Knightly Games Tournament this week!

Come one, come all!  The Knightly Games Tournament has something for everyone this Sunday September 30th, at Red Colt Farm!

As promised last week, here is a list of games and their descriptions.

Groom Competition 

Grooms will have 45 minutes to turn out a well-groomed and correctly tacked up horse.  Entrants may participate with their own or a school horse.  School horses will be assigned on Friday evening.  Entrants may come to the barn at any time on Saturday to bathe, braid, clean tack and otherwise prepare their horses if they wish.

Team Competitions

Teams will be composed of 2 – 4 riders, and each team will have at least two horses.  Races are run in relays, timed from the first rider across the start line to the last rider across the finish line.  If teams within a division have unequal numbers, teams with fewer members will have a rider run twice.  Teams and horses will be assigned on the morning of the competition.

1. 2-flag:  Rider 1 begins with a flag in hand, and places it in the cone at the end of the arena. Rider one then picks up the flag from the cone near the start line and hands it to Rider 2.  Rider 2 places the flag in the near cone and picks up the flag at the end of the arena.  Pattern repeats until all riders have gone.
2. Stick pegging:  Rider 1 begins with lance in hand, and knocks over the first in the line of blocks on the left hand side, circles around the end marker, and returns, knocking over the first of the other line of blocks.  Rider 1 passes the lance to Rider 2.  Process repeats until all blocks are knocked over.  If blocks are knocked out of order, rider must dismount and correct the error.
3. Quintain & blocks:  Rider 1 hits one block on lists with a thrust from lance or sword then strikes one of 4 quintain targets. Rider must hit a different quintain.  Process repeats until all blocks have been knocked down.
4. Bending (tie breaker): With baton in hand Rider 1 weaves between bending poles in both directions, passing the baton to the next rider.  Repeats until last rider has crossed finish line.

Individual Competitions

Races are timed.  Horse/rider combinations will be assigned at lunch break.

1. Rings: Rider spears 3 rings with lance or sword, and crosses finish line with all 3 rings.
2. Spear & Hay bale: Rider thrusts or throws spear into hay bale so that it stays, circles bale, and retrieves spear.
3. Litter: Rider picks carton from ground with lance, places it in bucket and returns for 2^nd carton until all cartons are gone.
4. Flag race (tie breaker): Rider begins with flag, places it in far cone.  Picks up flag from near cone, places it in far cone, until all flags are moved.

Divisions

There will be three mounted divisions, Open, Intermediate and Beginner, as well as a division for participants on foot.  We particularly need more riders in the beginner division, so if you have your Riding 1 and can walk, trot, and halt you've got a good chance of picking up some prizes. The games are very easy to learn by watching so don't feel shy -- sign up now!