The Jousting Life

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A New Jousting Event in Australia: Tournament Australis

Tournament Australis is a new jousting competition that will be held July 5 - 6 in southwestern Sydney, Australia on jouster Sarah Hay's private ranch.


Australian jouster Sarah Hay(photo by The Jousting Life)

Text provided by Sarah Hay:

Tournament Australis is a new concept in Australia. I was inspired to hold the tournament because I've had a vision of creating a more inclusive opportunity for more riders to participate and have fun in medieval horse sports. There are 16 riders and 16 horses participating in this event, which I am really proud of. Many of these riders are riding in their first medieval event, and they are very excited about wearing costume and learning new skills.

I am also very interested in creating different sorts of competitive events for riders to participate in -- a much more difficult mounted skill at arms course than normal, team ground archery, tippet tag, team skill at arms. Another very exciting aspect of this event is that Jen Jobst from Texas, USA is teaching Australia's first Ballet du Cheval performance. We have eight riders participating, and I very proud to be able to host the first of this kind of opportunity in Australia.


Equestrian Jen Jobst who will be leading the Ballet du Cheval(photo by The Jousting Life)

One of the aspects I am most looking forward to is a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony to open the event. A local Aboriginal elder will 'cleanse' the spirits through this smoking ceremony out on the field on Saturday morning. All riders will be there in costume. I hope that this meaningful ceremony will pitch a very Australian sense of good will that will last for the whole weekend. I expect it will be a moving ceremony for all participating.


Aboriginal Elder Uncle Steve who will be performing a smoking ceremony
at the beginning of the event(photo provided by Sarah Hay)

The biggest challenge in creating this tournament is organizing the feast that we are having on the Saturday night down in the paddock. The jousting part is easy! As the event is on my property, the mounted archery courses, jousting list and mounted skill at arms course is already set up. Cooking food for 45 people and managing everything around that after a full day of riding will be challenging, but things are well prepared, so I think it will still work well. The people who have been invited are all the 'helping' type, so I know that everyone will pull together and help make it a wonderful night.

I am really looking forward to riding out on Saturday morning and seeing 16 riders on 16 horses all participating and having fun. I look forward to seeing happy faces on Sunday afternoon at the closing ceremony where the winners will be acknowledged, and all will hopefully have a new bag of fun memories from Tournament Australis 2014.


Tournament Australis(photo provided by Sarah Hay)

Related articles:
Female Jouster, Sarah Hay, Wins "Full Tilt International Jousting Tournament 2012"

Andre Renier Wins "The Grand Tournament of St Charles"

More Information and Video from "The Grand Tournament of St Charles"

Random Pic: Camel Jousting

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