One knight in shining armour has already saved the date for the second annual Medieval Day at the Cochrane Public Library.
Wade Ames is a member of The Forge Western Martial Arts in Calgary, a club dedicated to learning, practising and competing with European combat weapons like the German long sword, the axe and the mace – all while dressed in heavy, historically-accurate armour.
“Imagine putting a baseball bat in a pillow and getting hit in the head. You might see some stars, for sure. It rings your bell,” said Ames of his relatively rare pastime. “We do not get a lot of injuries, though, because the armour does its job so well.”
Ames was first exposed to the sport in 2014 after he and his twin brother Tyler attended a Medieval fair in Brooks.
“I’d never seen live jousting before, which was neat,” Ames recalled, adding he and Tyler sought out The Forge shortly afterward to experience it for himself.
Fast forward three years, and Ames has now competed in that same festival in Brooks for two years running, along with tournaments in the Yukon, Seattle and British Columbia. He practises at least once a week with his group, the Iron Heart Vanguard. Tyler is currently sidelined while working through an injury.
His 80-pound, 15th century-style Milanese armour is a source of pride for Ames: a collection of pieces made by a blacksmith in Edmonton, a helmet crafted in Lethbridge and gauntlets from Ukraine. It’s all a worthwhile investment, since the suit protects him from certain injury as he battles with weapons recreated from 500 years ago.
“It restricts some motions, but at the same time it acts as a second skin,” Ames said, adding he works out the kinks in his armour by putting it on and taking a walk around his neighbourhood.
“People stop and say, ‘You’re awesome!’ or they honk the horn,” he said. “It’s very important that you get time in your armour because it’s so unique and different. I can’t bend over and touch my toes with my kit on – I have to know that when I’m fighting.”
Ames said, while he loves the aspects of sport, history and artistry that come with his association with The Forge – it’s the friendships he and his brother have forged that make the biggest impact on him overall.
“It’s a family atmosphere that we create … I’ve been on so many sports teams, but I’ve never been this close to people,” he said. “When you’re standing beside another guy with a full suit of armour … it’s kind of a brothers-in-arms mentality.”
Ames will appear in full regalia at the second Annual Medieval Day at the Cochrane Public Library on July 22.
