Favorite moments from 2010?? Wasn't this series about sharing Favorite Moments From 2014? Apparently some people don't follow directions very well, but when they go astray this brilliantly, who can object to taking a detour? Here is Australian jouster Andrew McKinnon's favorite memory from the year 2010:
written by Andrew McKinnon
In the hot summer of January 2010, I was excited to be packing for the flight from Sydney to New Zealand for the Taupo International Joust Tournament. I was new to jousting, and my job was as team squire, with an opportunity to ride in the mounted skill at arms. I was going to be able to catch up with some new Kiwi pals I had met in the few years before, when I was a wide eyed squire watching these very cool dudes smashing it up together in the lists. I had been training with my sensei Rod Walker for a couple of years and finally felt ready for a bit of melée and the opportunity to murder some fruit with a sword.
Andrew McKinnon(right) breaks his first lance against his instructor Rod Walker(left),
Joust training, Father's Day 2009 (photo by Garry Davenport)
On this trip, I was looking forward to catching up with Callum Forbes, Graham Nixon – whom I had crossed lances with in jousts in Australia previously – and finally meeting this curmudgeonly wrinkled, silvery haired, opinionated, Scots Kiwi, formally known as Jeremy ‘Jezz’ Smith, with whom I had established we shared a mutual love of history, jousting and general piss-taking and tomfoolery washed down with a taste of something slightly alcoholic. Jezz was always very encouraging and gave me lots of tips and motivational gems, interspersed with liberal doses of profanity.
One of the real moments in my jousting career was Jezz, prior to my departure, saying whatever happens, pack your harness, and whilst you are here, I will take you out into a park, and we will have a joust. I was gratified I would finally get to break a lance outside training!
My excitement level was high as we hit the deck at Auckland, passed through customs and jumped in the minibus to drive to Lake Taupo. There were several ratbags of the highest order for company. Justin Holland, the nominal captain of the team, a man of few words and a capacity for libations unsurpassed in another jouster. Amongst the other fine fellows and lassies was Sir Phillip Oliver, whose schtick was to wrap himself in a bright yellow tarpaulin, don an eyepatch and attempt to convince the general populace that the rubber chicken he had gaffe taped to his yellow cape was in fact a falcon named “Allan”. This is in itself worthy of it’s own tale, but that shall have to wait until another time. Suffice to say the hills of Lake Taupo still ring to the sounds of Sir Phillip yelling “Allaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan” triggering the locals to duck down suddenly for fear of being struck by the diving raptor.
Anyway, pray, let us continue the tale. The Australian Team arrived at our accommodation, which we immediately festooned with appropriately cheap plastic Australiana items. We were wild and free and damn! we weren't backward in sharing our festive and rather theatrical fervour. Again Sir Phillip was the instigator of much mirth and diabolical merriment. His antics in the celebrity hot tub with his wily moustache and a gold lamé g-string are again, the stuff of legend.
We mustered on the first day and went through the plans for the tournament, including matching riders with horses, session times, program, etc, etc.... Heady stuff, and the whole time I think my grin was at about the ‘epic’ setting.
At some point, Callum came up to me and said, “Listen, we are a rider short, Andrew. What do you think about harnessing up and being a target, so one of the others doesn't have to ride twice?”
I was thrilled. “Absolutely!” was my reply. How good is this? I thought to myself, being in armour and riding in a real tournament!
Andrew McKinnon in armour with Kym Louise O'Connor at Taupo 2010
(photo by Scott Marks)
Shortly after that Callum approached me and said, “Hey Andrew, Why don’t you at least present a lance for the crowd, so it looks fair dinkum?” I thought, man at least it will look real in the pics. Riding with a lance and getting hit in an international tournament! Awesome….
Andrew McKinnon cantering down the tilt with a lance at the Taupo Joust 2010
(photo by Donna Burt)
At this point Callum interrupts my triumphant reverie with, “Hey Andrew, why don’t you just hit them?”
So there I was, parachuted into my first international tournament. One of the most memorable and satisfying moments of my jousting career even still. The best part was I wasn't nervous, because I had no anticipation of the event. Bang! There I was. Jousting. My first pass was with Jezz, and I broke my first tournament lance on him.
Jezz Smith(left) jousts Andrew McKinnon(right) at the Taupo joust 2010
(photo by Scott Marks)
As I rode off, I heard Graham Nixon say, “That was very tidy man.” I think I had to get the smile on my face surgically removed after about a fortnight.
So there it is. The tale of the accidental international jouster. Our joust careers are filled with stories like these. Opportunity, skill, humour and mateship. This is what keeps me going – the people you meet and the adventures you have with them. Normal folk just wouldn't understand.
Then there was the tale of Team America, the ‘Special’ Bus and speaking Khazakh, but that tale must wait for another time…….
