Lysts on the Lake, October 8 - 10, 2021:

Schedule / le Chasse / Melee a' Cheval / Joust a'plasiance / Waiver & Informed Consent

Lysts on the Lake is open to all qualified equestrian competitors and entry into the equestrian martial activities will be based on the order in which payment, signed waivers and all other requirements are received. The roster is limited and will be determined by the order in which all the requirements are fulfilled. There will be a waiting list if needed.

This year, Lysts on the Lake will take place at our original home, “The Village of Castleton” at 7200 Coldwater Canyon Rd., Austin, Texas.

Lysts on the Lake consists of 3 equestrian events over 3 days:

  • le Chasse
  • Melee a' Cheval
  • Joust a'plaisance

New for 2021:
Thanks to a generous donation, the meal plan and a t-shirt will be provided for free to any competitor or volunteer who is involved throughout the entire event, 4/22 – 4/26. Also, due to some restrictions and a change in how we use the property, cabin spaces will be offered to the volunteers and competitors traveling long distances who do not have the ability to camp. There is plenty of space for camping.

all competitors and ground crew must:

  • Be members of the International Jousting Association
  • Be properly certified as at least a Level 1 Rider to compete in le Chasse, at least a Level 2 Rider to compete in the joust a'plaisance, and as a Foot Man to participate as Ground Crew.

The tournament format is subject to change. Riders will be divided into equal sized groups at the all hands meeting Thursday evening. Each rider’s score will be accumulated during the tournament, and the combined sum of le Chasse, the Melee a’Cheval and Joust a'Plaisance determines who progresses to the semifinal and final rounds.

All competitors participate as individuals and their scores will be:

  • used to determine the individual event winners,
  • used to determine the overall Tournament Champion,
  • forwarded to the International Jousting League to list in their ranking system.

In addition:

  • the King of Arms will be the lead equestrian activities Marshal of the Field for the event and will have authority over all scoring and safety issues with the competitors, footmen and anyone participating in the main arena.
  • all participants must follow the instructions of the tournament officials and abide by their decisions.
  • all participants must make every effort to stay within the confines of the lists and must not knowingly put members of the public, horses, or the other tournament participants at risk of injury.

SCHEDULE:
(Subject to change. Please see onsite bulletin board for changes.)

Mon. 10/4/21
- ~12n a’Plaisance, Ltd. staff arrive onsite
- all day: site setup
- Clinic participants arrive throughout the day

Tues. 10/5/21
- 9a Breakfast in the village and a bit of a lecture to find out where to start
- 10a Groundwork in the arena with example horses
- 11a Groundwork with clinician horses
- 12n Lunch….probably onsite, probably bring your own, but TBD
- 2p Basic mounted work, maybe introduce some armour for the new horses, etc.
- 6p-ish. Dinner offsite

Wed. 10/06/21
- 9a Breakfast in the village and a bit of a lecture to find out what we want to accomplish today
- 10a Warm ups, work on the tilt, measuring passes, armour if you’re comfortable, etc.
- 12n Lunch…probably onsite, probably bring your own, but TBD
- 2p Armoured passes, breaking passes for those who are ready, etc.
- 5p Competitors and staff arrive
- 6p All Hands Meeting (in the white pavilion)
- 7p Dinner off-site

Thu. 10/07/21
- 9a Breakfast (in the village)
- 10a Tack horses
- 10:30a Warm up horses and Ground Crew rehearsal
- 12n Lunch (in the village)
- 1p Tack horses and armour up
- 2p Warm up horses, practice and Ground Crew rehearsal
- 6p Dinner and All Hands Meeting (in the village)

Fri. 10/08/21
- 8a Breakfast (in the white pavillion)
- 9a Tack and armour up in display tent
- 10a Joust Group 1 competes in preliminary joust
- 12n Lunch (in the village)
- 1p Tack and armour up in display tent
- 2p Joust Group 2 competes in preliminary joust
- 3p Joust training exhibition by a’Plaisance Academy in the lists
- 4p Joust Group 3 competes in preliminary joust
- 5p Dinner and All Hands Meeting (in the village)

