Meyerstag 2018 Joachim Meyer’s Kunst des Fechtens Join us for two days of workshops and training. The workshops presented will cover as many aspects of Meyer’s curriculum as possible -- presented by Instructors and Coaches from throughout the Historical Fencing / Historical European Martial Arts community. There will also be time allotted for training exchanges, free sparring, and cutting practice. Longsword Rappier/Sidesword Dussack Wrestling/Dagger Staff/Polearms When: February 24 and 25, 2018 Where: 3349 J Street, Sacramento, CA Time: Saturday, February 24: 10 AM - 10 PM Sunday, February 25: 10 AM - 3 PM $100 Pre-Registration: before January 1 2018 GUEST INSTRUCTOR 01: Our first Guest Instructor is Robert Rutherford of the Chicago Swordplay Guild, who will be sharing his insights into Meyer’s Rappier/Sidesword. More special guests will be announced as the event nears.  

October, a time for feasting and fighting. The Sacramento Freifechter is opening its doors to any and all interested in Historical European Martial Arts, Swords, and how to use them. This event is intended for martial arts of all varieties. We will have space for fencers to engage in friendly competition, cutting stands for you to test your skills with a sharp sword and for people interested in learning more about HEMA classes available for beginners. Details: What: Find a fighter and test your skills. At the end of the round you may submit the results of your fight to our score keeper. We will tabulate top ranked fighters of the day based upon individual feedback.  How: 2 min timer with 30 second intervals, fighters can decide who won and self-report results.  When: May 14, 2017 from 11am until 3pm. Who: Anyone who would like to engage of a bit of friendly competition. Cost: $15 for non-Sacramento Freifechter members. $10 for prepared Tatami Mats for Test Cutting. $40 for cutting tournament which includes all needed mats and Oktoberfecht admission. Spectators are free. Cutting Tournament: We will be running a cutting tournament based upon the 2017 CombatCon Rules which can be found at https://www.combatcon.com/2018-2/what-to-do/2017-tournament-rules/#ftn6 Note that we will only be cutting with longsword, no arming sword round will be judged.   

Come join us for Bootkampf!During this 4 hour event you will combine work with the Longsword, Dussack, Rappier, Dagger and Quarterstaff with the Lagoon Valley Rescue Adventure Camp's obstacle course. Interspersed throughout the obstacles are stations that test your skill with a variety of HEMA weapons. Between running through the belly busters and rappelling down the 16 foot wall stop and test your cutting skills with a sharp sword. After riding the zip line test your precision thrusting skills with quarterstaff and rappier. This event is limited to 12 participants.Included in your registration is 4 hours of obstacle course and HEMA stations. 2 tatami mats for cutting. Sharps for cutting and all necessary equipment provided. 

