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Jousting is a medieval sport played by armoured and horse mounted combatants. Each jouster displays their skill with different weapons. Knights fought against each other for the chance to win a token or prize money. In the medieval period, jousting tournaments were arranged to enable knights to practice their fighting skills in mock battles.

Nowadays, jousting is played in in a roped-off enclosure called a jousting field or arena and you can even have a go yourself with various jousting experiences and medieval castle festivals available. In medieval times some castles and palaces had purpose-built tiltyards as a venue for jousting tournaments and horses were especially breed and trained for jousting. Two types of horses were used:

Chargers: Warm blooded medium weight horses trained for agility and stamina.
Destriers: Cold blooded and very heavy.

The armour includes a solid heavy helmet and protective shields. In the past, the use of the armour depended on the financial status of the knight, since it provides maximum protection to the jouster. It has a built-in shield to protect the jouster from the lance. The helmet had an eye slit so that the knight could lean forward to see but straighten to protect their eyes from damaging impacts.

The jousting weapons used in the medieval age were the Lance, which is a long spear like weapon made of wood, tipped with blunted metal prongs to catch the shield and unhorse the opponent, a Dagger called a roundel, a sword, a mace, and spikes called gadlings.

Jousting rules:
1: Only knights may ride in jostle.
2: The rider must have their own horse and equipment.
3: At the signal, the opponents ride at each other, carrying only a lance and a shield, along the right hand side of the driving bar.
4: Three lances are used in each jousting match. Once the three lances have shattered, the jousting match is over. The battle then usually continues on foot by using swords and/or daggers.
5: One point is awarded for breaking the lance on opponent’s chest.
6: Two points for breaking lance on opponent’s helmet.
7: Three points for knocking the opponent off from their horse.
8: An “unhorsing” ends the match.
9: If your lance does not break, it counts as a glancing blow and no points are awarded for it, unless your opponent is unhorsed in that charge.
10: If a knight falls, they can only be helped by their own squire. Similarly, if the lance breaks it may only be handed to the knight by his squire.
11: In the event of an unhorsing, the winner may choose to either take his opponent’s horse and armour (to use, or sell, as the winning knight sees fit), hold the opponent for ransom, both of the above, or neither.

Today jousting historic recreations are organised by the International Jousting Association, which has strict guidelines for the quality and authenticity of jousters’ armour and equipment and it has developed the use of breakable lance tips for safety.