction where the entire wooden part of the lance is discarded after it breaks); and they can be straight(the same diameter from tip to base) or shaped(having a narrower diameter at the tip and a wider diameter at the base). Thus there are four basic designs for lances:

• Straight Frangible
• Shaped Frangible 
• Straight Solid
• Shaped Solid (aka 'Historical Solid')

There can be variations within these four basic styles depending on the types of materials used, accessories added(see 'Coronels', 'Vamplates' and 'Arrets and Grappers') and other variables. See also 'Frangible Lance' and 'Historical Solid Lance'

Shaped Solid Lances with coronels, vamplates and grappers used at the
Russian Tournament of St. George 2015 (photo by Andrew Boykov)

Lance Handlers: members of the Ground Crew who hand the lance up to the jouster at the beginning of a jousting pass and receive the lance from the jouster at the end of the jousting pass. See also 'Ground Crew'.

Lance Preppers: members of the Ground Crew who prepare the lances to be used during a jousting pass. When Frangible Lances are used, this may involve removing broken tips from the re-usable base and replacing them with new tips. If Solid Lances are used, this may involve removing the re-usable parts(Coronels, Vamplates, Grappers, etc...) from the broken lances and adding them to new lances. See also 'Ground Crew'.

Levée: the slow graceful lowering of the lance, perfectly timed to meet your opponent's shield as you pass the center of the tilt. After engaging your opponent, with your lance broken or not, you proceed to just as elegantly raise it so that it is in an upright position when you reach the end of the tilt.

Line Judges: referees that help the 'Knight Marshal' with scoring and making sure that all the safety regulations are followed. Also called 'Sergeant Marshals'. See also 'Ground Crew'.

List Field or Lists: the arena or designated area where the jousting tournament takes place. The List Field includes not just the 'Tilt Yard', but also the areas for 'Mounted Melee', 'Mounted Skill at Arms' and/or any other activity included in the tournament.

Mail or Maille: a type of armour created by linking small metal rings together into a flexible, but protective mesh

Marshals: the referees for the tournament, see also 'Knight Marshal' and 'Ground Crew'

Match: a series of 'Passes' between the same two jousters done consecutively with minimal or no break between passes. A series of 'Matches' done one after the other with minimal time between them is a 'Session'.

Mercy Pass: A jouster experiencing significant difficulty after the jousting 'Pass' has started, but before the two jousters have met, may deliberately swing their lance far off target as an indication that they are asking for mercy (i.e. not to be hit). If the opposing jouster sees that the first jouster has asked for a 'Mercy Pass', they are expected to pull their lance off target as well. HOWEVER, due to the extremely limited visibility through a jousting helm, the opposing jouster cannot always see that the first jouster has asked for a mercy pass. Therefore it is understood that asking for a mercy pass does not always mean that you will receive it.

Mounted Duel: any of a variety of forms of mounted combat between two (and only two) competitors performed as a sporting competition. A mounted duel is frequently done using swords, but can also be done using other weapons or no weapons at all(mounted grappling).

Mounted Melee: any of a variety of forms of mounted combat involving three or more competitors performed as a sporting competition rather than an actual battle. There are a number of different styles of mounted melee. Mounted melees can also involve team or individual competition(every participant vs every other participant). Some of the more common forms of mounted melee are 'Timed melees', 'Elimination Melees' and 'Crest Melees'. (Click on names to see videos)

Mounted Skill at Arms(MSA): sometimes referred to as 'games'. Any of a number of different styles of competition involving the skilled use of weapons while mounted. The competition may be done individually or in teams of two or more. The skills may be combat-based and/or hunt-based and may include tilting at rings, cut and thrust, thrown spear, mounted archery, tilting against the quintain, pig-sticking, tent pegging and many other tests of skill, including basic equitation(your horse, and the ability to ride him well, may be the most important skill you can have in any type of mounted weapons use).  There are two major types of MSA competition:

• MSA – Individual Skills(aka MSA games): a competition where each skill is run separately
• MSA – Combined Course(aka MSA Course): a competition where a number of different skills are combined in one run. (video of an MSA Course)

Mounted Valet: a member of the ground crew that remains mounted on a horse in order to be better able to assist in various ways, including quickly carrying broken lances to the Knight Marshall for him/her to evaluate and running lances from one end of the tiltyard to the other as needed. Their mounts can also be very useful in keeping the jousting horses company between passes and in helping to guide the jousting horses into the tilt.

