Posted on 07/20/2016 6:21:27 PM PDT by NRx
There is far more to it than two armoured horse riders hurtling towards each other with 12ft lances. Jousting demands levels of athleticism, agility and equestrianism that make it an ideal candidate for the Olympics, English Heritage argues.
The organisation has launched a campaign to get jousting recognised as an Olympic sport in time for Tokyo 2020.
“We are being deadly serious,” said Lucy Hutchings, English Heritage’s head of projects. “It is an incredible spectator sport, a really fascinating thing to watch. The skill of the knight and the horses make it a great thing to witness … we absolutely believe it deserves its place at the Olympic table.”
English Heritage has held preliminary talks with the International Olympic Committee and the Fédération Equestre Internationale, and on Thursday it launches an online petition.
Hutchings said the IOC was in the process of making the Olympic programme more flexible and bringing in a rule that allowed the host nation to make its own proposals for additional events.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Jousting or women’s volleyball?
Jousting is the state sport of Maryland......Come, come. “Jostling” doesn’t make it.
That would be incredibly awesome. But they should bring back some of the other discontinued sports, too:
Tug-of-War 1900, 1904, 1906, 1908, 1912, 1920
Rope Climb 1896, 1904, 1906, 1924, 1932
Tumbling 1932 (only played once!)
Swimming Obstacle race 1900
One Hand Weightlifting 1896, 1904, 1906
Dueling Pistol 1906
17-Man Naval Rowing Boats 1906
Motor Boating 1908
Art Competitions 1912-1948
I thought it was oldsmobile bridge diving.
Good post, I had no idea those had all been played
For real, it is. We laughed about it when we moved to Maryland a few years ago and after research, sure enough.
I’ve never seen nor heard of a jousting match though
“I thought it was oldsmobile bridge diving.”
No, that’s a Massachusetts thing.
Women’s Volleyball!
(Sorry Jousters...you only have a...er...jousting rod!)
It is, but it’s only targeting rings. Not men.
Used to be pretty well known. Check out Warren Beatty’s first movie. It’s a hoot.
But while I appreciate it, as all horse things, I honestly think duckpin bowling should be the state sport. Even if likewise, we have few remaining lanes anymore.
While it may be called "jousting", it is actually "tilting", this targeting of rings with a lance from a running horse. It was used, back in the day, as a form of practice for the actual "jousting" which by definition, was against an equally armed, and more importantly, equally mobile, target...
the infowarrior
I agree. I'm surprised they still have the standard equestrian competitions.
If 3-day and jumping huge fences are allowable, which really ARE dependent on the horse himself and is much more the object of the sport, then I think they could allow jousting. Much more dangerous for the humans, who are the object of the sport.
They will never allow this because of the humans. Tilting they would, not really dangerous at all and akin to archery competition.
Makes more sense than Golf.
Those are good points. However, with the Olympics’ having boxing, wrestling, and hockey, I’m not sure about the concern for humans. Maybe potential tv viewership is the only criterion.
None of those sports has the potential impact from a single hit that a lance does! I speak from a scientific standpoint as well as just a spectator.
They have fencing but it is ninny. They’re in full armor and have to stop every time a strike is made. Kind of hard to stop the horse and pull back, and I don’t know how useful a flexible lance would be.
Golf is a game, not a sport.
It would be fun, though.
I’d actually watch the summer games if they had jousting.
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