New-York tribune., 1907-08-11
4 MODERN TOURNAMENT.
To Be Seen Occasionally an old
Virginia

Readers of the waverley novels find in IVAN
hoe" Sir Walter Scott's best description Of tha
tournament as it was held in the olden days
when knights broke lances for the winning of
women's smiles for the mere pleasure OF the
pastirne- fitting in the days when Knight
hood was in flower was the popular sport of
the time.
From this sport of steelclad knights has grad
uaIIy evolved the modern tournament-the tour
nament of to-day-which. while tame in COM
parison with that of Olden times. still has
enough of a flavor of rornanticism 20 lend It
charm. The idea Is preserved also-that
of winning glory for some fair maiden. The
tournament Of to-day is popular only in South
ern states. and there its popularity is on
the wane Fifty years ago It was a usual form
OF amusement. Now it is seldom seen except
in portions of the State Of Virginia
Each modern knight rides for 'some maiden
fair end seeks to crown her Queen Of Love and
Beauty" The modern tournament is held IN
en- open field. where there is q level course at
least two hundred yards in length. Three
wooden arches are erected in line at intervals of
fifty yards. From the centre OF each arch a
stout steel wire is suspended, curved at the
bottom that a ring may be held loosely in
place. The rings thus suspended made of
steel and are about two inches in diameter
The object of the sport is for each knight to
get as many OF these rings as he can on his
lance as he dashes through the arches in full
career The winner is the knight who secures
the greatest number OF rings. The 1ances are
made OF wood and generally twelve to four
teen feet in length. capped with steel points
The winner Of the tournament has the privi-
lego of crowning the queen Of Love and
Beauty" The three next successful contestants
crown the first, second and third maids Of honor.
The queen and the maids of honor constitute the
royal set
When a tournament is arranged each knight
gets the permission of fair maid to bear
her colors and ride for her. Oftentimes there are
as many as a half dozen knights riding for the
same girl. This naturally adds zest TO the con-
test The day preceding the tournament each
knight has his lady fair" rosettes of her
oolors on his bride as an emblem of good luck.
The day of the tournament the knights. gayly
dressed and with pluuled hats. assemble early
on the tournament field. There they form line
-Charge to the knights" delivered by some
sneaker selected for the occasion
After that forming IN column and headed py
+be marshal OF the field, they canter down to the
ris,s The first knight takes position in front
and about fifty yards from the line OF arches
Charge Sir Knight" rings out from the mar
shal.
with crouched lance he spurs down the field
end through the arches, taking or missing the
rsros according TO his skill Then follows the
nert knight on the list, and so on until all nave
-,sdan zach knight rides through the lists three
times making total Of nine rings possible ior
him TO take.
.,aI announces the winner and the next tnres
-..a..f,l contestants. Then the knights form
a. 1,ne again and canter TO raised PLATFORM.
80 Tho winner dismounts and crowns the maid
- ~, choice Queen of Love and Beauty by
placing q wreath OF flowers on her brow.