Jousting

A Knight cannot shine in war if he has not prepared for it in tournaments...

Full contact jousting

In our beginning...

Bearing in mind that the sport with all of its experts and their experience had passed on some 400 years earlier, we began with only a few horses paired with a strong desire to engage in an ancient and time-honored tradition. It was time that the spectacle of full contact jousting was reborn.

Reviving jousting from scratch left a great deal to experimentation. This process was an evolutionary one, as none of the original participants were still around to ask for advice or assistance. All that remained were some texts left by those who scribed for the sport. Practical experience really needed to be gained, and there is only one way to get that...

Since our inception, and in the more than two decades of our existence, The New Riders of the Golden Age has been established as the premier jousting troupe in the country. Each year we perform from coast to coast for millions of people at Renaissance faires, state and county fairs, and special events.

As performers in a show, we follow a script. The nature of the situation and its variables requires that we be open to improvisation. This allows us to keep the show fresh and alive for the audience as well as ourselves. The script sets the pace and gives a foundation to the excitement already existing from our energy.

The lance passes are real. This is the culmination of our training and the training of the horses. It is the true test of our skill and focus and it is most certainly what keeps us coming back for more. Our lances are made of genuine solid pine right from the lumber yard. We make neither cuts nor scores on the wood to assist their breaking. So at 10 feet long with steeds at a full run, when the lances meet their target and splinter into pieces and/or one of the knights finds himself flying off the tail-end of the horse, that is when we and the audience truly find out what it means to be a knight. We do not stage "blow-outs"; they are as real as our lances.

From leather and chain mail to full plate steel armor, from riding lessons to winning blue ribbons in reining shows, we continue to hone our skills in all aspects of our profession. Not only as performers but as horsemen as well.

Based in Sarasota Florida, War Horse Farm has been the training center for our knights and horses alike. Under the direction of Kelly Bailey, assisted by horse trainer Art Grunig, our riders are schooled in horsemanship following the discipline of western reining . Both riding and show rehearsals are held from 4 to 6 days a week. Training ourselves and our horses on this steady schedule is what keeps rider and horse alike at our peak preparation. This will allow us to perform consistently at the highest level.
War Horse Farm is also home to our armory and workshop, where we make and maintain our "hard-wear". All swords, shields, horse armor, costumes and any other equipment we use are also kept and maintained right here.

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