RN- Re: ANST - Re: BG - Tourney d'Amore

[Gail P. Taylor]

As I was one of the two folks who were involved in getting the tourney rolling on
the day of the event, I can probably shed additional light on what strange things
happened involving the barrier and our rapier tourneys.

Nothing.

We had never planned on fighting a barrier battle.  The format for this tourney
was set months in advance, and the names chosen for the champions reflected this.
On teh day of the event, someone came up to Baroness Jehanne and suggested that it
would be fun to change one of our small tourneys to a barrier battle.  Before our
rapier bouts began, she brought it up to all of the fighters present.  This in
itself was a very kind, considerate thing for her to do-  considering changing
your tourney's format because one person who was not even in on the initial
planning, requested it.  In response to her question, nobody seemed to strongly
desire the change...but several of the most experienced fighters didn't want to
play the barrier.

The objections were at least partially a safety issue.  The barrier was set up for
the armored fighters adn had been bashed by them all day.  There was exposed edge
of much-abused plywood at its top; it could have given some very large splinters
and cuts if thrusting arms were to contact and scrape across it.  Also, it was
held up by 2X4s that sprouted perpendicular along its length, which might have
been hard on some of my brethren who fight in court shoes or boots without the
ankle support.  Also...as Baroness Kayleigh noted below, rapier over a barrier
ISN'T really period for rapier combat...or at least isn't the way that rapier
fighters best show off their skill and bravado.  As this was something of an
accurate, high persona event, Jehanne (wisely) chose to maintain our original
formats, with an eventual slight modification from second to first blood, because
of impending darkness.

Overall...I believe that Baroness Jehanne and Tempio went far beyond what was
necessary to try to accomodate their guests, in even considering changing the
tourney formats.  I simply don't believe that would have been fair to change on
the fly from a tourney format that is enjoyed, desired, and expected by most, to
another type that some of the participants specifically were not expecting and did
NOT want...just because one person suggested it.

Ly. Isobel Hadleigh
Cadet to Don Kazimir
Bjornsborg, Ansteorra

PotterKD at aol.com wrote:

> + -- RapierNet - From PotterKD at aol.com --
>
> In a message dated 11/5/1998 12:29:39 AM Central Standard Time, weed at sage.net
> writes:
>
> << Don Ansgar wrote:
>
>
> >>> You know, I think it's sad that evidently no rapier fighter that was there
>  and expressed complaint about the barrier idea has stepped up to answer
>  the question of why.  I've read 3 people's ideas of why there might hve
>  been objections but none of them were there evidently.
>
>
> Greetings,
>
> I will admit I tend to lurk - I must also admit I was one of the fighters who
> was at this event and did not wish to use the barrier.  I can atest that it
> had nothing to do with winning...and am slightly saddened that that is where
> most people have jumped to conclusions.
>
> It had to do in part of what Ritter Dieterich had mentioned - it seemed
> inappropriate to fight in such a style since that this not what the barrier
> was used for in period.
>
> Aside from this -- the light was failing very quickly since the chivalric
> lasted most of the day.  The final round of the second tournament between Don
> Eisen and Lord Otto was fought in so little light that Don Eisen pushed back
> his visor so that he could see.
>
> The length of the chivalric tournament was no ones fault -- it was a new event
> and who new that two tournaments of only four fights per person would take so
> long.  In fact, I hope to see it occur every year on Halloween - I have not
> had that much fun in a long time.
>
> Maybe it was also due to the strangeness of the barrier - I will not say that
> that may have not played a part in my decision....but at no time did it have
> anything to do with not being able to win.
>
> Lastly - I apologize to Her Excellency - she did not see to be to troubled at
> the time and if we had offended her I for one will ask for her forgiveness
> next time I see her.
>
> Learning to serve the dream,
>
> Kayleigh Drake
>
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