As you may or may not know, a pipe broke in my bathroom and caused fairly severe water damage to my house. I've been trying to deal with that for the past few weeks and have not been able to finish several articles that I had gathered information and photos for. Unfortunately, it looks like the repairs to my house will take another six weeks or so. I will try to finish the articles that I have started as soon as I am able, but I really don't know when that will be. I appreciate your patience and apologize for the delay, especially to those who were kind enough to provide information and pictures for the articles.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Announcing the "Rossfechten Symposium 2014"
The following announcement was written by Jack Gassmann, one of the organizers of the Rossfechten Symposium:
As most riders know, baroque Dressage is martial riding as descended from the teachings of riding masters such as Pluvinel, Cavendish and Xenophon, who taught fighters the riding skills crucial to success. HEMA has in the last 20 years made huge steps both in practice and research towards recreating and understanding Europe’s martial arts. The jousting community has led the charge in recreating armour, ceremony and martial skill. The next step seemed to us naturally to be, to combine what all of these three fields (classical dressage, HEMA and jousting) bring to the table, and so the idea of a symposium took form. A way to bring the expertise of each of these groups together, for each to benefit from the other. We chose the name “Rossfechten Symposium”. In the German fencing manuals, mounted combat is referred to as Rossfechten, not just “mounted combat” but mount rider fighting as one against their opponent.
We have been amazed by the response we have had from all over. Horsey Hema people from Canada to Russia to Iran and all over the US and Europe have contacted us wanting to attend workshops or teach them. We have such prominent HEMA names as Scott Brown and Alex Kiermayer doing workshops on fencing. Researchers such as Matt Galas and Daniel Jaquet have contacted us about holding lectures. Riders, oldstyle Californios, Dressage experts, professional stunt riders (Suzanne Struben and Jolly Sera who have more than 40 years of film experience) and polo players will be giving riding workshops. Riders of note – such as Douglas Wagner – hope to make it from the US to teach.
Many other riders, teachers and researchers will be present besides. Our goal is not just to provide an event for high-level practitioners, but also as an instrument for people entering the discipline from any direction to get their feet wet and get the support to continue, and for current practitioners to take their game to the next level.
The Symposium will be taking place next year in the picturesque and historic Saarland region of Germany, a four-day event with workshops, lectures, tournaments and presentations from July 24th to 27th. You can be sure to expect good beer, good talks and good times besides. All participants are welcome!
For more information, check out the Rossfechten Symposium website.
Accommodations and location information
Workshop information
We’ve got great things planned, but with your help we could do even more. If you or your company are interested in sponsoring the Rossfechten Symposium, please contact us.
As most riders know, baroque Dressage is martial riding as descended from the teachings of riding masters such as Pluvinel, Cavendish and Xenophon, who taught fighters the riding skills crucial to success. HEMA has in the last 20 years made huge steps both in practice and research towards recreating and understanding Europe’s martial arts. The jousting community has led the charge in recreating armour, ceremony and martial skill. The next step seemed to us naturally to be, to combine what all of these three fields (classical dressage, HEMA and jousting) bring to the table, and so the idea of a symposium took form. A way to bring the expertise of each of these groups together, for each to benefit from the other. We chose the name “Rossfechten Symposium”. In the German fencing manuals, mounted combat is referred to as Rossfechten, not just “mounted combat” but mount rider fighting as one against their opponent.
We have been amazed by the response we have had from all over. Horsey Hema people from Canada to Russia to Iran and all over the US and Europe have contacted us wanting to attend workshops or teach them. We have such prominent HEMA names as Scott Brown and Alex Kiermayer doing workshops on fencing. Researchers such as Matt Galas and Daniel Jaquet have contacted us about holding lectures. Riders, oldstyle Californios, Dressage experts, professional stunt riders (Suzanne Struben and Jolly Sera who have more than 40 years of film experience) and polo players will be giving riding workshops. Riders of note – such as Douglas Wagner – hope to make it from the US to teach.