National Jouster: a jouster who has competed in multiple states/provinces/regions/etc... within their home country. See also 'International Jouster'

Pass: the single instance of two jousters cantering the length of the tilt while carrying lances and attempting to strike one another. A consecutive series of passes between the same two jousters makes a 'Match'.

Pauldrons: shoulder armour

Pommel: the front part of a saddle

Quintain: A 'Quintain' is an apparatus with a small shield or target set at approximately the height to represent an opposing jouster's shield. The target is on one end of a spinning plank that has a weighted bag on the other end. The quintain is used to practice aiming the tip of the lance at a small target that provides a small amount of resistance. See also 'Shock Quintain'.

Ryan Saathoff practices jousting against the quintain
(photo by The Jousting Life)

Runners: members of the ground crew who collect the broken pieces of lance between each jousting pass. They also gather any re-usable equipment(such as 'Coronels') and return them to the Lance Preppers. See also 'Ground Crew'.

Sabatons: foot armour

A close up of the sabatons that Arne Koets wore at the Blacktown Tournament 2013
(photo by Garry Davenport)

Scoring Judges: referees that help the 'Knight Marshal' with scoring and making sure that all the safety rules are followed. Also called 'Sergeant Marshals'. See also 'Ground Crew'.

Session: A series of jousting 'Matches', 'Mounted Melees' and/or 'Mounted Skill at Arms' runs done one after the other with minimal time between them. There are usually several 'Sessions' of competition, sometimes over two or more days, within a tournament.

Sergeant Marshals: referees that help the 'Knight Marshal' with scoring and making sure that all the safety rules are followed. Also called 'Line Judges' or 'Scoring Judges'. See also 'Ground Crew'.

Shaffron: see 'Chamfron'

Shock Quintain: A 'Shock Quintain' is a shield or target that is heavily weighted or attached to the ground with springs in such a way that it is very difficult to knock over. Shock quintains can vary a great deal in design. They are used to train both rider and horse to withstand the shock of hitting the opposing rider with their lance. See also 'Quintain'.

Soft kit: the historical clothing that a jouster wears when not wearing armour.

Squire: See 'Valet'

Targe: a word that commonly refers to a round hand held shield used in ground combat, particularly by the Scottish Highlanders. It can also be used to refer to the shoulder shield that is targeted in jousting. See also 'Ecranche' and 'Grand Guard'.

Tenan and Venan: The 'Tenan' is the jouster considered to be defending the field in a series of jousting passes. The 'Venan' is the jouster considered to be challenging the defender of the field in a series of jousting passes. Not all tournaments are designed to incorporate the concept of tenans and venans.

Tilting: the original term for what is now generally referred to as jousting

Tilt and Counter Tilt: The 'Tilt' is the barrier between the two opposing jousters. It can be a solid fence, a wooden rail, a length of fabric or even a simple rope. The 'Counter Tilt' is another barrier, usually shorter in height than the Tilt, that defines the outside edge of the lane down which the jousters will canter. It can be a wooden rail, a length of fabric or a simple rope. Not every 'Tilt Yard' includes a 'Counter Tilt'.

A fabric tilt and rope counter tilt at Gniew Castle 2012(photo by Studio A)

Tilt Yard: the area where the 'Tilt' with or without a 'Counter Tilt' is set up

Timed Melee: a type of 'Mounted Melee' where competitors continue combat for a specified length of time. When the time is up, a winner or winning team is declared based on some predetermined standard. (timed melee video)

Valet: the member of the ground crew responsible for the care of the jouster and his/her personal equipment(armour, shield, weapons, etc...) during the tournament. The valet will help carry the jouster's helm, shield and other personal equipment onto and off of the list field, and will help the jouster put on, take off or adjust his/her armour. The valet may or may not also be responsible for handing the jouster the lance before a jousting pass (see also Lance Handler). They may also help out with other ground crewing work. The valet basically fulfills the function of the historical squire to the historical knight, but because the term 'squire'(short for esquire) can actually refer to a specific rank or title(as the term 'knight' more obviously does), the modern term 'valet' is used instead.

Vamplate: the flared round metal “shield” that sits on the base of the lance just in front of the jouster's hand. Some lances include vamplates and some do not.

Steve Hemphill holds a lance with a vamplate(photo by Christopher Vaughn Strever)

Venan: See 'Tenan and Venan'

Yard Master: the person in charge over all of the members of the ground crew