YORKTON - The world of sport is a highly diverse one.
So it was a total surprise when I happened upon a social media post that Medieval Combat Canada was holding a qualifying event in Calgary in mid-March as part of a process to determine who will represent this country at the upcoming International Medieval Combat Federation (IMCF) World Championships.
If there is a team Canada it was likely a pretty serious affair, but admittedly I had no idea what exactly was entailed in medieval combat as a sport.
“It’s a full contact sport,” explained competitor Wade Ames from Alberta, adding many don’t realize that. “I’ll talk to people and tell them what we do and they says ‘that’s not real’.”
But Ames assures that is very real.
“We are hitting each other as hard as we want,” he said, adding that makes proper gear essential. If someone is going to hit you in the head with an axe weighing 3.5 pounds your helmet needs to be properly constructed and properly padded.
Even with proper armour Ames said he has suffered many bruises, and while broken bones are not usual they certainly happen.
The intensity can be a barrier for the sport.
“We do scare a lot of people,” said Ames.
But, with proper gear it is generally safe enough, although gear cost is a factor too.
A starter kit of armour, gauntlets, helm and sword and shield will start at around $2,700 and grows from there.
Ames said one competitor headed to Europe for a custom-fitted kit from a blacksmith and spent about $14,000.
There are certain elements of a kit.
“You do not cheap out on helmet and gauntlets,” said Ames, adding you want your brain safe and your hands too to work the next day.
Ames actually contacted a blacksmith in Ukraine back around 2018 for a helmet in the style of King Philip (the Good) from 1475. The quoted price was $1,900 CDN. Ames said yes.
Then the Russians invaded Ukraine and Ames received an emailed photo of the blacksmith’s forge destroyed by a Russian mortar, his helm buried under the rubble. But, months later the blacksmith back from Poland rescued the helm and sent it to Canada.
“I tell people it’s bomb proof as a joke,” he said, adding it shows how well-made helms are. “. . . It will outlast me.”
Ultimately, Ames though has found the sport to his liking having now been involved for over a decade.
It all started when he and his brother attended a medieval faire in Brooks, Alta.
“We thought we’d eat some turkey legs and watch some jousting,” he said.
But combat was taking place and after it was over a combatant announced if anyone was interested they were starting a club in Calgary.
“We said let’s do this – it’s one of the coolest things ever,” said Ames.
Back more than a decade, the sport was in its infancy in Canada. Ames said he recalls three clubs back then. Today there are “about 15,” and participants are found basically coast-to-coast.
“We’re definitely, as a country, getting bigger,” he said.
That said by comparison there are some 250 clubs in the United States, and most countries in Europe have groups too.
The countries come together under the umbrella of the IMCF, (www.imcfederation.net).
The IMCF “is a global historical full contact sport fighting revival movement, in which combatants use historically accurate reproduction medieval and early modern armour and blunted weapons to engage in competitive fights according to authentic historical tournament rules,” detailed Wikipedia.
“Founded in 2013, the organization now attracts hundreds of fighters from 26 countries at various fighting competitions around the world. . . Fighting is exclusively on foot, and strict rules are enforced to ensure the safety of competitors and fairness in the competition. The fighting can be between individuals or teams of up to 16 fighters per side.”
Ames said the sport is rather diverse ranging from sword and shield, to pole-arm battles, to group battles of various scales.
Once for demonstration it was 150 fights per side.
“It was absolutely insane. It was just a sea of people. It was just pretty darned cool,” enthused Ames.
On the international combat scene Canada is just starting to garner notice. Ames who has competed for Canada at three world events said the country’s first medal was a bronze in 2022 in Spain, an event that included much hollering and the hoisting of the winner Lucas Mendes on team shoulders.
At the most recent event in Mexico Canada won five medals including Ames winning the country’s first silver in pole-arm.
Now they look to the 2025 championships to be held in Houston in August.
“We’re excited for Houston and hoping to get that first gold,” said Ames.
