Photos
The 2010 World Joust Tournament of the Phoenix last weekend marked the fifth consecutive annual international event that Jeffery Hedgecock and Gwen Nowrick co-produced in San Diego.
Held at the Poway Valley Riders association in Poway, the Tournament of the Phoenix remains the only jousting event in the United States sanctioned by England's Royal Armouries Museum-Leeds and affiliated with the International Jousting League.
This year's pas d'Armes (passage of arms) tournament format saw the three members of the Order of the Crescent—victors of the 2009 team tournament format— invite four international challengers to take aim and dispute reign over a two-day, six-segment contest for the Phoenix Prize.
The reigning defenders included American captain Jeffery Hedgecock, a Ramona resident, President of Historic Enterprises Inc., in Ramona, and executive of World Joust Knight School, where he teaches jousting and medieval horsemanship. Hedgecock's teammates include Englishman Dominick Sewell, a college professor in Whittlesey, Cambridgshire and owner of Historic Equitation, where he trains horses and riders in jousting, skill at arms, and hunting activities. The third member of the Order of the Crescent is Tobias Capwell, an expat who resides in London. Jousting since 1993, Capwell is the distinguished veteran of the tiltyard and serves illustriously as the only museum jousting curator in the world.
The three members of the Order of the Crescent sent summons to Arne Koets of Holland, Germany's Andreas Wenzel, Steve Gagnon of Quebec, Canada, and New Zealand's Jeremy "Jezz" Smith.
After foot competition in the arena, the club tourney and three jousting sessions, only six points separated the four challengers. It was the fourth joust session and final segment of competition that finally saw one competitor emerge as the champion.
Germany's Wenzel ascended to the top spot in the standings with 68 points, safely ahead of the Kiwi runner-up Smith (59 points). Koets of Holland finished third with 47 points and Gagnon of Canada rounded out the four challengers.
Wenzel, who has been jousting since 2005, works as the European Distribution Director for a petrol industry supply company by day. He has studied the sabre at one of Germany's oldest fencing schools and, since moving to England, joined Destrier— Europe's leading medieval mounted-display team.
"Coming in, I thought my biggest competition would be from Toby [Capwell]," said Wenzel after the final session. "I'm very happy to have been victorious today; the field was outstanding."
Wenzel had a strong showing in the Club Tourney standings and went undefeated in arena foot combat to help his cause.
Wenzel also had the honor of receiving the Chivalry Award, the highly coveted accolade presented to the competitor who displays the finest honor and knightly graciousness as determined by the Lady of Honor, Kyle Van Dolah, and three (female) judges, with additional consultation from Marshall of the Field Michael Carroll.
The martial equestrian event in Poway began as the World Invitational Joust and returned as the American Sword of Chivalry Tournament. The 2010 installment is the third consecutive World Invitational Joust event billed as the Tournament of the Phoenix.
Hedgecock and Nowrick plan on returning to Poway for the sixth consecutive international event of the same name in the fall of 2011.
bob naegele
7:49 am on Saturday, October 30, 2010
"Wow! I'm glad I came! This isn't what I thought it would be, at ALL! I have to come next year! For Saturday AND Sunday!"
I heard that from more than one person while I was taking photos of the event, this year.
Last year, I WAS that person.
I thought I'd humor my wife and her sister and go to the event with them, since it was close, not expensive, easy parking. Spend an hour or so in the morning and then my wife would "owe me"; I'd get to go home and watch football in peace for the rest of the day.
I ended up staying until the closing ceremonies and was sorry to see it end.
Do NOT make the mistake of thinking this is some nerdy costume festival deal.
There are period authentic costumes and displays, to be sure, but the weekend's focus truly is on a competition between the two teams. And the competitors take it very seriously. They play for keeps. Off their horses and once the day's events are done, they're all great friends. They are also extremely approachable and welcome questions and conversation with event-goers. You know they've answered the same questions over and over, but they take the time to politely and personably interact.
But during the different events it's "game on" and these guys flat go at it. Do they ever.
Please do yourself a favor and plan to attend next year's Tournament of the Phoenix. You'll come away with a whole new appreciation and understanding for what historical jousting really was, because you'll have seen the "real deal".
Gisela
12:23 pm on Saturday, October 30, 2010
I agree with Bob's comments. During the Poway Days street fair I picked up a flier for the event at their booth and thought I check it out. I went on Sunday, not knowing what to expect because I had seen in July the world's greatest tournament and medieval camp-out at Schloss Kaltenberg, south of Munich/Germany (ritterturnier.de). I must say this was very credible and wonderful, exciting entertainment with lots of historic factoids thrown in. The only thing I missed was the Viking art of war because the explanation of how the Romans fought against the Celts was so fascinating, and the "Romans" knew so much of the history and could answer any question one had that I missed the next program.
The way the horses went out to full gallop from almost standing still at the jousting events reminded me from the sensation in an airplane when it goes from rolling on the tarmac to full take-off. Just jaw-dropping. Also impressive was the skill the riders displayed with those long lances and the ability to endure all the bruises and cuts caused by the various engagements.
It is an expensive hobby for all the participants who research and invest in their historically correct clothing, accoutrements and weapons; for instance, the Roman camp built a brick oven to bake their bread. A big Thank You to Historic Enterprises and everyone who made this tournament such a great experience. I'll be back next year!