Horsemen Shows

In this historically accurate "skill at arms" tournament, spectators see the authentic 14th–15th-century equipment of medieval knights and their horses, and contests taken straight from ancient manuscripts, which the riders complete while demonstrating command of different weapons.

A herald hosts and comments on the tournament, ceremonially introducing the riders, while banner-carrying squires help in the arena and entertain the crowd with pranks. Every contest is staged so that the audience follows what is happening even with no prior knowledge of medieval mounted tradition.

In the joust, 2–4 mounted knights charge each other with long wooden lances. Wearing special armor that protects from lance strikes, the riders demonstrate speed and technique while controlling both a swift horse and a heavy, oversized weapon.

The duel is won by the knight who breaks his lance against the opponent's shield, while the herald explains the rules and introduces the fighters – just as in our knight fights on foot. That instantly recognizable moment, the crack of a breaking lance, is usually what spectators remember most vividly.

A hussar, a dragoon and a petihor – three types of 17th-century Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth cavalry – put their skills to the test in a skill-at-arms format: at full gallop they demonstrate saber handling and aim lances at rings of progressively increasing difficulty, taking on contests that grow harder with every round.

The herald hosts the event, describing each cavalryman's equipment and explaining live, in commentary, what sets a hussar apart from a dragoon or a petihor – making the programme accessible even to spectators seeing this history for the first time. Squires prepare the contests in the arena.

All three programmes use only specially prepared horses and professionally trained riders – this is not recreational riding, but a discipline trained over years. The tournament arena is fenced and spectators watch from a safe distance, which lets the programme play safely even to a large crowd gathered in one place.

The programme itself needs a level, non-slippery ground – grass or sand work best. Light rain is generally not disruptive, but if the surface becomes dangerously slippery, the show can be adjusted or postponed for the safety of the horses and riders.

Once the tournament ends, the knights always take time to meet the audience: close-up armor viewing and photos next to the horses are part of the experience, so the programme leaves not just a visual impression but a tangible one.

A horsemen show pairs naturally with our other services – a knight guard at the entrance, a medieval village, or a weapon exhibition – to build a complete medieval-atmosphere package for the whole event, with the tournament as the central draw that pulls everyone toward one spot.

We have performed this programme for well-known Lithuanian companies, municipalities and cultural centres since 2004, and the final price depends on the chosen programme and any add-on services.