Many other riders, teachers and researchers will be present besides. Our goal is not just to provide an event for high-level practitioners, but also as an instrument for people entering the discipline from any direction to get their feet wet and get the support to continue, and for current practitioners to take their game to the next level.
The Symposium will be taking place next year in the picturesque and historic Saarland region of Germany, a four-day event with workshops, lectures, tournaments and presentations from July 24th to 27th. You can be sure to expect good beer, good talks and good times besides. All participants are welcome!
For more information, check out the Rossfechten Symposium website.
Accommodations and location information
Workshop information
We’ve got great things planned, but with your help we could do even more. If you or your company are interested in sponsoring the Rossfechten Symposium, please contact us.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Jeffrey Basham Wins Tournament Champion at Lysts on the Lake 2013
The "Lysts on the Lake 2013" jousting tournament consisted of three days of competition, October 31 - November 2. The tournament involved five sessions of Tilting(what most people consider the actual jousting part of a jousting tournament), a Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course(Mounted Skill at Arms course) and a Mounted Melee. There were 9 jousters who participated in all three competitions and were therefore eligible to win Tournament Champion. Based on the points he earned during these three competitions, Jeffrey Basham of Katy, Texas, was declared the overall Tournament Champion for "Lysts on the Lake 2013".
Lady of Honour Dawn Hemphill ties a white scarf around Jeffrey Basham's arm to symbolize his winning of Tournament Champion for "Lysts on the Lake 2013"(photo by The Jousting Life)
Jeffrey is an extremely modest man who wanted to make sure that the horses he rode during the tournament were given their due credit for his win. Without the partnership of a capable and willing horse, no jouster would be able to compete. Throughout most of the tournament, Jeffrey rode Pooh Bear, his own quarter horse mare. However, on the last day of the tournament, Pooh Bear lost a shoe and could no longer be ridden until her shoe was replaced. In an act of friendship and good sportsmanship, fellow competitor Scott Wilson loaned Jeffrey his appaloosa gelding, Tanner, so that Jeffrey could continue to compete.
Tanner(left) Jeffrey Basham(center) Pooh Bear(right)(photo by The Jousting Life)
Riding Pooh Bear, Jeffrey won the Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course(MSA course) on Friday. You can see the video of their run in a previous article. Jeffrey also won the Tilting competition.
Jeffrey Basham with the prizes for both MSA and Tilting tied around his arm by Lady of Honour Dawn Hemphill(photo by The Jousting Life)
Jeffrey rode Pooh Bear for the first four sessions of Tilting, then rode Scott Wilson's gelding Tanner for the fifth and last session. It is much easier to joust consistently if you ride the same horse throughout the tournament. Switching horses, especially switching to a horse that you have never ridden before, makes things much more challenging. Though Jeffrey did say that Tanner had the smoothest canter of any horse he had ever ridden.
The fourth and fifth sessions of Tilting were held on Saturday during "Fable Fest" at Milburn Park in Cedar Park, TX. The Mounted Melee portion of the competition was also held at "Fable Fest" between the fourth and fifth sessions of Tilting.
Saturday's Mounted Melee during "Fable Fest"(video by The Jousting Life)
Dave Wise of Houston, Texas, won the Mounted Melee portion of the tournament. Throughout the competition, Dave rode his new mare Nocona. Nocona had never actually competed in a jousting tournament before. In fact, the very first time she had a lance broken against her rider was during the warm up Thursday morning before the first Tilting session. That she did so well throughout the tournament is a testament to both her and her rider.
Dave Wise, winner of the Mounted Melee for "Lysts on the Lake 2013"(photo by The Jousting Life)
Many jousting tournaments also have a special award that is not based on points, but is instead based on the quality of character that a competitor displays during the course of the tournament. Some jousters consider this award – the Award of Chivalry – to be more important than any other tournament prize. Lady of Honour Dawn Hemphill had the difficult task of choosing who would receive this year's Award of Chivalry. Based on her own observations, as well as statements given to her by jousters, squires, ground crew and anyone else involved in the tournament, Dawn chose Australian jouster Sarah Hay to receive the Award of Chivalry.
