Five Hours of Open Sparring!

The day is an open hall for all fencers to partake in open practice against other fencers in the room, get your fights in and compete against your friends. Or, even better, make new friends and then fight them!

Instructor seminars and team games will feature within the day, but if these do not interest you, there will be room to continue sparring in the hall.

Guest Instructor – Joshua Strong-Yates of Wardens of the Tor

“My name is Joshua Strong-Yates, many of you from the Order of the Blade may well know of me primarily as the organiser of my event the Strong Orchard Skirmish.

I am an instructor and fighter for my Plymouth based club, the Wardens of the Tor. A HEMA practitioner and competitive fencer primarily in longsword having won Gold in my first ever Tournament in B pool at the wessex league, I continue to compete to this day.

I also have over a decade of historical reenactment combat and stage perfromance experience as well as being the one man operation behind the youtube channel Atreides HEMA.

My skills are in the use of multiple weapon systems. Having much experience in spear, swords, axes, shields, daggers, pole weapons and more, even prior to my own first steps into HEMA. Through learning from the historical sources and training using the insights and learned skills therein, I am now a proud contributor to the ongoing practice of historical combat.

My teaching style aims to provide a warm and inclusive environment where I will provide you with great techniques you will use often due to their utility and effectiveness. I look forward to contributing to your journey on the path of the blade.

This lesson will seek to teach you some of the skills and techniques I have found invaluable in my own fencing. Sourced directly from three of the historical fencing masters, Fiore Ringeck and Meyer, they will add to your fighting skill set and aid you in friendly sparring and competition fencing alike.

Required equipment: Longsword, Mask, gloves at a minimum. Full sparring kit preferred.”

Admin Bits

The day is open to all those who have valid insurance for the practice of Historical Fencing. Please be prepared to present evidence of such if asked by a member of staff. Those who do not have insurance will be required to purchase it through the Order for the day, for a £5 surcharge.

After Party

A fter the day of sparring, we will be heading up the road to a pub called the Boat Inn, address below. There we will swap exploits of the day and grab some food and drinks before the drive home!

Boat Inn, 31 Shilton Ln, Coventry CV2 2AB