Andrew McKinnon at a jousting practice held on Father's Day 2009
(photo by Garry Davenport)
More tales from the Accidental International Jouster coming... maybe...
THE ACCIDENTAL INTERNATIONAL JOUSTER’S TALE
written by Andrew McKinnon
In the hot summer of January 2010, I was excited to be packing for the flight from Sydney to New Zealand for the Taupo International Joust Tournament. I was new to jousting, and my job was as team squire, with an opportunity to ride in the mounted skill at arms. I was going to be able to catch up with some new Kiwi pals I had met in the few years before, when I was a wide eyed squire watching these very cool dudes smashing it up together in the lists. I had been training with my sensei Rod Walker for a couple of years and finally felt ready for a bit of melée and the opportunity to murder some fruit with a sword.
Andrew McKinnon(right) breaks his first lance against his instructor Rod Walker(left),
Joust training, Father's Day 2009 (photo by Garry Davenport)
On this trip, I was looking forward to catching up with Callum Forbes, Graham Nixon – whom I had crossed lances with in jousts in Australia previously – and finally meeting this curmudgeonly wrinkled, silvery haired, opinionated, Scots Kiwi, formally known as Jeremy ‘Jezz’ Smith, with whom I had established we shared a mutual love of history, jousting and general piss-taking and tomfoolery washed down with a taste of something slightly alcoholic. Jezz was always very encouraging and gave me lots of tips and motivational gems, interspersed with liberal doses of profanity.
One of the real moments in my jousting career was Jezz, prior to my departure, saying whatever happens, pack your harness, and whilst you are here, I will take you out into a park, and we will have a joust. I was gratified I would finally get to break a lance outside training!
My excitement level was high as we hit the deck at Auckland, passed through customs and jumped in the minibus to drive to Lake Taupo. There were several ratbags of the highest order for company. Justin Holland, the nominal captain of the team, a man of few words and a capacity for libations unsurpassed in another jouster. Amongst the other fine fellows and lassies was Sir Phillip Oliver, whose schtick was to wrap himself in a bright yellow tarpaulin, don an eyepatch and attempt to convince the general populace that the rubber chicken he had gaffe taped to his yellow cape was in fact a falcon named “Allan”. This is in itself worthy of it’s own tale, but that shall have to wait until another time. Suffice to say the hills of Lake Taupo still ring to the sounds of Sir Phillip yelling “Allaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan” triggering the locals to duck down suddenly for fear of being struck by the diving raptor.
Anyway, pray, let us continue the tale. The Australian Team arrived at our accommodation, which we immediately festooned with appropriately cheap plastic Australiana items. We were wild and free and damn! we weren't backward in sharing our festive and rather theatrical fervour. Again Sir Phillip was the instigator of much mirth and diabolical merriment. His antics in the celebrity hot tub with his wily moustache and a gold lamé g-string are again, the stuff of legend.
We mustered on the first day and went through the plans for the tournament, including matching riders with horses, session times, program, etc, etc.... Heady stuff, and the whole time I think my grin was at about the ‘epic’ setting.
At some point, Callum came up to me and said, “Listen, we are a rider short, Andrew. What do you think about harnessing up and being a target, so one of the others doesn't have to ride twice?”
I was thrilled. “Absolutely!” was my reply. How good is this? I thought to myself, being in armour and riding in a real tournament!
Andrew McKinnon in armour with Kym Louise O'Connor at Taupo 2010
(photo by Scott Marks)
Shortly after that Callum approached me and said, “Hey Andrew, Why don’t you at least present a lance for the crowd, so it looks fair dinkum?” I thought, man at least it will look real in the pics. Riding with a lance and getting hit in an international tournament! Awesome….
Andrew McKinnon cantering down the tilt with a lance at the Taupo Joust 2010
(photo by Donna Burt)
At this point Callum interrupts my triumphant reverie with, “Hey Andrew, why don’t you just hit them?”
So there I was, parachuted into my first international tournament. One of the most memorable and satisfying moments of my jousting career even still. The best part was I wasn't nervous, because I had no anticipation of the event. Bang! There I was. Jousting. My first pass was with Jezz, and I broke my first tournament lance on him.
Jezz Smith(left) jousts Andrew McKinnon(right) at the Taupo joust 2010
(photo by Scott Marks)
As I rode off, I heard Graham Nixon say, “That was very tidy man.” I think I had to get the smile on my face surgically removed after about a fortnight.
So there it is. The tale of the accidental international jouster. Our joust careers are filled with stories like these. Opportunity, skill, humour and mateship. This is what keeps me going – the people you meet and the adventures you have with them. Normal folk just wouldn't understand.
Then there was the tale of Team America, the ‘Special’ Bus and speaking Khazakh, but that tale must wait for another time…….
Andrew McKinnon at a jousting practice held on Father's Day 2009
(photo by Garry Davenport)
More tales from the Accidental International Jouster coming... maybe...
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