Tournaments on Horse

Champion of the Emprise of the Black Lion Tournament (Saturday)

The format of the "Champion of the Emprise of the Black Lion" tournament is inspired by the 1460 treatise by René of Anjou "traictié de la forme et devis d'ung tournoy".

The format for the Championship of the Emprise of the Black Lion will be the A La Carte system. What this means is that during the the morning presentation, your herald will declare the games in which you will participate. There will be EIGHT different choices available. You will pick FOUR by having your herald strike the shields representing the four chosen activities. You will compete in those four activities and your scores will be tallied. Scoring methods will vary from game to game, but each activity will have same maximum number of points as any other activity.

Every game score will consist of an element score (how many rings/pigs etc. for solo games, how many "wins" or breaks for paired games) as well as some points from the judges on panache, courtesy, sportsmanship and the like. Additional points may be granted at the judges discretion for other reasons, for example presentation, stunning costume and barding, authenticity, or chivalric behavior.

The games for the Championship of the Emprise of the Black Lion will be (click for details):

Behord
Pigs
Birjas
Speed Quintain
Rings
Reeds
Jousting
A counted blow heavy combat tournament (on foot)

Please note that some of these activities require special authorization beyond the regular Rider authorization (Jousting, Behord, and Heavy Fighting). If you plan to compete in these activities, please make sure that you authorize for your chosen games before the event. Since there are five activities which require no special authorizations, it is possible to compete in the tournament without being authorized for any special activities.

Riders of all authorization levels and skills are encouraged to take part. Participants in the counted blow heavy tournament do not need to be authorized riders.

Noblesse Oblige Prize Tournament (Sunday)

The Noblesse Oblige Prize Tournament

The prize structure will be identical to the Noblesse Oblige tournaments run at Day of Tilt and Field of Cloth of Gold:

In this game we are all assumed to be of noble rank (per SCA definition, and also per our ability to equip or procure a destrier on which to compete on the tournament field). Some of us have greater responsibilities and resources than others, some of us have amassed considerable word-fame by our deeds and skills, and some of us are known for our generosity whether in material or in spirit

All persons of rank, recognized as such by the SCA or not, are invited to consider what their personas would have felt was their worth and bring a prize reflecting such worth. Let each rider determine for themselves what prize would represent an appropriate gift from a noble of their stature.

The Noblesse Oblige Prize Tournament will then run as follows:

All riders wishing to participate in the tournament will contribute the prize they consider to be an appropriate contribution for a person of their rank and stature.
The rider achieving the highest score in the tournament will gain... the satisfaction and word-fame of having achieved the highest score of the tournament!
The rider with the lowest score of the tournament may choose any prize they like.
Subsequent riders, proceeding from the lowest score to the highest, will choose from among the remaining prizes.

Lest those of great skill be tempted to false modesty, we will have those skilled in both song and verse standing close to immortalize the deeds of the day. Keep in mind, however, that the "worth" of a prize often has very little to do with its monetary cost. The best prizes can be the products of your own hands, talents, or the products of your talented friends. The most sought-after prizes might also be a service provided, a meal prepared, a class taught, or an event enabled.