thegirlsclub

robyn

Heyya Girls,

I was surprised this year, as I came over to pennsic after three years.

Three years ago I remember about 60 women, saw and fought some whitebelts, got the iron rose token etc. - it was a blast, pickups before and after and meeting each other.

I cant complain, I met Dziuginte and saw her fight, which was a blast.

I saw 3-4 really good female fighters.

But the whole tourney was only 16 girls.

I understand that the timing was bad. There was 3 other tourneys going on the same time.

But it still leaves a kind of disappointnent in my mouth. I was the first time in armour (we had to make new armour since half of mine did not arrive at pennsic)after almost 2 years, without any training whatever. I expected folks to beat me up, not to be in the top third crowd there.

I also heared that the tourne wasnt held the last like 2 years.

What happenend in those three years to get from the blast of a tourney where you could meet the creme of female fighting to that event we had at pennsic?

what is up with the iron rose?

As I said there were a few women, well known chicks and they of course made the finals and tourney.

but it was obvious.

what happened?

Rob
_________________
I'm just a person trapped inside a woman's body.
-Elayne Boosler-

Cunian · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:58 am Post subject:

Opposite the novice tourney is a really bad thing for Ironrose. Also I think a lot of people just don't feel they need it/want it anymore. I run hot and cold at random on women's tourneys, and I ran cold this year. (Also my shoulder is f***ed up and I was doing pretty minimal fighting this year.) The tourney list was hard to find in the booklet this year, and there were no descriptions at all. I think a bunch of stuff collided to be bad on it this year. I watched some of the finals and was pretty surprised too.

Ceanag · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:07 pm Post subject:

I really wanted to be there, but we were supposed to have in-camp armor inspection that day, and I didn't have much time to make it up after that finished. Plus, I'm so newly authorized I've never fought in a tourney, and I'm not really sure that I am ready.

Next year, though.....Next year!

Dorothea · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:03 am Post subject:

I'm divided on what I think of the whole concept of women only tourneys. If women in general want to be seen as "fighters" and not "female fighters" I don't see any benefits of a tourney like that. By attending the tourney, I feel I would classify myself as a female fighter, not as a generic whateversex fighter, if you know what I mean.

On the other hand, I keep comparing it to other "special" tourneys such as over 50's, giant vs dwarfs, my dad can beat up your dad, etc. and as such, it's just another tourney and another opportunity to fight.

So, I was "sort-of" happy to have an "excuse" not to attend: missing armor inspection... (uhuuu, as superficial as it sounds) but I went there and watched it to get an idea of what it was like.

And I stayed confused to my own feelings towards it: I am still not convinced about the concept. In addition to this, the general view of the tourney when I have been asked around is that it also is a sort-of beginners tourney. (True or not)

As I don't classify myself either as a "female fighter" or a "beginner", I am not sure I will be comfortable in it. Or rather, I feel the pressure, a humongous amount of pressure (since I don't think of myself as a female fighter or a beginner) that I should win, or at least do extremely well in the tourney.

And pressure is what I need the least right now.

Over and out
_________________
Dorothea Weberin, KSCA
Dun in Mara, Insulae Draconis, Drachenwald

Isabella E · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:29 pm Post subject:

I see them as a fun place to meet other female fighters, just like a cadet or squire only tourney or whatever. There's only one or two that happen, period, throughout the year and I've met some really cool ladies by fighting in them.
_________________
It's not the most powerful animal that survives. It's the most efficient. -Georges St-Pierre
http://windyvalleybanners.blogspot.com/

robyn · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:59 pm Post subject:

Hello Dorothea,

you are right and not.

I saw it as a good chance to see a lot of small and female fighters.

Sometimes, if it comes to fighting the female body acts different. that is very small details but if you want to get good you have to also know that (our physique is different if it comes to very detailed fighting work and it is good to pay attention to that also)

the tourney is a place like this forum: to meet other women that do that.

I do not really care if my OPPONENT is a woman or not. I learn from a lot of guys and they taught me good stuff.

but I relly enjoy fighting good women too, and I fight them and ask them after to tell me some to learn. there are a few things that the guys just cannot teach me.

I was gunning for a few girls to just meet them (sadly didnt) and some to fight them.

fortunately I found Ianka (the woman everyone told me about) on the pickup fields. Us being female and being almost same size - that is what I gunned for at first place. I almost never have an opponent thats just 2 fingers taller than me and giggles like me on the field.

I am sorry I missed the dwarves vs. giants. there might have been a lot of folks to learn from in my situation Wink

If I was 6 foot two and weighed over 150 ponds I would maybe not care about those things.

there were also tourneys I wanted to fight but couldnt because of the armour: the combat of the 30 and the plate and mail.

Both have different rulesets on killing blows and totally different tactics on killing thereof.

I really like specialized tourneys because they let you concentrate on something else than just the normal hit-and-kill.

