LLC SINCE 2006
Becoming Sir Brom
From mining town to jousting stadiums By David Abbott
SIPPING STORIES, TASTING TRADITIONS
Jarrod Listiak is old school in ways that not many people can claim to be. For more than two decades, Listiak has made a living as a professional jouster, working Renaissance Fairs throughout the country and in Europe, but sees himself as the last of a dying breed. “I’m the crusty old veteran,” Listiak says. “Most people aren’t in it for longevity. We are not that kind of a culture: We’re a throwaway instant dopamine hit....” He’s been knocked off horses with lances, had his shoulders “blasted” and was even stabbed in the face with a dagger once. Despite the wear and tear on his 40-something body though, he still has a passion for performance in a field that combines aspects of professional sports with the work of a movie stuntman. While many younger people get into it to say they have done it, he estimates that most jousters have a shelf-life of three to five years, but that is how long it takes to learn the basics and hone the craft, he says. “There’s so much to learn. You’re multitasking while you’re riding a horse, and doing all these other things,” Listiak says. “In order to really start getting good and becoming competent, it takes three or four or five years, depending on how much of the year you spend doing it.”
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GLOBE HOTSHOTS 17
LISTIAK, Continued on page 22
Listiak enjoying some downtime between fairs. Photo by LCGross
Confluence – How the love of rivers brought a local couple together By Patti Daley
THE RAINBOW BRIDGE 11
She fell in love with his sense of humor. He loves how she loves what he loves. “I’m blessed that she loves history so much,” he says. “He makes it so relatable,” she replies. They both love roads and maps. Twice retired, they explore the countryside, looking for hidden pieces of forgotten roads. Learning about the way things were. They have a mutual love for the rivers. Especially where they merge. “Confluence,” says Susan McCulla, is an enduring essence of the relationship. Susan was hooked on rivers her first Salt River trip in 1983. She felt connected to the Dutch Woman Butte through her German roots and wanted more time on the river. She was married and living in Cottonwood, raising two daughters. Today she marvels at how beautifully they turned out, given the family motto: “If the river’s up, Mom’s out!”
CAREER TRAINING PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHTS 18
PARSON, Continued on page 7
Susan and John. Photo by LCGross