Wellington Area Foot Tournament Workshop in August

[Callum]

I am just following up on the discussions on tournaments and tournament injuries after Harcourt Park.

I am looking at hosting a tournment workshop in Upper Hutt over the weekend August 13/14 if there is enough interest.

(This also assumes that our training facility will be free that weekend and I am awaiting final confirmation from one of the other users that they will be at another event).

The workshop will be covering:

-- Tournament Rules
-- Tournament Marshalling
-- Tournament Fighting

I want this to be a "hands on" event and not a talk-fest or soap-box for anybody to grandstand. The idea being to run an actal training tournament on the Sunday. It's about getting all of us from different backgrounds (WMA, Re-enactment, SCA, etc.) together so we can get to know each other and our respective styles so we can play hard but safely together.

I will be looking at charging $25 a head for the weekend. This covers venue hire. We will also video your training tournament fights and send you a copy of them for your own reference.

If you are from out of the Wellington area you are also most welcome to attend.

Before I commit to organsing this workshop I am looking for an expression of interest. I would like a minimum of 20 people to make it work.

[hopies]

If im in the country I would be keen. Whats the min kit/grades that can attend - I know a few of my men at arms would been keen to come down as well.

thanks

Justin n Sophie

[Callum]

I don't have a "grading system". So there is no "grade requirement" to attend. However, the workshop is not for beginners and is aimed at people who have an appropriate level of compentency in long sword and an interest in competitive tourney combat.

"Competency" implies a good understanding of how to safely use a particular weapon in whatever system you or your club uses to train with it.

At this stage the workshop will be taking place indoors, at my martial arts centre which has rubber training mats. These do not take well to people in metal armour, etc. falling on them or to modern soled footwear. So the training will be in period flat soled footwear, light armour (e.g. gambesons) and wooden wasters. Which attendess need to provide themselves.

Attendees will also need to bring appropriate hand protection and head protection. This can range from leather gloves and fencing masks through to plate gauntlets and period helmets.

Weather permitting, if people are keen to train outside for part of the workshop then full armour and steel weapons may be used.

The focus is on long sword but if there is the time and interest we may also cover sword and buckler and pole axe.

[Callum]

I can confirm that my venue is free for the workshop so assuming that there is enough interest (and by that I mean from people other than my own local crew) I will fo ahead with the workshop.

I have my own ideas about how historical combat should be conducted in a competitive format and presented to the public. I saw the same sort of ideas executed and presented very well in the foot combats at the Hackaland Jousting Tournament in Belgium weekend before last.

From a public and historical perspective they presented it very well.

Most of the combatants were from the "German" style and comprised of fighters mostly from Belgium and France as well as one Swede.

I saw some very good technique and some quite poor technique as well.

Other than scoring mutuals, the only real difference was that fights were to sudden death (through a number of decisive options). No additional lives or points.

The winner of both foot combat divisions was the same guy (Belgium) who had the best technique of all the competitors and who studies Talhoffer.

This is a format I plan to adopt here.

[Callum]

Due to a lack of interest I have decided not to run this workshop.

[Callum]

Well after speaking to various people over the last week there is the interest there but not in August. So we will look at something later in the year.

[Seamus]

I'm keen too Callum, let us know.