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Show But he enjoyed the fighting lesson and wants to learn more. Oliver Jones helped out with the lesson, but said his main event is jousting. "I got involved with the faire three years ago, when they put out a call for anyone with a horse to try jousting," said the Bountiful man. "I love it." Jousting games, which are held twice daily if the weather's good, include using a lance gather small rings and throwing a boar spear at a target from the back of a moving horse. Jousters also use an 11-foot lance to hit a shield and make it spin. "We are doing what's called games of skill," Jones said, explaining that squires practiced these skills in order to become knights. In the future, maybe a soon as next year, Bodily hopes there will be enough jousters skilled in the games to move up to full combat on horseback. "Jousting games is very much like barrel racing with spears," she said. "How cool is that?" For those who prefer visual and performing arts, the festival features musical entertainment and dancers. There are also vendors selling everything from Steampunk metal dragons to wood carvings. Ken Alvey, of West Jordan, sold a variety of walking sticks with wolves, owls and even dragons carved at the top. His larger items included a bench featuring the heads of an Irish king and his wife, a large court jester, and a sculpture of a skeleton pouring a drink. Megann Ashby, of Clearfield, is using metal jump rings to make and sell chain mail at the faire. "I can weave at about six rings a minute, so a full shirt will take me between 50 and 100 hours," she said. "It ends up being about 25,000 rings for an average shirt." Her most popular pieces are bracelets and chain mail ties. "I have always loved BRIAN NICHOLSON/Spe. Steve Robinson performs as a minstrel named Lord Albion during the Utah Renaissance Festival and Fantasy Faire. Thomas Durham and Michael Elledge, dressed as warriors, chat during the Utah Renaissance Festival and Fantasy Faire on Saturday. metal, ever since I was very, very small," Ashby said, adding that as early as age 4 she told people she wanted to be a blacksmith. Festival-goers can also enjoy a variety of foods, and even experience what it's like to be put in stocks. "We.invite anybody who wants to check it out tomorrow to do so," Bodily said Saturday. Contact reporter Becky Wright at 801-625-4274 or bwright@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter at @Re- porterBWright. |
