A passion for horses, shiny armor and a step back in time, the medieval sport of jousting was one of the main entertainment acts at Ironfest on the weekend.
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Riders wielding lances with blunted tips took to the Lithgow Showground for the annual jousting tournament on Sunday, April 28.
Competitors and horse enthusiasts Tony Hodgers and Elizabeth Jennings returned for another year from Calvert, Queensland to participate in the iconic festival with their Walers Gunner and Cash.
Hodgers said he had been jousting for six years while Jennings only had two up her sleeve after taking 18 months off to recover from an injury.
The couple said they have had horses all their life, so jousting was another equestrian sport to take up.
"I've been involved in a lot of equestrian sports so I saw jousting as another option and decided to give it a go. I think it is a sport that has desire, dedication and discipline," Hodgers said.
Hodgers said he worked as a full time pasture agronomist and Jennings was a parish secretary and equine therapist.
Together the two have a passion for horses and jousting.
"We have a number of horses in training including Gunner and Cash who are our main superstars at Ironfest with this being Gunner's third year at the festival and Cash's first," he said.
Hodges said he loved the chivalry of jousting and the respect competitors had for one another.
"You have in your head that you're going to go in there and win but at the same time you're also respecting your opponent.
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"It's crazy because you go out there and beat each other but then be the best of mates outside of it," he said.
Jennings said she loved jousting because she had always been a bit of a daredevil and she also enjoyed the mental challenge.
"I love the entertainment side but it's also a mental sport and to overcome fears like being claustrophobic in the armor we wear and be able to focus.
"There is always a risk in any contact sport, you have to tell yourself in jousting that it is okay to hit your opponent, but there is still that respect of the other person," she said.
Jennings also said jousting required a lot of training but if you were already a horse rider it became second nature.
"There are good days and bad days but the more effort you put in the better off you are," she said.
The couple said they loved coming to Ironfest where they could put on a show and entertain the crowds.
"I absolutely love the entertainment and to see the smiles on kids faces, it's worth it," Hodgers said.
"Ironfest is such a cool event, there is so much diversity and we love that everyone's invited to express themselves in their own unique way," Jennings said.
Hodgers and Jennings will be heading to France in May for a jousting tournament at two 15th century castles but said they looked forward to coming back to Ironfest in 2020.
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