2 teams...
80 pounds of steel armor...
11 foot lance...
= One very entertaining show!
I don't know if anyone has seen The History Channel's latest reality show, "Full Metal Jousting," but if you haven't, then you ought to watch at least one episode. These guys aren't using the break-away lances used in theatrical jousting--these are real inch and a half wooden poles. Of course, they throw in a little drama, depicting the cast members getting frusterated with each other, but for the most part, they keep it to the jousting. I guess folks will do anything for $100,000 of prize money....
It is interesting, though, how they preserve several elements of jousting as it was in the middle ages. For example, the show gives one point for a strike to the grand guard, five points for a broken lance, and ten points for an un-horsing (although unlike the middle ages, you can't keep that knight's horse and armor if you un-horse him
). Each joust consists of eight passes (I don't know what number they used in the Middle Ages), and you can call for a "safe pass" in which the jousters call the pass off and do a re-run.
I havn`t heard of this show. Look pretty cool, cause I find medieval Jousting and tournaments fascinating 
