Unofficial Enthusiast: Jousting

I have a new favorite sport. As far as sports that aren't normal sports are concerned. Basketball will forever fill the Favorite Sport portion of my heart, with football as a close second. But that's not the point. The point is

JOUSTING.

Who knew, in this day and age, that jousting still exists.

Good news.

It does.

And it's flipping classy.

Horses, lances, full out armor. It's legit.

This is what jousting looks like.

I went with most of my family to Estes Park, Colorado last week for the Scottish Irish Festival which they hold every year, and it was awesome. Bagpipes playing every hour of the day, the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke wafting over the fair grounds, the unpredictable weather freezing you one minute and roasting you the next, the general acceptance and encouragement of kilt wearing - it's basically a dream come true. And at this most magical of festivals, I witnessed my first ever live jousting tournament. (Not like I sit around watching it on the TV or the internet at home. But I have seen enough movies about knights to have seen a fair amount jousting.) Flip, guys. It was SO COOL.

Lances were breaking, armor was coming off, people were falling off horses - it was intense. And we all got some sick sort of pleasure out of watching it. I felt a little like a barbarian cheering when someone was unhorsed, and a little classy because I was watching jousting like a flipping princess or something. It was conflicting. But I decided to go with the classy princess option, so I mostly enjoyed it. (Who am I kidding? I enjoyed it the whole time. I just felt a wee bit guilty about enjoying it for a moment or two.)

Look at those lances breaking! This is some sweet crap jousting right here.

So yeah. That's my new thing. Jousting. I am a fan. If you guys ever happen to be in a random place where jousting is happening, you should check it out. (You probably won't be in a random place where jousting is happening unless you're a total nerd and you go to Renaissance fairs or something of that sort.) But I'm serious - it's flipping sweet and super fun to watch. And it makes you feel like a G from King Arthur's court. So it's worth the nerd label you'll be stuck with into the eternities for liking it.

I am an un[OFFICIAL] jousting enthusiast.