spotlight on... a feast of festivals The Loxwood Joust

Commands the Fiercest Fun 5th & 6th, 12th & 13th August

TheLoxwood Joust, the UK’s most spectacular and immersive medieval and jousting festival, will be testing mettle to the very end. Full contact medieval fighting group Invicta has thrown down the gauntlet and challenged men and women from clubs from across the county to battle for the Loxwood Kingdom Cup. No-one knows what the outcome will be as the teams from Armoured Combat Gloucester, The North, Norwich, The Hellions, BMC and ISCA all face the Joust’s revered Invicta team.

With visitors to the Kingdom cheering for their favourite champions, nothing is staged! See these feisty knights battle it out with strength, honour and all the ferocity of a pro-fight. Each day the Loxwood Joust’s visitors will see first hand the speed of Sword and Buckler, the stamina of Sword and Shield, the skill of Long Sword and the strength and power of Polearm as the fighters compete one to one using the different disciplines.

Fully armoured group battles, where those with the strength of body and mind will battle for honour and glory, will also be played out for the accolade of winning the Loxwood Kingdom Cup. The winners of each fight will earn points for their club and each day the victorious club with the most points will be awarded the treasured cup by the King of Loxwood. And, on the final Sunday, a member of the Invicta team will have the honor of being knighted a Loxwood Knight by King Villian.

In another skillful first, those citizens and squires of Loxwood who are keen archers, or even have-a-go hopefuls, are also invited to take aim and shoot in the daily challenge to be knighted the realm’s Master of Archery. Guided by Loxwood’s finest archers and using real wooden longbows that replicate the 15th Century bows used during the Wars of the Roses and at the battle of Agincourt, visitors are encouraged to compete for the Master of Archery title.

Just aim, fire six arrows, and hit a long-distance 20-yard target. Score between one to ten each time you hit and hit the bullseye to score ten. Gain the highest score tally and be proudly proclaimed Master of Archery in the Jousting arena. The Loxwood Joust is located just off the B2133 between Wisborough Green and Loxwood and has ample free parking. Experiences and banqueting places must be booked in advance when booking tickets at www.loxwoodjoust.co.uk.