Events
One of our main activities is putting on displays at events of our various skills to the public at events around the lower North Island that we can either organise ourselves or appear at as part of somebody else's event.
Our main display offering is our 14th Century jousting display. But we can also offer displays across a wide range of other historical periods as well - including New Zealand Mounted Rifles and 16th Century Border Reivers.
Most of our displays are for one day events and our costs reflect this. We can cover a two day event especially for larger events, but we find that the work load over a two day event makes it difficult for the horses to perform at their best.
14th Century Jousting Display
This is our main display offering. Our standard 14th Century jousting display is as a 2-rider team with supporting foot crew.
Base Daily Cost (2 riders, 1 skill-at-arms display, 1 jousting display and public interaction) - $3,000 +GST *.
Per extra horse and rider - $1,500 +GST*.
Given enough lead time (and funding) we can also put on jousting tournaments with 4 - 8 local and international riders supported by dozens of foot combatants and extras subject to horse availability and funding.
Ideal for: Medieval/LARP themed events, A&P Shows and Equestrian Events.
19th - 20th Century New Zealand Mounted Rifles Display
Our basic display offering is for a pair of riders in costume who can parade and interact with the public.
Base Daily Cost (2 riders, ride around in costume and public interaction) - $2,000 + GST *
Per extra horse and rider - $1,000 +GST*.
We can also use blank firing firearms in this display (for an extra cost) and we have the appropriate Endorsement from the New Zealand Firearms Authority to do this.
Given enough lead time, we can put on a demonstration of a 4 Rider Section Battle Drills with blan firing weapons in either the Boer War or First World War periods.
Ideal for: Commemorations, NZ History displays, A&P Shows and Equestrian Events.
16th - 17th Century Scottish Border Reivers Display
Our basic display offering is for a pair of riders in costume who can parade and interact with the public.
Base Daily Cost (2 riders, ride around in costume and public interaction) - $2,000 +GST *
Per extra horse and rider - $1,000 +GST*.
Given enough lead time, we can appear as a 2 to 4 rider team where again we can just ride round in costume or put on a demonstration of mounted skills including archery from horseback which was a common Border Reiver practice. We can also use black powder firearms in this display (for an extra cost) and we have the appropriate Endorsement from the New Zealand Firearms Authority to do this.
These three periods give our team a wide range of skills that can also be applied to other historical periods. While we don't have the costumes or equipment for these other periods, we can do them if suitable and safe clothing and equipment is provided.
Ideal for: Highland Games, Scottish themed events, A&P Shows and Equestrian Events.
We have also appeared as extras for film projects and at Fantasy/LARP events for example.
(* Display Fee does not include Horse, Personnel and Equipment Transport costs futher than 50 km from our home base. Additional transport costs will apply based on the additional distance travelled to and from beyond this point.)
For Event Organisers
We've been doing public and private displays for over 25 years. These include the highly successful Harcourt Park World Invitational Jousting Tournaments in Upper Hutt from 2003 to 2015 which in their later years attracted 10,000 spectators and much international media attention. This event was entirely organised by our own members.
In more recent years we haven't run events on this scale simply because of lack of access to enough horses as well as the increasing difficulty for amateur event organisers like ourselves to organise an event from scratch.
Safely is our main concern but the risk of injury is always there despite our best efforts to minimise the chance of a severe injury. Correct armour, regular training and risk management practices developed from on-going experience go a long way to managing the risk to an acceptable level. In over 25 years of jousting and other displays, we have never had a horse injured in any way or a rider seriously injured. We have also never had an incident with any members of the public.
We provide our own Public Liability Insurance, Risk Management Plan and we also have the appropriate Endorsement from the New Zealand Firearms Authority to allow us to do displays involving firearms, including firing blank cartridges.
We are a non-profit organisation in that none of our members get paid wages or salaries for their time and efforts but either organising or taking part in displays and events does come with unavoidable costs - horse and personnel transport, repair and maintenance of costume and equipment, display consumables such as lances, etc. So we charge a display fee for our services. The level of display fee depends on the size and scale of the display.
Although we have done displays as far north as Auckland and as far south as Christchurch, we generally do not do displays outside of the lower North Island as the logistics involved makes this very diificult and expensive. Plus all of us have jobs or businesses to run so reimbursing members for lost wages or salary imposes another cost.
To discuss your event and the costs of our involvement please contact Callum.