Here is something I forgot about until recently. I can walk on hot coals.
That's a fairly random way to start a blog post, don't you think? But we'll get round to that.
Well, I'm worn out this month after the excitement of Battle of the Nations in Prague, followed closely by IMCF in Montemor-o-Velho.
I was really impressed with the quality of the women's fighting at both BotN and IMCF, and I must admit to having a small twinge of regret at not just giving into the selfish part of me and going over to fight. (You will recall my decision to stay behind this year and build up a women's buhurt team to compete with at Red Lion, thus creating a seasoned team for World Champs 2017). But it was only a small twinge.
I can appreciate how much it must have taken for Team Quebec to best the Polish 2015 Champs. Well done, ladies!
The highlight for me was actually (as lame as it may seem) the men's polearm final at IMCF. It seems that Pawel Kurzak and Jose Martinez Amoedo came back for a rematch. Just without the shiner. Last year, that was the most inspiring and breathtaking fight, for me, and this year was the same.
And of course, I was incredibly pleased when my friend Laurent Bemtgen took bronze. I happen to know that polearm is his favourite weapon, and I also happen to know how hard that dude can shield punch.
I love watching such a high level of skill and sportsmanship. Well done to you all. You inspire and fascinate me, and I have been motivated by you to improve my polearm skills for next year.
Another aspect of combat which I really enjoyed was the female duels and profights. I hope I don't fangirl too hard here, but Galina Kokhvakko really is amazing. The BotN final was incredible. I think the Gods tipped more than the usual amount of "good things dust" onto her head when she was made. I hope to fight her one day and see just how much "good things dust" the Gods gave me.
Training for me has been sporadic of late. This weekend, I found myself cleaning stables twice a day and keeping my horse company half the time. She injured her leg and the vet said to keep her inside for a couple of weeks. She's going crazy, and I'm not really mad about all the horse shit and the wet shavings. My horses usually live out, and this is the first time I've actually used the stables since we moved in four years ago.
Some good and bad news: it looks like flights have come down a little, so it won't cost an arm and a leg AND two teeth to get to Luxembourg and the Red Lion Challenge. I hope someone there will have a shield or surcoat for swaps. Yes, we are still heading in that direction, preparing for profight and buhurt, although I'm sad to say that because of a tremendous lack of support from pretty much everyone, we won't all be able to afford to go. We couldn't raise the funds by ourselves, so it looks like only two or three of us will make it.
But you know what we always say: fuck 'em all. We're fighters. We'll make it happen. The Rogues may be overlooked and underfunded, but we are still going strong, and we'll only get better and stronger with time.
What doesn't kill us... should run.
That's a fairly random way to start a blog post, don't you think? But we'll get round to that.
Well, I'm worn out this month after the excitement of Battle of the Nations in Prague, followed closely by IMCF in Montemor-o-Velho.
I was really impressed with the quality of the women's fighting at both BotN and IMCF, and I must admit to having a small twinge of regret at not just giving into the selfish part of me and going over to fight. (You will recall my decision to stay behind this year and build up a women's buhurt team to compete with at Red Lion, thus creating a seasoned team for World Champs 2017). But it was only a small twinge.
I can appreciate how much it must have taken for Team Quebec to best the Polish 2015 Champs. Well done, ladies!
The highlight for me was actually (as lame as it may seem) the men's polearm final at IMCF. It seems that Pawel Kurzak and Jose Martinez Amoedo came back for a rematch. Just without the shiner. Last year, that was the most inspiring and breathtaking fight, for me, and this year was the same.
And of course, I was incredibly pleased when my friend Laurent Bemtgen took bronze. I happen to know that polearm is his favourite weapon, and I also happen to know how hard that dude can shield punch.
I love watching such a high level of skill and sportsmanship. Well done to you all. You inspire and fascinate me, and I have been motivated by you to improve my polearm skills for next year.
Another aspect of combat which I really enjoyed was the female duels and profights. I hope I don't fangirl too hard here, but Galina Kokhvakko really is amazing. The BotN final was incredible. I think the Gods tipped more than the usual amount of "good things dust" onto her head when she was made. I hope to fight her one day and see just how much "good things dust" the Gods gave me.
Training for me has been sporadic of late. This weekend, I found myself cleaning stables twice a day and keeping my horse company half the time. She injured her leg and the vet said to keep her inside for a couple of weeks. She's going crazy, and I'm not really mad about all the horse shit and the wet shavings. My horses usually live out, and this is the first time I've actually used the stables since we moved in four years ago.
Some good and bad news: it looks like flights have come down a little, so it won't cost an arm and a leg AND two teeth to get to Luxembourg and the Red Lion Challenge. I hope someone there will have a shield or surcoat for swaps. Yes, we are still heading in that direction, preparing for profight and buhurt, although I'm sad to say that because of a tremendous lack of support from pretty much everyone, we won't all be able to afford to go. We couldn't raise the funds by ourselves, so it looks like only two or three of us will make it.
But you know what we always say: fuck 'em all. We're fighters. We'll make it happen. The Rogues may be overlooked and underfunded, but we are still going strong, and we'll only get better and stronger with time.
What doesn't kill us... should run.