Sat. 10/09/21
- 8a Breakfast (village)
- 9a Chivalric Equitation Course open in the lists
- 10a Chivalric Equitation Course
- 12n Lunch (in the vilage)
- 1p Joust training exhibition by a’Plaisance Academy in the lists
- 2p Semi-final Joust Group 1 competes
- 3p Tack and armour up in display tent
- 4p Semi-final Joust Group 2 competes
- 6p Dinner and All Hands Meeting (in the village)
- 7p Mix and Mingle with Baron’s Men guests (across from The Curtain)
- 8p “Midsummers’ Night’s Dream” performance (at The Curtain)

Sun. 10/10/21
- 9a Breakfast (in the village)
- 10a Tack and armour up in display tent
- 11a Melee a’Cheval in the lists
- 11:30a (immediately following the melee) “Cours de la Bours” in the lists
- 12n Lunch (in the village)
- 1p Joust training exhibition by a’Plaisance Academy in the lists
- 2p Jousting Final
- 3:30p Closing Ceremonies
- 4p Strike and site clean up
- (after site strike) Dinner off-site
- 8p Site empty

le CHASSE

Lysts on the Lake 2021 will feature a new and exciting Skill at Arms course filled with a variety of obstacles that will test your riding and weapons skills like never before. The details of the course are still being worked out but you and your horse should have the skill and stamina to be able to ride in new and challenging ways (such as leg yields, pirouettes, narrow jumps, hitting a shock quintain, shoulder in, haunches in, etc.) all at a trot to be able to score or at a canter to multiply your score. This course will test you and your horse in ways that most have not experienced so don’t expect that you’ll be able to run a few practice passes on site and expect to score very well. You will certainly need to practice quite a bit before the event! Keep an eye on this page for the updated course coming soon.

MELEE a' CHEVAL

The Melee a’ Cheval is a grand melee using tourney batons where everyone is competing as individuals. A competitor is considered defeated if they call a total of 5 sufficient blows, dismount for any reason, lose or break their weapon or until the King of Arms feel they have been defeated by their opponents. Each competitor will be ranked in reverse order as they leave the field and receive the same number of points as their rank. i.e. the 1st off the field will receive 1 point, the 5th will receive 5 points and the 10th will receive 10 points, etc. until all competitors have retired from the field. The last competitor leaving the field will be declared the winner of this competition.

  • Competitors are required to wear full armour.
  • The weapons for this event will be supplied by the Tournament Producer.
  • Competitors may only strike other competitors above the waist
  • The face is not a valid target.
  • Shields are not allowed.
  • Striking horses in any way is not allowed. At the Queen of Arm’s discretion combatants can be removed from the melee for excessive contact with any horse and will receive no points for the melee a’ Cheval.

JOUST a' PLAISANCE

Format:

For the Joust, each competitor must provide their own mount. Sharing of mounts, unless you have been eliminated, will not be allowed.

The competitors will be divided into equal groups and each group will compete against one another in a round robin format during their designed time slot. The top 66% of the scores from the preliminaries will advance to two semi-final rounds. The top 33% of the scores from the semi-finals will progress to the finals.

Armour Requirements:

Joust competitors must wear historically documentable replica harness from the periods of the 14th, 15th or 16th centuries and be primarily constructed of mild, tempered, spring or stainless steel. Fantasy, theatrical (“string armour”) or aluminum armour, etc. are not allowed.

Because of the great variety of armour styles available it is the competitor’s responsibility to mitigate their own risk and assume all liability as to the safety of their armour. In addition, if the Tournament Producer or King of Arms feels that a competitor is not properly armoured, trained or has a suitable mount to participate, they will not be allowed to participate. Each competitor also has the right to decline to compete against anyone for any reason.

Appropriate armour must meet the following requirements:

  • padded arming garments
  • helmet
  • helmet ocular may not exceed 3/8” when presented to an oncoming rider
  • gorget
  • breastplate (backplate is not required but recommended)
  • shoulder, arm and hand defenses
  • brayette (if needed to cover gaps)
  • saddle and/or lower abdomen protection
  • chamfrons are not required for the Joust a’plaisance or the Melee a’Cheval but are recommended

These pieces are required to be strong enough to prevent injury to the wearer and to provide a high level of protection against impact from hardwood lance tips and/or aluminum lance sockets and/or solid wooden lances.