Sarah Hay seriously contemplates winning the Award of Chivalry(photo by The Jousting Life)
Since bringing one of her own horses from Australia would have been highly impractical, Sarah rode fellow competitor Dave Wise's jousting horse, Ladybug, throughout the tournament.
Sarah Hay on Ladybug(photo by The Jousting Life)
Congratulations to Jeffrey Basham, Dave Wise, Sarah Hay and to everyone who participated in this year's "Lysts on the Lake"!
Most of the competitors and ground crew for "Lysts on the Lake 2013"(photo by The Jousting Life)
You can see close up pictures of the tournament prizes in the article "DeSignet International Designs Custom Prizes for 'Lysts on the Lake 2013'"
More pictures and video from "Lysts on the Lake 2013" will be presented as they are processed.
Lady of Honour Dawn Hemphill ties a white scarf around Jeffrey Basham's arm to symbolize his winning of Tournament Champion for "Lysts on the Lake 2013"(photo by The Jousting Life)
Jeffrey is an extremely modest man who wanted to make sure that the horses he rode during the tournament were given their due credit for his win. Without the partnership of a capable and willing horse, no jouster would be able to compete. Throughout most of the tournament, Jeffrey rode Pooh Bear, his own quarter horse mare. However, on the last day of the tournament, Pooh Bear lost a shoe and could no longer be ridden until her shoe was replaced. In an act of friendship and good sportsmanship, fellow competitor Scott Wilson loaned Jeffrey his appaloosa gelding, Tanner, so that Jeffrey could continue to compete.
Tanner(left) Jeffrey Basham(center) Pooh Bear(right)(photo by The Jousting Life)
Riding Pooh Bear, Jeffrey won the Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course(MSA course) on Friday. You can see the video of their run in a previous article. Jeffrey also won the Tilting competition.
Jeffrey Basham with the prizes for both MSA and Tilting tied around his arm by Lady of Honour Dawn Hemphill(photo by The Jousting Life)
Jeffrey rode Pooh Bear for the first four sessions of Tilting, then rode Scott Wilson's gelding Tanner for the fifth and last session. It is much easier to joust consistently if you ride the same horse throughout the tournament. Switching horses, especially switching to a horse that you have never ridden before, makes things much more challenging. Though Jeffrey did say that Tanner had the smoothest canter of any horse he had ever ridden.
The fourth and fifth sessions of Tilting were held on Saturday during "Fable Fest" at Milburn Park in Cedar Park, TX. The Mounted Melee portion of the competition was also held at "Fable Fest" between the fourth and fifth sessions of Tilting.
Saturday's Mounted Melee during "Fable Fest"(video by The Jousting Life)
Dave Wise of Houston, Texas, won the Mounted Melee portion of the tournament. Throughout the competition, Dave rode his new mare Nocona. Nocona had never actually competed in a jousting tournament before. In fact, the very first time she had a lance broken against her rider was during the warm up Thursday morning before the first Tilting session. That she did so well throughout the tournament is a testament to both her and her rider.
Dave Wise, winner of the Mounted Melee for "Lysts on the Lake 2013"(photo by The Jousting Life)
Many jousting tournaments also have a special award that is not based on points, but is instead based on the quality of character that a competitor displays during the course of the tournament. Some jousters consider this award – the Award of Chivalry – to be more important than any other tournament prize. Lady of Honour Dawn Hemphill had the difficult task of choosing who would receive this year's Award of Chivalry. Based on her own observations, as well as statements given to her by jousters, squires, ground crew and anyone else involved in the tournament, Dawn chose Australian jouster Sarah Hay to receive the Award of Chivalry.
Sarah Hay seriously contemplates winning the Award of Chivalry(photo by The Jousting Life)
Since bringing one of her own horses from Australia would have been highly impractical, Sarah rode fellow competitor Dave Wise's jousting horse, Ladybug, throughout the tournament.
Sarah Hay on Ladybug(photo by The Jousting Life)
Congratulations to Jeffrey Basham, Dave Wise, Sarah Hay and to everyone who participated in this year's "Lysts on the Lake"!
