Equestrian Activities at Coronation

King Gregor IV and Queen Kiena II had a vision.  They wished their
Coronation day to be a grand tourney – a spectacle that would be
remembered for years to come.  As Her Majesty is an accomplished
horsewoman no such spectacle would be complete without horses.

The soon-to-be-crowned Prince and Princess approached the court of
King Edward and Queen Thyra to claim their thrones, mounted on their
steeds and accompanied by a cavalcade of riders and horses dressed in
their finest.   Gregor rode the noble Brady, long known in the Eastern
lands for his strength and speed.  Kiena rode her mare, Banu, as
famous for her lovely form as she is for her whimsical temper.
Following were many of the horses of the Eastern Cavalry as well as
noble visitors from Atlantia and from the International Jousting
Association.

The Tournament of Champions began with the equestrians.   The King’s
Equestrian Champion, Lady Sylvia du Vey, took the field first, riding
Her Majesty’s bay mare Banu.  Banu lived up to her reputation by
cantering sideways for a time, but Lady Sylvia’s skill prevailed.
Second to take the field was the Queen’s Equestrian Champion, Lady
Alanna of Skye, riding Medallion, a lovely black Cheval Canadien owned
by Mistress Eleanor fitzPatrick.  Riding next for His Majesty’s honor,
was Sir Ankara Lig Niki on her enormous gray Percheron gelding –
THUNDER.   Last to ride, in her Majesty’s honor, was Baron Duncan Kerr
with his gorgeous nearly white Andalusian gelding Dakota Tesoro.
While His Majesty’s Champions rode well and honorably, the points
scored showed that Her Majesty’s Champions won the day.

As the focus in the main arena shifted to armored combat and rapier
tournaments, a smaller, less formal equestrian tournament began in a
side arena.  Competing at reeds, heads, rings and quintain, horses and
riders alike enjoyed the afternoon in the sunshine.  The tourney was
won by Mistress Arabella di Siena of Atlantia, the Society Equestrian
Officer, riding her gray gelding Otto.  Lady Alanna of Skye on
Medallian, was second,  and Lady Nem of Atlantia, third.

As the afternoon waned, the pinnacle of the grand spectacle began in
the main arena – the invitational joust. Jousters from the
International Jousting Association, the Kingdom of Acre (MSR) , and
Charlie Andrews of Knights of Mayhem performed a demonstration of
balsa wood jousting for the crowd.   While the East Kingdom has had
foam-tip jousting for several years and several Eastern riders
participate in the IJA, balsa jousting is only done at SCA events on
an experimental basis.  In both balsa and foam jousting, scoring is
based on whose lance breaks and on what part of your opponent’s body.
The most points are awarded for breaking your lance squarely on your
opponent’s shield.

There are several other equestrian events happening throughout the reign of Gregor & Kiena, come by and watch the pagentry!

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