Equipment:

Competitors are required to provide an ecranche style shield which covers the rider’s left shoulder from the top of their shoulder to just above their waist (approximately 13” x 14”). This ecranche should be attached directly to the target area via neck and arm straps or bolted in such a way as to cover the left side of the breastplate and provide a suitable target for the oncoming lance. Sufficient curve should be present in the ecranche to concentrate the lance strike towards the middle of the ecranche (i.e. the curve of a 55 gallon drum provides a good radius) and not slide up and into the riders face or down into their saddle. The ecranche should be designed and mounted in such a way that the movement of the rein hand will not adversely effect the placement of the ecranche. The rein hand should be able to move relatively freely below the ecranche and not interfere with it. The proper placement of the ecranche should depend on how it is mounted to the rider, not the placement of the arm or elbow during the pass.

  • Any ecranche or placement of the ecranche which allows lances to consistently slip to either the outside or inside or up/down, will not be allowed.
  • Any ecranche with insufficient curve will not be allowed.
  • Ecranches that are tabled to the outside or up causing the lance to consistently either miss the target or slide off the target will not be allowed.
  • The rider will be alerted after the first occurrence. On the second occurrence, the rider will receive no points for that match. On the third occurrence, the rider will be disqualified from the competition.
  • Competitors are encouraged to display their arms upon their shield

Competitors are required to provide a large banner with their arms (banner poles will be provided). Competitor’s banners will be displayed during the tournaments.

Competitors are required to provide a suitable caparison to adorn their horse during the joust. Strap type barding is not acceptable.

Tournament jousting lances and tips will be provided by the Tournament Producer.

All of the lance tips will be frangible and constructed of 1.25" x 36" spiral cut Fir.

All tips will be fitted with hard urethane coronels. All lances and tips must be used as is and may not be modified. Grappers and/or arrets are not allowed.

The Match:

The jousting tournament will be conducted on an enclosed 200’ long list field using an open 170’ tilt fence with counter list fences. Judges are located at each end of the tilt to observe the lance placement of the competitor riding away from them and to signal the score of each pass to the King of Arms.

At the start of each pass, the competitors present themselves at the end of the tilt line. Once each competitor has received their lance from the footman and is ready to joust they should raise their lances to signal that they are prepared to begin the pass. Once both riders have indicated that they are ready, they may begin the pass. Each competitor is required to maintain a canter (or gaited equivalent), while maintaining proper control of their horse and lance, throughout the entire pass and stop at the end of the list to hand their lance back to the footman. If a horse makes the pass at a walk or a trot, the points for that competitor are not counted for that pass.

The target area is the torso (between the neck and waist and includes the shield, shoulders, arms and hands) which is protected by the ecranché over the left side of the breastplate. The target area is considered to be the same size, regardless of the size and/or shape of the shield. The shield should be presented in such a way as to offer a suitable target for the oncoming competitor. At the competitor’s discretion, if their opponent’s ecranché moves out of position during the pass, they may strike the area which would normally be covered by the shield and will be awarded points as if the shield was in place. The King of Arms will also have the option to call for a rematch and give one of the competitors the option of an “honour pass”. An honour pass is one in which the competitor who did not properly present their shield is required to ride again without a lance, thereby giving their opponent the opportunity to have a fairly presented target. The honour pass is the prevue of the Lady of Honour and the King of Arms and should not be requested by the competitors. However, if a competitor feels that they were denied a target, then they should call a hold and alert the nearest Scoring Judge who will inform the Lady of Honour and King of Arms, who will then make the decision on how to proceed.

A competitor may call a “mercy pass”, by pulling their lance off-target, if they believe the pass has become unsafe. Although every effort should be made to avoid striking an unprepared rider, once the pass begins there is a possibility that the opponent may not be aware of the problem and make the strike. No points are scored and the pass is re-run.

Unless a safety situation or strong impact occurs which prevents it, competitors must keep ahold of their lances until the pass is complete and they have handed it off to the footmen, otherwise they will score no points for that pass. Competitors should not toss their lances to the ground or to the footman unless a safety reason exists to do so. The competitor must maintain their seat throughout the entire pass or no points will be awarded for that pass.

If a situation arises during the competition which causes a delay in the event (i.e. horse or rider safety issues, armour or equipment failure, etc.) the King of Arms may call the match to give the riders and staff an opportunity to correct it. If the situation cannot be corrected in a timely manner, the King of Arms may consult with the riders and attempt to reschedule the match. If a reasonable attempt is not able to correct the situation, the rider will forfeit their points for the joust.