Most of the competitors and ground crew for "Lysts on the Lake 2013"(photo by The Jousting Life)
You can see close up pictures of the tournament prizes in the article "DeSignet International Designs Custom Prizes for 'Lysts on the Lake 2013'"
More pictures and video from "Lysts on the Lake 2013" will be presented as they are processed.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Video from the Second Day of "Lysts on the Lake 2013"
Friday, November 1st was the second day of the "Lysts on the Lake 2013" jousting tournament. It included two sessions of Tilting(what most people consider the actual jousting)and the Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course(a kind of Mounted Skill at Arms course). All of the participants who were competing for the overall tournament championship had to run the MSA course, but several of the people who had been acting as ground crew for the tournament also decided to give it a try. [Edit: I sincerely apologize to the women who competed in the MSA course who did not compete in the Tilt. Although they had indeed been doing the job of ground crew, they had actually come to the tournament to compete for ranking points within the IJL Skill at Arms Division. Arien Shipe, Kyli Ring, Medbh Scealgowan and Tiffany Parrett were kind enough to perform the duties of the ground crew when they saw that it was needed, but that does not mean that they were not serious competitors.]
It was a fairly complex course involving the ability to use the javelin, lance, sword, spear and bow. It also included several tests of riding skill, including standing still(which can be harder than you'd expect), backing up and a small jump. Not everyone was equally adept with all weapons and/or skills, but everyone seemed to have a great time attempting the course.
Here is Jeffrey Basham and his quarter horse mare Pooh Bear running the course:
Jeffrey Basham on Pooh Bear(video by The Jousting Life)
It was a fairly complex course involving the ability to use the javelin, lance, sword, spear and bow. It also included several tests of riding skill, including standing still(which can be harder than you'd expect), backing up and a small jump. Not everyone was equally adept with all weapons and/or skills, but everyone seemed to have a great time attempting the course.
Here is Jeffrey Basham and his quarter horse mare Pooh Bear running the course:
Jeffrey Basham on Pooh Bear(video by The Jousting Life)
Friday, November 1, 2013
Video from the First Day of "Lysts on the Lake 2013"
Despite heavy rains the night before, "Lysts on the Lake 2013" started as planned on Thursday, October 31. The tournament will include tilting(what most people consider actual jousting), a Mounted Melee and a Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course(similar to a Mounted Skill at Arms course). A total of 10 jousters are competing in this year's tournament:
Several other people will be competing in the Mounted Melee and/or MSA-course, but will not be competing for overall tournament champion.
Here are a few short videos from the second session of tilting during the first day of the tournament:
Jeffrey Basham pats his horse after a nice pass against Federico Serna
(video by The Jousting Life)
Galen Bevel and Sean Gulick successfully break their lances against one another
(video by The Jousting Life)
Sarah Hay smashes her lance tip to pieces against Federico Serna(video by The Jousting Life)
The tournament will continue for two more days. The Mounted Melee and final session of tilting will be held as part of "Fable Fest" at Milburn Park in Cedar Park, TX, USA.
To find out more about this tournament, check out the "Lysts on the Lake" website.
- Steve Hemphill -- whose company, a'Plaisance Ltd., produces "Lysts on the Lake"
- Dave Wise
- Federico Serna
- Galen Bevel
- Jeffrey Basham
- Jim Myers
- Peter Barclay
- Sarah Hay(who came all the way from Australia to compete)
- Scott Wilson
- Sean Gulick
Several other people will be competing in the Mounted Melee and/or MSA-course, but will not be competing for overall tournament champion.
Here are a few short videos from the second session of tilting during the first day of the tournament:
Jeffrey Basham pats his horse after a nice pass against Federico Serna
(video by The Jousting Life)
Galen Bevel and Sean Gulick successfully break their lances against one another
(video by The Jousting Life)
Sarah Hay smashes her lance tip to pieces against Federico Serna(video by The Jousting Life)
The tournament will continue for two more days. The Mounted Melee and final session of tilting will be held as part of "Fable Fest" at Milburn Park in Cedar Park, TX, USA.
To find out more about this tournament, check out the "Lysts on the Lake" website.
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