[Bryn-gwlad] championships

[robert segrest]

It is my understanding that the Baronial chivalric
champion will be chosen by His Excellency from the
field of fighters in the "Best Fighter in Ansteorra"
tournament that is being held at Fall Baronial.  As
for decisions made concerning when which championships
would be held, it is my recollection that no policy
was actually formally adopted.  We did discuss the
desirability of spreading the championships out during
the year, but the decision to hold a chivalric
champions tourney and not a rapier champions tourney
at last years Baronial event was a, more or less,
unilateral decision by the Event Steward, Don Avery,
approved by His Excellency and the populous.  The
subsequent decision to hold the rapier tourney at
Candlemas appeared to be a measure to follow up on
this general concept.

I must say that I have concerns both about His
Excellencies request that no combat championship be
held at Candlemas, and Don Tivar's desire to have the
two championships alternate their venues.  The title
of Champion of Bryn Gwlad should carry great weight,
regardless of the field of endeavor in which it is
won.  Currently, it is my feeling that the Chivalric
Championship of Bryn Gwlad is held in somewhat less
esteem than the Warlord of the Steppes for instance. 
There is no reason that that should be the case.  I am
less able to make informed evaluations of the other
championships, but none, except perhaps the Rapier
Champion, seems to stand ahead of other baronies and
shires in esteem.  I think that moving championship
tourneys around on the schedule gives them the
appearance of an ephemeral nature, as if, perhaps,
they are not so important to us as to deserve our full
attention, but are instead suitable for fitting in
wherever we may find them to be convenient at the
moment.  

I know that the discussion of this topic a year and a
half ago, or so, was quite spirited with a wide
variety of different views expressed.  We have many
competing interests and compromises will need to be
made.  Whatever conclusions we come to, I think we
need to make the system predictable.  If we are going
to have a chivalric champion at Baronial, and a rapier
champion at Candlemas, then we should do that.  If we
want to have our champions sit for two years and
alternate their tournaments at Baronial, then we
should do that.  Changing the program will only erode
the prestige that these championships convey and will
reduce their desirability to the best competitors.  

Please forgive me if I have offended, I mean only to
clearly convey my concerns.  Naturally, I hold all of
our champions in the highest regard, I only regret
that some others may have reason to believe that they
need not do so.

Fatthiopap Laszlo


       
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