FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q?
How long/heavy are the lances and what are they made of?
A:
Our lances are handmade of pine with an 8 foot body and a 3 foot scored tip. This makes them "semi-solid" lances. There is a metal collar holding the two pieces together, making it easy to change out the tips on the field. Our lances average 8-9 pounds each.
Q?
Is the armour hot?
A:
This is the most asked question at events! Yes, the armour is hot to wear.
Q?
What does the armour weight?
A:
A full suit of armour can weight more than 45 kilograms or 100 pounds.
Q?
How old are the horses?
A:
There is a wide age range, typically a horse won't be started in jousting until they are 5 years old. Many are competitive into their early 20's. Their careers often are longer than their riders. When a STALC horse retires they live out their days on the farm, possibly telling the younger horses that things were a lot different in their day...
For more information on our horses, check out the Meet our Horses page
Q?
What does the armour cost?
A:
Depends on the suit. A good used historically accurate suit will go for $8'000. A new custom suit of reasonable quality is $10'000 and up.
Q?
Where do you get your armour?
A:
From a reputable armourer! There are currently more armourers making a living making historical armour than there has been since the 1800s. But be prepared to wait. They often have a 2 year wait list!
STALC is lucky to have an armourer in training to do basic construction and repair.
Q?
How long does it take to learn to joust?
A:
An accomplished rider with a background in mounted Skill at Arms could pick up the basics in a weekend. The main hurdle being getting used to riding in a full suit of armour.
A person new to riding will likely take at least a couple years of weekly practice.