WHAT Fechtschule Sacramento is a public gathering for the display of skill and control with the Dussack and Longsword. The Dussack Tournament is hosted in conjunction with the Davis Historical Fencing Club and is suited for beginner and intermediate Dussack fencers. Synthetic Dussacks from Purple Heart Armory will be provided for competitors in this event. The Longsword Tournament is hosted with support from the Meyer Freifechter Guild Region VI. This event is an open steel tournament and fencers will be expected to provide their own federschwert from approved suppliers. Blunt steel longswords are not appropriate for this event.  This is an official event of the NorCal Historical Fencing League.  WHERE & WHEN Date : Saturday, 26 August 2017 Location: Sacramento Turn Verein,  3349 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 Schedule: The event will run from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with an awards ceremony and competitors dinner to follow. Exact details and time lines will depend on the number of competitors in each event.  HOW MUCH - HEMA Alliance Member, $50, Box Lunch and Awards Dinner included - Non-Alliance members $60, Box Lunch and Awards Dinner included Fencers may choose to participate in either or both Longsword and Dussack Awards Dinner: - Guests, $10 Spectators: - FREE Pre-registration will close August 10th. After 8/10/17 prices will increase to the Non-Alliance Member Price. Awards dinner and Box Lunch only included with Pre-registration. Snacks and beverages will be provided for competitors throughout the tournament. Boxed lunches will be available for purchase. Competitors are barred from the consumption of alcohol before or during the event.  FECHTSCHULE SACRAMENTO - TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW LONGSWORD and DUSSACK We will be using the KnifePoint Rules. THE KNIFEPOINT RULES FORMAT Fencer's will be grouped into pools. There will be 1 round of Pool Matches, followed by a round robin. Each fencer will have a number of lives determined by the total number of competitors and initial pool size. - When you win a fight, you score a point. - When you lose a fight, you lose a life. - If you Double in a fight, you lose a life. - When you are out of lives, you are out of the tournament. The First Round  Fencers may Win or Double, Ring out will be scored as a Draw* The Final Round Robin Fencers may Win, Draw* or Double, no penalty for Ring Out..  After the first round of pools fencers all fencers will be sorted into 1 large progressive round robin pool. The lowest ranked fencers will fight first. The fight continues until 30% of the original fencers remain. If there are any ties in the top 3, they will compete in sudden death matches.   Each pool will have 4 Corner Judges and 1 Referee. The Judges will be made up from Meyer Freifechter Guild Members who are not competing. The top 30% of fighters will be recognized for their accomplishment with the top 3 being rewarded. SCORING All targets, except for Hands are valid. Intentional attacks to the Back of the Head and Spine are prohibited and a warning may be issued by the Referee for use of excessive force. The First Warning is a verbal notification. The Second Warning will result in the loss of 1 life. The Third Warning will result in expulsion from the tournament.  All valid targets score the same. There is no point difference. All fights between fencers will be for one "clean" exchange. If there is a debate or question between Judges about the outcome of the fight, it will be thrown out by the Referee and the match will be fought again. Combat does not end after a strike until the attacker has completed their withdrawal or the referee breaks up the fight. *HIGHEST “BLEEDING” HEAD WOUND RULE This applies in the case of a Double (simultaneous successful strikes from both fencers) or Afterblow (a successful counterstrike that follows immediately after the opponent’s successful initial strike) situation. Any strike that falls below the head may be negated by a strike to the opponent's head. The order of strikes does not matter. In the event this occurs: - The person struck on the head will be counted as a loss. - The person who delivered the blow will not receive a point for a win, but neither will they lose a life. Gear Requirements Dussack Head = Head protection must cover the entire face and front of the throat for drilling and slow sparring, and the entire head and front of the throat must be covered in competitive sparring. It must be sturdy enough to withstand impacts. There should be no gaps in coverage that would allow a thrust or strike to the face. Throat = A covering to protect the throat. Torso = Clothing to cover the body. (Padded gear is unnecessary.) Groin = An internal or external cup. Elbow = Hard elbow covering to protect the joints. Hands = Sturdy gloves or gauntlets must be used to protect the hands and wrists. Gloves must include protection on the sides and tips of the fingers sufficient to resist hard strikes from steel or synthetic weapons. An un-supplemented lacrosse glove is not sufficient. Steel Gauntlets need additional interior padding of some sort. A mechanic’s-style glove has minimal padding and when used inside a metal gauntlet would not be sufficient. Most HEMA-dedicated synthetic gloves or gauntlets, such as Sparring Gloves and Black Lance, are adequate. Finger breaks and hand injuries are the most common and organizers should be conscientious of these risks. Legs = Hard knee covering to protect the joints. Feet = Covering of some sort. Trainer = The trainer must be free of splinters or burs. The tip must not come to a point. Edges must be blunt or blunted. (These are provided by the Tournament). Longsword Head = Head protection must cover the entire head and front of the throat must be covered in competitive sparring. It must be sturdy enough to withstand impacts. There should be no gaps in coverage that would allow a thrust or strike to the face. Throat = A covering to protect the throat. Torso = Clothing to cover the body. Clothing should be puncture resistant, or three layers.   Groin = An internal or external cup. Elbow = Hard elbow covering to protect the joints. Hands = Sturdy gloves or gauntlets must be used to protect the hands and wrists. Gloves must include protection on the sides and tips of the fingers sufficient to resist hard strikes from steel or synthetic weapons. An un-supplemented lacrosse glove is not sufficient. Steel Gauntlets need additional interior padding of some sort, however a mechanic’s glove has minimal padding and when used inside a metal gauntlet would not be sufficient. Most HEMA-dedicated synthetic gloves or gauntlets, such as Sparring Gloves and Black Lance, are adequate. Finger breaks and hand injuries are the most common and organizers should be conscientious of this. Legs = Hard knee covering to protect the joints. Feet = Covering of some sort. Trainer = The trainer must be free of splinters or burs. The tip must not come to a point. Edges must be blunt or blunted. (Federschwert only, no blunt longswords, no montante or similar weapons. These are to be supplied by the competitors.)

