With Carosella 2015 less than two weeks away, it's time to answer some of those frequently asked questions.
Q: How can I sign up for Carosella?
A: You can register online here for full and one-day passes. To register for individual workshops contact the front desk at 604 568 9907. Regular entries close Monday September 7th. Post-entries will only be accepted if space is available and are subject to a $10 surcharge.
Q: Who can register for Carosella?
A: Anyone aged 8 and up! There are workshops and tournament events for all levels of ability and experience. Kids under 14 need to have a parent or guardian on site. Children 7 and under are welcome as spectators, and there will be family-friendly demos and activities during the tournament on Sunday.
Q: I have never ridden a horse before. What workshops and competitions can I take part in?
A: The following workshops are suitable for beginning riders:
- Intro to Mounted Combat
- Single-handed Longsword
- Spear & Lance
- Grappling & Pommel Plays
- Swordplay & Grappling from the Falsemount
- Horsemanship 1
- Equine First Aid
- Beginner Riding
- Beginner Horseback Archery
- Rider Conditioning
- Bandaging
- Horsemanship 2
- Hungarian Archery from the Ground
Non-riders will also be able to take part in the on-foot section of the tournament, and those who have taken Horsemanship 1 or 2 during the weekend will be able to enter the Grooms' tournament.
Q: I'm an experienced rider, but have never done archery or swordplay. Which workshops should I take?
A: Intro to Mounted Combat and Beginner Horseback Archery are the best ways to get started with these skills. You can take an assessment on Friday evening to allow you to use a school horse for other mounted workshops and the tournament.
Q: I'm an experienced ground archer and rider. Should I still take the Beginner Horseback Archery?
A: Yes. Horseback archery is significantly different from archery on foot and the Beginner workshop will introduce you to the draw, the methods of holding arrows, and exercises for improving your shot from the back of a moving animal.
Q: Can I bring my own horse?
A: Yes. Horses must be unloaded and trailers moved by 9am. Stalls are available for $15 per day. If you elect to share your horse with another rider you will receive a $15 discount on the tournament alone, or a $30 discount on the full three day package.
Q: Are school horses available?
A: We have a few school horses. For workshops there is no charge for use of a school horse. For the tournament there is a $15 surcharge. Priority for use of school horses goes to regular members of the Cavaliere program.
Q: Are there volunteer opportunities?
A: Yes! We always need volunteers. This is a great opportunity to get behind the scenes and help make the weekend a success before and during the event. If you are able to commit to a minimum number of hours ahead of time you can also earn a discount on passes or future Cavaliere program classes.
Before Carosella
For those of you hoping to get your riding levels signed off before Carosella, sign up for Riding and Horsemanship Assessments on Monday September 7th (Labour Day).
Mounted Combat assessments will happen at the end of class on Sunday September 6th. If you are not already taking the class and would like to be assessed, contact the front desk at 604 568 9907 for one of the two drop-in spaces currently available.
Carosella 2015
Friday 11 September – Sunday 13 September
location: Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
cost: $199 for the full 3-day weekend
For information, schedules and registration see our Carosella pages.
Horse Day at the PNE
Thank you to the Horse Council of BC for inviting us to be part of their Horse Day Extravaganza at the PNE last Saturday, and to all the people on our team who helped make our demos and booth a success. The crowd loved our mounted sparring demonstrations, and we had the pleasure of putting swords in the hands of a whole lot of horse lovers at the booth. It was Flavie's first time in the Agrodome, and Chris Richardson's first time riding in an off-property show environment and they both handled it with aplomb. Here's a video of one of the demos.
Jennifer Landels heads up Academie Duello's Cavaliere Program. She has been swordfighting since 2008, and riding since before she could walk. She started the program as an excuse to combine those passions. Read more from Jennifer Landels.