"Tree of Gold Tournament"

Historically, jousting was much more than a sport where competitors tried to score points and win prizes.

A joust was a way of showing bravery, prowess and prestige to your peers and putting yourself out there to be seen and judged by all.

A special kind of tournament known as a “Passage of Arms” evolved where a single knight or group of knights would set themselves up in a location and face anyone who wanted to prove their worth against them.

As such for the Victorian Medieval Festival, a group of 4 jousters known as “The Order of the Star”, will be facing a series of other jousters over the course of the weekend. This has resulted in this joust being the largest that has ever been held at Kryal Castle with a total of eleven participants!

The shields of the jousters will hang from a Golden Tree, so challengers can indicate who they would like to compete against.

At the conclusion of the event The Order of the Star will select the challenger that impressed them the most. This will not only be determined by how they jousted, but their riding ability, chivalry, presentation and worthiness.

Philip Leitch

Years Jousting: 13
Armour: 15th Century English
Horse: Valiant (Friesian)
Motto: “Noa Pavita” (Don’t Panic)

Phillip is the Lord Commander of the Knights of Kryal Castle. He has lived and worked full time at Kryal Castle for 11 years and has competed across the globe in tournaments at the very highest level. He is the two time WJC World Champion. And the only person to win an international level tournament in each of the main tree styles of jousting.

Cliff Marisma

Years Jousting: 8
Armour: 15th Century Italian
Horse: Imperious (Friesian x Andalusian Gelding)
Motto: Et egressus stetit (Stand & go forth)

Sir Clifford is a seasoned and experienced horseman. He is a professional horse breaker, riding instructor, and is capable of training horses to the highest level.
Sir Clifford has ridden in many Tournaments within Australia. Including the prestigious St Ives, a competition with steel tipped, historical solid lances. He has also travelled to France where he won the illustrious “Tournament of Saint Michelle”.

Gregory Nash

Years Jousting: 7
Armour: 15th Century
Horse: Warcry (Percheron x Standard Bred)
Motto: Neither Fear nor Despise

Gregory moved from his home in New South Wales to work at Kryal Castle and has been jousting here regularly for several years. He is a skilled craftsman, having made his own armour and is currently working on a new one in the 15th century style.
He works full time at Kryal Castle and has gained much jousting experience over the past few years.

Liberty Deaman

Years Jousting: 4
Armour: 15th Century Gothic
Horse: Dragonfly (Thoroughbred cross Fresian gelding)
Motto: “Oderint dum metuant” (Let them hate, so long as they fear) 

Liberty has been riding horses since she was a small child and has competed in a wide number of ridden sports, including hacking, show jumping, cross country, dressage, mounted games, sporting, trail riding and pony club competitions. She is currently pursuing all manner of medieval horse sports, including skill at arms, mounted archery, and ancient cavalry re-enactment. Liberty has jousted at events in NSW, QLD and Victoria including the Berry Celtic Festival and here at Kryal Castle.

Ken Spillard

Years Jousting: 3
Armour: 15th Century Italian
Horse: Perseus (Andalusian Gelding)
Motto: Suscipe sicut sum (Take me as I am)

Ken started riding at a young age and for the last 16 yrs he has gotten back into his horsemanship, now starting and training young horses. Ken has been working at jousting for nearly 5 yrs and the last 3 he has been training and doing a show with the King's horse's reenactment group.

Samantha Marr

Years Jousting: 1
Armour: 14th Century
Horse: Fat Amy (Clydesdale x Percheron Mare)
Motto: Numquam regredi non deditionem (never retreat, never surrender)

Lady Samantha has only recently gotten into the art of jousting. Under the watchful eye and guidance of Sir Clifford and Lady Renae. 

Samantha started riding at a young age and for the last 15 yrs he has gotten back into horsemanship, now starting and training young horses.

The skills, passion and dedication she displays shows she is destined to be a formidable opponent in all fields of medieval warfare.

Alexander Gay

Years Jousting: 3
Armour: 14th Century
Horse: Warcry (Percheron x Standard Bred)
Motto: “Progredior ad Gloriam" (Onward to Glory I Go)

First coming to the kingdom of Kryal having never so much as seen a horse in person, Alexander went from sitting upon a horse for the first time, to competent jouster in just over one year.

Under the guidance of Sir Gregory, Alexander has learned to ride, to fight and to forge the armour he wears today.

Andrew McKinnon

Years Jousting: 13
Armour: 15th Century Italian
Horse: Navarre (Percheron gelding)
Motto: I Will Endure Until The End

Andrew is an experienced jouster who has competed across Australia and Europe. He is also the founder of the St Ives Medieval Faire and the World Jousting Championships.

Amanda Challen

Years Jousting: 8
Armour: 15th Century Italian
Horse: Harry (Shire x Clydesdale Gelding)
Motto: Magnum vel domum ite (Go Big or Go Home)

Amanda is from the North side of Brisbane but was born in Canberra and never grew out of “that horse phase”. While Amanda is relatively new to the Jousting Scene, her horsemanship skills have been 30 odd years in the making. Amanda has broken in and trained many horses in an array of different disciplines such as competitive trail riding, show jumping, dressage, mustering, droving, and of course, jousting.

Rodney Deaman

Years Jousting: 4
Armour: 15th Century Italian
Horse: Boadicea (Warlander Mare)
Motto: “Cedere Nescio” (I know not how to yield)

Rodney, from the southern highlands of NSW, began jousting in 2018 and has since competed at Tournaments in QLD, NSW and Victoria. Rodney recently overcame a field of Australia’s best jousters to win his spurs and emerge Champion at the Tournament of the Epsilon Shield at the inaugural Orange Medieval Faire.

Renae Marisma

Years Jousting: 4
Armour: 15th Century Italian
Horse: Imperious (Friesian x Andalusian Gelding)
Motto: Dream Big

Renae is an experienced rider and horse trainer. She is an experienced jouster, regularly jousting at Kryal Castle and has competed in outside events interstate. Renae and even won her first ever tournament, at the Patrick Corrigan Cup event in 2019.

Oliver MacPherson

Years Jousting: 1
Armour: 14th Century
Horse: Warcry
Motto: "Semper Ascendendo" - Always Ascending

Some historians learn about the past through ancient manuscripts. Some pore over ruins, burials, and burnished coins. But for others, observing the past is not enough. Some just have to relive it for themselves. When he's not breaking branches on his friends, Oliver enjoys medieval swordsmanship, debating the finer points of stoic philosophy, and singing at the top of his lungs. Jousting here in the company of his master, Sir Gregory, and his mentors, Sir Clifford & the Lady Renae Marisma.