Spectators at the jousting at the 2012 Abbey Medieval Festival will see a dramatic sporting contest between some of the best jousters in the world.
The internationally-prestigious jousting tournament will take place on Saturday 7 July and Sunday 8 July. The entry cost is $2 at the Jousting Arena and jousts are at 10.45am, 12.30pm and 2.15pm each day.
“Festival goers will see an exciting display of skill, grace and honour at the jousting,” said Marketing Manager Suesann Vos.
“Our jousting team are professional showmen and women with real talent and a big understanding of jousting weaponry and traditions.
“Jousting is a chivalric pursuit, but it thrives today as a modern contact sport.
“It is now so popular there is now an International Jousting League.
“There is an international ranking system for jousters ,and annual prestigious jousting events like the Abbey Medieval Festival attract the best from around the world,” said Ms Vos.
The object of jousting is for a knight to land their lance tip on their opponent to score points. A hit is called an “ataint” and an ataint scores if it is a hit on the shield, body or helmet.
The lances are designed to shatter on impact, and the tips are replaced after each ataint.
The Jousting Arena at the Abbey Medieval Festival has tiered seating so spectators can see all the action.
Our MC Sir Blair will be comparing the jousting tournament, and encouraging spectators to cheer and support their favourite jousters.
Some of the jousters this year are:
Sasha Buchmann, an Australian who jousts in events all over the world. Sasha has placed fourth at the 2012 Professional Jousting League Tournament at Blacktown, and fourth at the 2010 Horsearchery Competition in Poland. Her motto is Audere est Facere – To Dare is to Do. At the Abbey Medieval Festival she will be riding Renaissance , a brown ten-year-old Australian Stock Horse mare standing at 15 hands who grew up working cattle in the outback of Queensland.
Andrew McKinnon, an Australian and international jouster who was the Captain of Arms of the Australian team in New Zealand in 2011 . He won the Skill at Arms contest at Blacktown Medieval Faire in May 2012, third place at the Australian Jousting Championship in May 2012, and was a member of the winning New Team over the Old World European Team in France in June 2012. He will be on his tournament horse, Malleus (Latin for “Hammer”), an eleven year old thoroughbred cross stock horse from Lithgow.
Nicky Willis is coming over from England to compete in the jousting at the Abbey Medieval Festival. She has competed at the best European jousting tournaments such as the IJL Hackaland event in Belgium, and at Horsands in Denmark. She has also competed and done several show jousts in England. She is currently in Australia, training and selecting her horse for Abbey Medieval Festival.
Sponsors of the jousting include Lanier, Esford Armoury, North East Business Park, JayB Enterprises and Medieval Fight Club.
