|
 |
THE DEVIL'S HORSEMEN
JOUSTING
AT WARWICK CASTLE
A number of special events are organised at Warwick Castle throughout the year.
This page shows some scenes of the Jousting at a Medieval Festival weekend, featuring action by The Devils Horsemen jousting team.
|
 
| The jousting tournament at Warwick Castle takes place on an island in the River Avon, which is joined to the Castle by a bridge. As the scheduled time for the performance approaches, visitors at the castle gather on the island, around the jousting field. |  |
|
The Knights approach on horseback, crossing the bridge over the Avon from the castle.
|
|
The Knights are each led into the arena by Vinrac, a rebel maiden (Simone Griffiths). | 
|
| The Knights present themselves for the joust. | 
|
 | The Knight in red colours is Sir Bors (Butch Andrews). |
| The Knight in green colours is Igor (Roger Moore). |  |
| The Knight in yellow colours is Prince Hal (Michael Nicholson).
|  |
 | The Moor is Azim (Emanuel Lafon). |
| Last to enter the arena is the outlawed Black Knight (Spencer Ratcliffe), who rides into the arena without submitting to the conventional formalities.
Spencer Ratcliffe is now with the Company of Horseman.
|
 |
| The Black Knight rides Gidrat.
Gidrat has an extensive pedigree of film appearances, including the role of Ginger in the film Black Beauty.
|
| Before the jousting begins, "favours" are sought by the Knights, from ladies around the arena.
These are small tokens to inspire the Knight through his trials. A lost favor found on a medieval battlefield was treated with greater respect than lost armour.
In this picture, Fudge, the Jester, just visible at the left of the picture, is accepting a favour from a lady in the audience, and placing it on the lance of Prince Hal.
| 
|
Vinrac assists The Black Knight - "The Rebel and The Outlaw".
| 
|
| The Knights first compete in striking fixed targets, supported on stands, or held by pages.
The Knights then joust against each other.
The photographs don't adequately convey the pace of the action. The horses move around the arena at quite a speed.
|
| Azim is unhorsed by the Black Knight.
|  |
| Sir Bors and his horse tumble to the Black Knight. | 
|
| Prince Hal lies at the mercy of the Black Knight. | 
|
| The Knights also engage in close mounted sword play, also at speed around the arena. |
We shall not disclose the twists of the morality tale which unfolds during the performance.
 | At the conclusion of the performance all the riders enjoy a lap of honour around the arena to the applause of the crowd, while the announcer describes a roll-call of various films and TV series in which these horses and riders have appeared, including First Knight, Robin Hood, Braveheart, Black Beauty, Jane Eyre and Carmen. |
| The riders of The Devils Horsemen are Spencer Ratcliffe (Black Knight), Butch Andrews (Sir Bors), Michael Nicholson (Prince Hal), Roger Moore (Igor), Emanuel Lafon (Azim), Simone Griffiths (Vinrac), and Karina Essarau (Fudge The Jester). |  |
 | The team is owned and managed by Gerard Naprous of the Wychwood Stud. My thanks to Gerard Naprous for sending me a copy of his suberb brochure.
More about The Devil's Horsemen on their own website:
The Devils Horsemen.
|
|