My expectations on the iron rose might have been to high though Wink

Robyn
_________________
I'm just a person trapped inside a woman's body.
-Elayne Boosler-

maxntropy · Club Member Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 103 : Items

Isabella E · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject:

One of these days I will have to catch the Iron Rose tourney. My experience with women's only tournament comes exclusively from the Ladies' Schlager tourney at Estrella War, which is run by a good friend of mine and is now fought in the memory of my late White Scarf, with whom I attended every year. It's a fun tournament with a positive atmosphere. So I am probably a bit biased because it isn't an armored combat tourney and even though I am not fencing much these days I always go and compete for a whole host of reasons.
_________________
It's not the most powerful animal that survives. It's the most efficient. -Georges St-Pierre
http://windyvalleybanners.blogspot.com/

wyterayven · Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 2:35 am Post subject:

Im coming to this conversation late....but did want to express my opinion....

I like the idea of the Ironrose Tourney. Now I consider myself a fighter, or rather I will, once I get back in armor...but when I was in armor the last time, I considered myself a fighter. But I am also a women, and that is part and parcel of who I am.

I also enjoy seeing other women out there fight, and it seems to me that the Ironrose tourney would be the ideal place to see women that I hear about or talk to on these boards. I would love to see them fight and I would love to be privileged enough to cross swords with them. And tourneys are just plain fun...

I dont really see this as any different than any other tourney that is specialized....a squire only tourney is specialized....and other things that I compete in also have divisions that are specialized...I am heavily involved in showing dogs, and there is a special class for dogs bred by the exhibitor, and as of this year there is a special class for the Amateur Owner Handler, and at some shows they have a Best in show amateur owner handler competition. I am proud to compete in that, just as I woudl be proud to compete at this tourney...

I dont feel that it diminishes anything...and it a great place for people to see people.

Having never been outside my Kingdom, and having been inactive for several years, I cant say what happens in other Kingdoms...but here Women fighters are, as far as I can tell, pretty much treated just as fighters by the majority. None, that I know of ask for any special privileges...and I dont see that having the occasional tourny for fighters who happen to be female would be detrimental to that. It isnt something that happens often, and it isnt like anyone is advocating for a split in fighting so that women only fight women...its just a tourney.

Anyway, we all have opinions. Smile

That was mine.

audax · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 2:22 am Post subject:

My peer group is the fighters. Not the female fighters.

On the field, my gender is absolutely irrelevant.

But I'm way more serious about this than most other women.
_________________
Martel le Hardi
squire to Meser Lyonel Oliver Grace, fostered to Sir Gaston de Clermont
-------------------------------------------------------

The Minstrel's Champion

Wrenn · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:41 pm Post subject:

I think I'm pretty serious about fighting, and I've tipped both ways on the subject- I've openly mocked some of the "girl" stuff, but a branch in An Tir holds a "lioness" tourney every second year and last year I went and felt more like I understood the point.

I had the opportunity to fight top competitors (knight) and newbies. We all were able to help welcome women back onto the tourney field after having been out of armour for years, from injury, nerves or child rearing. The fact that a female knight supported it helped.

And it wasn't just heavy it was rapier, archery, bardic and A&S. And I felt welcome enough to try my hand at all but the rapier (as I didn't have armour)

So given the choice of an open tourney or a womens' I'd pick the open, but if the women's wasn't up against anything I'd be there.
_________________
Adwen Wrenn, Squire to Sir Hrothgar Thorvaldsson

Hildemar the Alchemist · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 5:32 pm Post subject:

Looks like we've got another Ironrose tournament at Pennsic this year (2012). With a war the size of Pennsic, I figure we have room enough for a few specialized tournaments - and I like being able to compare notes with other women, right there, in the flesh. But that's just me. In the meantime, I'd *never* restrict myself to "women's only" tournaments, anyway. At Pennsic, my favorite is still Lost Boys (and girls, damnit) Kamikaze Battle, as it's all for the fun of the game. Because that's why I fight.

Tibbie Croser · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:22 pm Post subject:

There's also a Ladies' Rapier Tournament at this Pennsic, too. I'm entering. I don't mind being in a ladies' tourney, as there are other specialized tournaments for which I don't qualify: I'm not a White Scarf or equivalent, I'm not a cadet or equivalent, and I'm still a few years too young for the Graybeard tourney.

I think the advantage of a ladies' tourney for me would be having more opponents closer to my own size and reach---I'm only 5 foot 1. In normal rapier tournaments I'm facing a lot of male opponents who are 6 feet or taller.

Hildemar the Alchemist · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:07 pm Post subject:

I can sure relate to the height/reach issue. I get so little practice against people shorter than myself (I'm 5'3") that I often do worse against people my own size. (And sometimes when fighting folks much larger than me, I'll lower my stance a bit, to make things even harder for them!)

I forgot to mention times: IronRose Tournament at Pennsic 41, to be held on Tuesday, 7 Aug on the Blue list from 4 to 6 PM.

For Rapier: the Zen Warrior Known World Ladies Championship Qualifier at Pennsic 41, to be held on Wednesday, Aug 8 on the Rapier List from 3:30 to 5 PM.

Hildemar the Alchemist · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:13 pm Post subject:

Oh, excuse me - I missed one. The Zen Warrior Known World Ladies Rapier Championship *Finals*, to be held Friday, Aug 10 on the Rapier List from 3:30 to 5 PM.