The competition must run with as little time between matches as possible so please be ready when it is your time to participate.

Scoring:

  1. Each match will consist of 3 passes
  2. The target must first be struck by the coronel to score
  3. The maximum points attainable for each pass are 4
    1. 1 point: for a strike to the target area that does not break the tip
    2. or, 2 points: for a strike to the target area (not including the shield) which breaks the tip
    3. or, 3 points: for a strike to the shield which breaks the tip
    4. 1 point: for breaking more than half the lance tip (as measured by the King of Arms), even when striking the body.
  4. At the discretion of the King of Arms, points may be deducted or riders removed for any of the following:
    1. failing to present a proper target to your opponent
    2. barricading
    3. trotting or walking at the point of impact during a pass
    4. loss of lance control
    5. abusing the horse
    6. poor horsemanship (excessive bit contact, poor seat, etc.)
    7. poor sportsmanship
    8. unchivalrous behavior
    9. any behavior which could adversely affect the public perception of the event, the competitors, the Tournament Producer, the estate owner or the image of the sport of jousting in general
    10. the competitor will be given ample opportunity to correct any problem before points are deducted.
  5. There are no points awarded for unhorsing your opponent
  6. The competitor’s head, below his waist and saddle are off target and no points will be awarded
  7. A direct, strike to a horse will result in immediate disqualification from the tournament
  8. Barricading will not be allowed (defined as missing off target far enough to the left of your opponent that the coronel does not strike any legal target)
    1. The rider will be alerted after the first occurrence.
    2. On the second occurrence, the rider will receive no points for that match.
    3. On the third occurrence, the rider will be disqualified from the competition.
  9. Should there be a tie in the final round the tying competitors will joust in a “sudden death” format…i.e. will continue to joust until one rider has more points

The King of Arms, with consultation from the Lady of Honour and the Scoring Judges, has the final authority for awarding or deducting points for any segment of the competition. The King of Arm’s decision is final.

ENTRY FEE

Entry fees are $125 per competitor to participate in the combined championship events (Joust, Melee a’ Cheval and the Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course) or $50 for the Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course and/or the Melee a’ Cheval (one or the other or both). Entry fees for the Deed of Arms or blossfechten tournament as $25.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMPETITORS AND THEIR GUESTS

Risk:
All participants taking part the Lysts on the Lake do so at their own risk. All participants are required to sign a waiver of liability indemnifying and holding harmless a’Plaisance, Ltd., A&S Inc., Steve and Dawn Hemphill, The Baron’s Men, the competitors, participants, their officers, employees and agents from any and all claims, actions, debts, injuries, liabilities, damages or losses incurred in the lead up to the event and during the event itself, whether arising by contract, tort, or otherwise, out of the training, exercises and/or performance in the Lysts on the Lake.

Code of conduct:
All participants must follow the instructions of any of the tournament officials and abide by their decisions. Riders must make every effort to stay within the confines of the lists and must not knowingly put members of the public, horses or the other tournament participants at risk of injury. Competitors should act professionally at all times mindful that the competitors, ground crew, volunteers, public, sponsors, facility management, staff and spectators are deserving of our respect. On the tournament field or off, any competitor acting in an unsafe manner, one that is detrimental to the running of the tournament, or one that reflects badly on other competitors, staff, the Tournament Producer, the land owner or the event in general, could face elimination from the tournament and removal from the site. No competitor will be allowed to ride if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs which will affect the safety of themselves, their horses or others.

Personal Squires:
All competitors should provide a personal squire to help their competitor and the event staff on the field. Squires must be at least 18 years or older. Personal squires fall under the authority of the Head Footman and King of Arms. If a personal squire’s actions are unsafe or detrimental to the running of the tournament they may be asked to leave the field. Once on-site, squires should report to the Head Footman.

Stable Management:
It is your responsibility to insure your horse is safe, happy and content in his stall with the stall and the area around it kept tidy. Competitors and their squires are solely responsible for insuring their horses are safe, fed, watered and the stall is mucked out regularly. At the end of the event, it is the competitor’s responsibility to make sure that their stalls are clean before leaving the site.

