Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-08-29
1INSTER SCENE OF BIBLE GLASS CONFERENCE
Heirs Of Chivalry Give
Romance to Journeys

THE knights" use specially trained
riding horses which have been
taught to 60 through the arches that
support the rings at an even pace.
without much guidance. permitting
the knights" to concentrate on spear
ing the rings.
In the heyday Of the tournaments
every knight" had his own horse.
The tournament season" was ar
ranged 30 he could visit the various
places where jousting was to be held
In q single tour" It was common to
see q knight" riding along the road
with his spear and saddlebags,
journeying from one tourney to
another.
Now, instead Of being ridden from
their home farms to the tournament
grounds, the horses are carried in
trucks. Few knights" have their
own horses, the majority using Dor
rowed mounts. Three or four take
turns riding Q single horse-which is
pretty hard on the horse.
While automobiles, masters Of the
modern highways, are parked on the
sidelines, all eyes turn to the group
Of horsemen. The grand marshal,
respondent In . broad, brightly col
ored sash, and perhaps other trap
pings, calls on the first knight" to
prepare to ride.
AS the crowd holds its breath he
commands:
Charge, sir knight"
At first the knights spear 1-inch
rings. Those who make perfect scores
then have to try to catch 1a-inch
rings on the ends Of their lances. The
winner is chosen by the elimination
process.
A small clique Of professional riders
shares honors at nearly all Journeys.
Although they undoubtedly have nat
ural skill, they achieved their records
only after hours OF practice.
This group includes Warren Nc
Conkey, who started winning tourna-
ments when he was about IL years
old; William and John McConkey.
members Of the same family; Lucian
Love, j. p. Love, r. A. Hungerford,
Hal B. Clagett, Brooke Kirby and
Edward Gibbons.
A THOUGH q tourney without
= horses is, in the minds Of odd
timers" like crackers without cheese,
the Mclean Volunteer Fire Depart
ment pioneered an automobile tour
ney in which the knights" rode on
the side of cars. The novelty was a
success.
For the most part, present-day
Journeys are sponsored by churches,
schools and fire departments. which
find them profitable means of reve-
nue. raising. One of the largest tour
neys in this area is the one staged
annually at Marshall Hall for the last
So years.
In contrast to the hundreds who
now turn out in automobiles for an
afternoon Of entertainment by riders
attired in conventional garb, the
grandfathers of 1886 say they can
remember when thousands iocked to
a tournament in buggies and wagons
for an all-day outing and every
knight" wore silk and plumed cos
tunes.
For them m of the grandeur Is
gone. But e, me grandeur they
cherish in mer must seem tame
to the glamour that surrounded the
knights in shining armor of medieval
times.
The shade Of Ivanhoe might we'll
regard ring-Spearing as childs play.
But there would be satisfaction in
knowing the finest ideals of chivalry
still aroused the masses.
On the farms there is a widespread
feeling that something worth while
will be lost if the last traces Of the
ancient Journeys disappear. Many
hope they will increase, rather than
diminish, in popularity as the years
march nm