Just For Fun..
Jousting in Poway?
Copyright 2009 By Loretta L. Nielsen
Jeffrey Hedgecock and I moved to Ramona (CA) around the same time, but one thing's for sure, he's had a bigger impact on the local equestrian sports scene than I have. For 3 days in October, the Poway (CA) rodeo arena was propelled back into medieval times for the third annual Tournament of the Phoenix organized by Mr. Hedgecock. This was my first visit to the Tournament. Friday, the day I attended, was a shortened day with massive attendance from the local schools on field trips. Six knights and their troops vied for supremacy on horseback with games of skill and that most heroic of all sports, jousting. The knights came from Australia, New Zealand, England, Norway, and the US, for this authentic historical recreation of a medieval tournament complete with an artisan village and a military camp. All the tournament participants were friendly and enthusiastically conversed with attendees. At one tent, a cheery man in medieval garb gladly expounded on the best ways to ride through a village and behead the greatest number of peasants, whilst demonstrating the arm movements with an authentically-reproduced iron weapon that looked like a tire iron with a sharp spike at the curved end. Maybe, a little too much realism for me? Meanwhile, at a neighboring booth another artisan demonstrated weaving techniques on a hugh wooden loom. Bagpipes and lutes added musical atmosphere, while I munched on a tasty tri-tip sandwich. Nearby, vendors sold puppets, period garb, musical instruments, and many other wares not often found in your typical mall.
Now, it's possible that the average Ramona trail horse would do well with moving in a straight line while her rider spears rings on a lance or dices cabbages with a sword, but the jousting part is enough to send most horses running for the barn at top speed. The knights at this tournament wore authentic reproductions of metal armour and so did many of their sturdy steeds. A wood fence separated the two charging knights to avoid head-on collisions as they tried to break their lances on their opponent's shield. The event was a real crowd pleaser accompanied by wild cheering and cries of "hoosah!". I highly recommend a trip to this fair, but it’s probably best to leave your trusty steed at home!