Media and Sponsor Events:
Before or during the tournament there may be a number of events held for the benefit of the media or event sponsors. All competitors may be required to attend these events and act in good faith.

WAIVER AND INFORMED CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN a’PLAISANCE, LTD. EQUESTRIAN ACTIVITIES

NOTICE: Please read this document before accepting. Accepting this document denotes a legal signature and affirms that you have read it and understand it in its entirety.

The Equine Activity Liability laws of the State of Texas , § 87.005 , state among its statutory provisions that “WARNING: UNDER TEXAS LAW (CHAPTER 87, CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE), AN EQUINE PROFESSIONAL IS NOT LIABLE FOR AN INJURY TO OR THE DEATH OF A PARTICIPANT IN EQUINE ACTIVITIES RESULTING FROM THE INHERENT RISKS OF EQUINE ACTIVITIES.”

NOTICE OF INHERENT RISKS: Equines have the propensity to behave in ways that may result in injury, harm or death to persons on or around the equine; have unpredictable reactions to such things as sounds, sudden movement and unfamiliar objects, persons or other animals; are susceptible to certain hazards such as surface or subsurface conditions, collisions with other equines or objects; propensities include kicking, biting, stamping, stumbling, rearing, and others; tack equipment can fail resulting in falling or loss of control; and activities have the potential of a participant to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to injury to the participant or others, such as failing to maintain control over the equine or not acting within the participant’s ability. Equine activities are INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. YOU ASSUME THE RISK FOR INJURY OR DEATH.

a’Plaisance, Ltd. 121 Mike’s Way, Leander, Texas 78641 Tel: 512/260-3740

WAIVER AND INFORMED CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN a’PLAISANCE, LTD. CO. EQUESTRIAN ACTIVITIES

I, the undersigned, having read and understood the content of this document, agree and consent to the provisions contained herein. It is my intention and desire to participate in a’Plaisance, Ltd.’s historical equestrian-related activities including but not limited to, riding or authorization check rides, horse-handling, ground crew, mounted games, combat, jousting, marshaling, or as an observer or other activity related, however slight. I hereby acknowledge that I am fully aware of the nature, purpose and risks of equine activities of a’Plaisance, Ltd. I acknowledge that these activities are potentially dangerous and that I voluntarily accept any of the inherent risks involved. In consideration for my being permitted to take part in these activities, I agree to be bound by the rules of a’Plaisance, Ltd. and to obey the directions of the marshals and other governing officials of activities. In the event of any disagreements or disputes arising from my taking part in these activities, I agree to submit such disagreements or disputes to a board of arbitration appointed by a’Plaisance, Ltd. and abide by any decisions reached by such board. I agree to release, hold harmless, and keep indemnified Steve and Dawn Hemphill, a’Plaisance, Ltd. Co., A&S Inc., The Baron’s Men Inc., the event organizers, agents, officials, servants and representatives from and against all claims, actions, debts, injuries, liabilities, whether arising by contract, tort, or otherwise, in respect to death, injury, loss or damage to my person or property, arising out of or in connection with my taking part in these events, training, exercises and/or performances in a’Plaisance Ltd. events even if the same may have been contributed to or occasioned by the negligence of the said body or any of its agents, servants, or representatives. It is understood and agreed that this agreement is to be binding upon myself, my heirs, executors and assigns.

  1. The undersigned warrants and acknowledges that he/she is in good physical condition, properly trained in equestrian activities and able to perform the events (including but not limited to the Chivalric Equitation Obstacle Course, Melee a’Cheval, Joust, marshaling, ground crew, groomsman, etc.).
  2. The undersigned acknowledges that a’Plaisance, Ltd., is relying on the undersigned’s representation as to his/her physical condition, experience, prior training and ability to perform the competitions at this event.
  3. The undersigned acknowledges that he/she has read this agreement, has consulted with an attorney as to the contents hereof or hereby waives such consultation and has received a copy of this agreement.
  4. a’Plaisance, Ltd., reserves all video and photo rights incurred at the event.
  5. Competitors with no experience in these historical equestrian activities may not participate.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT. I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD THIS RELEASE AND I UNDERSTAND ALL ITS TERMS. I EXECUTE IT VOLUNTARILY AND WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF ITS MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE. I HEREBY ASSUME ALL OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH a’PLAISANCE, LTD. CO..