The Jousting Life: Final Weekend Jousting Tournament at Sherwood Forest Faire 2015

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Final Weekend Jousting Tournament at Sherwood Forest Faire 2015

In what has become a much anticipated climax to the Sherwood Forest Faire season, instead of the usual jousting show, there will be a competitive jousting tournament on Saturday and Sunday, March 28 - 29, the final weekend of the 2015 faire.

Charlie Andrews(far left) and Mark Desmond(center) unhorse each other during the
Mid-Faire Jousting Tournament at Sherwood Forest Faire 2015(photo by GRHook Photo)

George Appling, the owner of Sherwood Forest Faire(who also plays the part of King Richard the Lionhearted within the drama of the faire), first decided to hold a competitive jousting tournament the final weekend of the faire back in 2011.

"The Knights of Mayhem television show was being filmed in Sherwood Forest and everyone involved thought a tournament would be quite the fitting climax.... We had the Knights of Mayhem doing the joust every weekend at Sherwood Forest Faire 2011. A tournament with more knights seemed like an obvious closer to such a great season of jousting." -- George Appling

This will be the second competitive jousting tournament at Sherwood Forest during the 2015 season; a Mid-Faire Competitive Jousting Tournament was held February 28 - March 1, 2015. When asked why he decided to hold two competitive jousting tournaments this season, Mr. Appling replied:

"Two reasons really: First, we always have more jousters interested than we have time in a day. There were some jousters who wanted to qualify, so we wanted to create a qualifying competition. Second, we love the tournament and wanted to see it twice!"

A total of nine competitors from five different jousting organizations competed in the mid-faire tournament, and although two competitors were disqualified early on, it was nevertheless a spectacular event with several single unhorsings and two double unhorsings.

In the end, David Schade, leader of the New Riders of the Golden Age, beat Charlie Andrews, leader of the Knights of Mayhem, in the final match to win the tournament. More details about the mid-faire tournament are available in the article, "David Schade Wins Mid-Faire Jousting Tournament at Sherwood Forest Faire 2015".

David Schade(left) breaks his lance against Robbie Hubbard(right) during the
Mid-Faire Jousting Tournament at Sherwood Forest Faire 2015 (photo by GRHook Photo)

The Final Weekend Jousting Tournament should be equally spectacular since many of the same jousters will be returning to compete. Charlie Andrews, leader of the Knights of Mayhem, will again be competing, and his troupe member Brian Stephenson will be there for the first time this season. Other jousters who will be returning to compete include Eddie Rigney of the Knights of Valour, Dustin Stephens of the Knights of Four Winds, and Joshua Warren, of Sherwood Forest Faire's own Sherwood Knights Academy. David Schade will, of course, be returning to defend his title, while Samuel Keucker, another member of the New Riders of the Golden Age, will be competing at Sherwood Forest for the the first time this season. However, the final list of competitors is still subject to change.

Some of the more exciting jousting passes of the mid-faire tournament can be seen in the 2015 Sherwood Forest Faire Mid-Faire Jousting Tournament playlist on The Jousting Life YouTube channel which is embedded below: