[Artemisia] Equestrian Champions

[Willa - Rose]

Greetings All,

At Raptor War two equestrian tournaments took place. Below is a
description of one and its winner. As last year's winner, I designed and
ran this course with the much appreciated help of:
Gentle Tara
Gentle Dash
Gentle Merick
Gentle Valdimar
Gentle Dominique 
For you, I say a special thank you. 

I also thank those who participated and equally those who came to watch.
We love to show off our beautiful steeds and truly appreciate an audience
in which to do so.

Saturday's Raptor War Equestrian Quest: 
This year's theme was Boar Hunting. Each equestrienne entered a challenge
course taking her to a mob of boars all equally scary to her hunting
mount. A 3-minute egg-timer, in the shape of an hour glass, was used to
determine the maximum amount of time allotted to accomplish the tasks in
the challenge course. When the sands ran out, 1 of our porters did yell
out "time". The course began from a Halt box. From here each equestrienne
advanced into the hunting grounds, jumped over the first element (a 12"
brush jump), whacked down the reeds before picking up the first javelin
(extra points were given for re-sheathing their sword). The javelin would
be picked out of a bale of hay and thrown into one across the field upon
the approach. this done twice, the huntress would halt in the box and
receive from the porter a true pig-sticking lance for the final sticking
of the boar, however, those boars (pigs) are crafty bas&%^@s forcing each
huntress to weave trees before coming upon an open where they would
finally become easy targets. Three tries were given.  After all
huntresses had their turn they gathered in line for a chance to fire off
their arrows from atop their mounts.

The riding was great.  Courageous huntresses jumped for their first time
and cautious horses performed bravely with their first squealing pig
hovering over their heads. The mounted archery displayed good
horsemanship and great targeting skills.

The winner, having collected the most points overall, is the good gentle
Teleri ferch Llud riding Autumn, an Appaloosa mare who was honored with
the title of Crankiest Mare with the Most Endurance. Teleri receives a
piece of regalia for her horse to wear. It is a collar to hang from the
neck under the throat with symbols attached by former winners of the
Raptor War Equestrian Quest. 

Honorable mentions also go to:

Lady Freydis the Good on William with the Best Jump & Canter through the
Archery list.

Lady Auraelia de Medici on Gaelin the Gladheart with the Most Beautiful
Lancework & Natural Horse Archery.

Gentle Daleene with the Most Determined ... riding Fanny, a sometimes
disagreeable Appaloosa mare.

Gentle Dominique as the Best Student of the Day also riding Gaelin the
Gladheart.

Lady Adele from Castelleone Nuovo at her first challenge as the Most
Courageous riding Dillon... a very boingggy ride.

That is all,
Mu'allemah Yaasamiin

Mu'allemah Yaasamiin al-Raqqasa al-'Ala'iyiyya OL, OP, Cd'O, etc. 
"The Equestrian Mistress"
Minister of the Royal Stables of Artemisia 
Mounted Companion of the Lance of St. Anne 
http://lanceofstanne.homestead.com/yasmeena.html