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Video: Watch dare-devil jousters in action at Leeds' Royal Armouries

AN international jousting tournament at Leeds' Royal Armouries is being contested over the next four days - with royally endorsed prizes on offer.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Mar 2018, 16:58 GMT
Updated 29th Mar 2018, 21:20 GMT
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Acclaimed knights from France, Australia, Poland and England will compete in the annual, authentic medieval event, known as the International Easter Tournament.

Victory in the team event is rewarded with the Sword of Honour, while the individual prize will see the victor have their name engraved in the Queen’s Jubilee Horn, with both items housed in the museum’s collection.

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Team England’s Nicky Willis said: “I am ridiculously excited to be here. I first came to compete here three years ago and broke my back. Luckily I have known the other guys in this event for many years so it’s like a big social event.”

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Date: 29th March 2018. Picture James Hardisty. The Royal Armouries annual International Easter Jousting Tournament held in the Royal Armouries Tiltyard, Leeds. Pictured (left to right) Nicky Willis (Team England), Lukasz Dutkiewicz (Team Poland), Marie Baron (Team France), and Sarah Hay (Team Australia).Date: 29th March 2018. Picture James Hardisty. The Royal Armouries annual International Easter Jousting Tournament held in the Royal Armouries Tiltyard, Leeds. Pictured (left to right) Nicky Willis (Team England), Lukasz Dutkiewicz (Team Poland), Marie Baron (Team France), and Sarah Hay (Team Australia).
Date: 29th March 2018. Picture James Hardisty. The Royal Armouries annual International Easter Jousting Tournament held in the Royal Armouries Tiltyard, Leeds. Pictured (left to right) Nicky Willis (Team England), Lukasz Dutkiewicz (Team Poland), Marie Baron (Team France), and Sarah Hay (Team Australia).

Last year’s winner of the Jubilee horn, Luc Petillot of France, said: “It’s a very exciting sport. A lot of research goes into making it exactly as it originally would have been.”

Australia’s Phillip Leitch works as a full-time knight at Kryal Castle in Ballarat, and has the honour of being WJC World Champion. He said: “It’s one of the most prestigious jousting events in the world. This was the event I was particularly excited to compete in. It’s something we have to train for all the time.”

Tickets are on sale via the Royal Armouries website. The event ends on Monday.