Presently, the plan is for the field to be limited to six competitors (venans) who will joust against two tenans for the honour of winning the Sword of Valour. This may change if we cannot get enough interested competitors.

The sessions are tentatively set thusly -

Morning session - Skill at Arms (skill at arms scores will be used as tie-breakers)

Mid-Afternoon session - each tenan will joust against 3 of the venans. Venans will earn tournament points - 3 for a win and 1 for a tie. These points are cumulative and will determine the placings.

Late-Afternoon session - each tenan will joust against the 3 venans they did not joust against during the morning session.

All competitors will use ecranche shields and the scoring of the passes will be based upon those used at Leeds (http://www.internationaljoust.com/jousting_rules.asp)

All venans will receive $1000 in travel expenses (I am working on the room and board situation and all of the other details).

I will be holding IJA gradings during this tournament and those wishing to be graded (and willing to help out) should contact me about attending.

More info to come - but I need to hear from 6 jousters who want to compete for this first ever Sword of Valour!

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Break a Lance,

On the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth days of July in the Year of our Lord 1425, being a Saturday and a Sunday, shall the members of the Compainie of the Northerne Sterre tenant the field on the road east of Battle Creek a half days ride from the City.

The Members of the Compainie shall stand ready upon the field to receive those who would meet Their Challenge in defence and honour of their sovereign lord, Arthur, his most beauteous queen, Guinevere, and the Sword of Valour.

Members of the Compainie are seeking out and issuing invitation to worthy Nobles of Renown that will present themselves as Venants at the said Field on the appointed Days.

The members are also issuing invitation to those nobles who might wish to witness the spectacle of the Challenges and take part in the surrounding festivities.

The Master and Sponsor of the Tourney shall be the Compainie's Knight of Honour Stefan. Sir Stefan is currently residing in Serbia, and has consented to travel forth to the Shire of Battle Creek, to stand honour for the Compainie of the Northerne Sterre.

King Arthur, Lord of the Britons, Saxons, Angles, and Celts , has graciously granted safe passage to all Nobles of Good Repute who would travel to this Tourney in answer to this Challenge.

In the Round First of the Tourney all of the Venants will compete in Skill-at-Arms competition upon horseback. The Tenants shall stand Marshall for this competition.

In the Round Second of the Tourney it shall be the place of the Tenants to issue Challenge to the Venants, and will alternate running at the tilt, three courses each. Each Tenant shall Challenge Three Venants. Should there be only one Tenant, they shall issue Challenge to all assembled Venants.

In the Round Third of the Tourney it shall be the place of the Tenants to issue Challenge to the Venants, and will alternate running at the tilt, three courses each. Each Tenant shall Challenge Three Venants that they did not break lances with during the Round Second. Should there be only one Tenant, they shall issue Challenge to all assembled Venants.

Thus ends the First Day of competition. The Tenants, Venants, Nobles, and Guests of the Court retire to Feast to recount the days deeds and accomplishments.

In the Round Fourth of the Tourney all of the Venants will compete in Skill-at-Arms competition upon horseback. The Tenants shall stand Marshall for this competition.

In the Round Fifth of the Tourney it shall be the choice of the Ladies of the Gallery as to which Three Venants meets which Tenant. Should there only be one Tenant, the Ladies of the Gallery will determine the order in which the passes are run.

In the Round Sixth and Final of the Tourney it shall be the place of the Tenants to issue Challenge to those of the Venants whom they wish to meet. Should there only be one Tenant, then they shall determine the order in which the passes are run.

All Combats shall be a'Plaisance, three good passes at the tilt, the Victorious Venant shall be that that accumulates the most wins against the Tenants.

RULES of the Tourney

Each Combatant must provide himself with a Consort, a Lady for whose Honor they do fight.

Each Combatant must provide himself with a Banner bearing a device by which he may be known.

Each Combatant must wear a Surcoat and carry a Shield bearing the same device that he may be known upon the field.

Each Combatant must answer the call of the King of Arms to the Grand Procession, with their Pennons or Banners, their Heralds and Squires, and of greatest import the Lady that they may present Her to the Knight of Honour and to the Principals of the Compainie.

The combats shall be fought for Honor and Renown only. Ransom shall not be allowed.

A King of Arms shall be selected to cry the challenge of each combatant and to cry the progress of the Combats as they occur.

There shall be a Tree of Shields for the crying of Challenge.

The Ladies of the Gallery shall observe the Venants to see who best exhibits the chivalric virtues as understood by the Compainie, and will choose from amongst the challengers those one to earn especial praise.

Upon conclusion of the challenges a closing Ceremony shall formally end the Tourney and all will retire to prepare themselves for the Feast.

All of the Tenants and the Venants shall meet upon the field and swear their adherence to the Rules of the Tourney.

Signed this twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord 1425 -

Sir Llwyd Clarke - First Tenant of this tourney.

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Break a Lance,

Tenans - Yours Truly and Cassandra Adams (and perhaps one other female jouster...hmmm).

Venans -

Dale Gienow - Canada
Jordon Herron - Canada
Jeremy O'Neil - USA
Steve Schindler - USA
Timothy Sims - USA
Jason Monarch - USA
Chris Greenway - USA
Ray Cornish - USA

What is the Sword of Valour (and what are the other prizes) well -

Custom engraved (The Sword of Valour) Arms and Armor Black Prince
Sword - http://www.armor.com/sword034.html

Gold Plated Spurs - http://www.quietpress.com/spurs.html - spur g and
spur 15

Hip Belts - http://www.quietpress.com/hip_belts.html - HB-45 The
Norris Hipbelt and HB-3 Six petal Rose Pattern

Winner - Sword of Valour
First Runner-up - spur g and Norris Hipbelt
Second Runner-up - spur 15 and Six Petal Rose Hipbelt

See you there!!

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Break a Lance,