***This event is being rescheduled*** Due to scheduling conflicts with other events happening on the previously announced weekend SummerKampf 2017 is being rescheduled. We appologize for the inconvenience and encourage you to attend the Fiore Seminar at DEMAS or the Tosetti Fight Day. Mark Holgate of the Adelaide Sword Academy will be available for sparring at the Fight Day. The Sacramento Freifechter, on behalf of the Meyer Freifechter Guild Region VI and the NorCal Historical Fencing League would like to invite you to a weekend of Camp. Join us for SummerKampf 2017 held at Camp Berryessa located on the north shore of Lake Berryessa. SummerKampf 2017 is a social sword event intended to allow historical fencers from all over California to get to know each other in a more casual environment. There will be workshop classes, test cutting with sharps, competition space for free fencing plus room for archery, kayaking, cooking, fishing and general fun.  The site includes cabins with hand woven cots that can sleep up to 64, or if you prefer to rough it there is ample room for your own tent. Showers and restrooms are also available. There is a large pavilion where people can gather to socialize or share a bite to eat. There is a large fire pit for open cooking or bring your own.  In addition to classes taught by local HEMA instructors we will have a guest instructor from Australia. Mark Holgate of the Adelaide Sword Academy is visiting as he makes a pilgrimage out to Longpoint 2017 where he will be competing and teaching classes.  Tickets: Individual Weekend Pass - $50 Family Member +1 Pass - $20 Non-participant Weekend Pass - $10 Prepared Tatami Mats for Test Cutting - $10 All passes include full access to the sites offerings including kayaking, fishing, hiking and more. Participants have access to classes, test cutting and other sword related activities. Participants may purchase prepared Tatami for test cutting or provide their own.    All proceeds from this event will go to fund non-profits in the Napa and NorCal region.   

Are you interested in learning how to use a longsword? Come out to our beginner's course and see if it is for you! This eight-week course is recommended for all those new to HEMA. Students will learn the basics of longsword according the principles of the 16th Century fencing master Joachim Meyer. Our curriculum will take you through the terminology, attacks, parries, and footwork with an emphasis on being able to defend yourself against more experienced opponents. When: Weekly on Sundays at 11:00 am. Where: Sacramento Turn Verein Main HallInstructor: Ted ElsnerPrice: $150 (first class is free), includes student journal, Sacramento Freifechter t-shirt and 1 tatami for course exam.Equipment: No equipment necessary, mask, gloves and sword provided for course. Students should wear athletic gear; men are encouraged to wear an athletic protector ("cup"). Participants under age 18 must be accompanied by and have waivers signed by a parent or legal guardian. 

Join us for a day of Kampf! The Sacramento Freifechter is opening its doors to any and all interested in Historical European Martial Arts, Swords, and how to use them. We will have space for fencers to engage in friendly competition, cutting stands for you to test your skills with a sharp sword and for people interested in learning more about HEMA classes available for beginners. Details: What: Find a fighter and test your skills. At the end of the round you may submit the results of your fight to our score keeper. We will tabulate top ranked fighters of the day based upon individual feedback.  How: 2 min timer with 30 second intervals, fighters can decide who won and self-report results.  When: May 14, 2017 from 11am until 3pm. Who: Anyone who would like to engage of a bit of friendly competition. As this is Mother's Day, Moms fight for free.  Cost: $15 for non-Sacramento Freifechter members (Free for Moms). $10 for prepared Tatami Mats for Test Cutting. Spectators are free.

Learning to use a sword involves more than just swinging it through the air. A good cut with a sharp sword involves an understanding of edge alignment and proper mechanics.  What: Sacramento Freifechter who have earned their Schuler Rank or higher are invited to come out and practice their skills in test cutting.  When: April 15, 2017  Where: Serafin Kulp's Home, Sacramento, CA (address and directions will be sent out via email to attendees). Cost: Attendance is included for any active members of the Sacramento Freifechter. Prepared Tatami Mats are $10 each. 4 mats are recommended per person.  Gear: Club cutting swords are available. Individuals with their own (non-stainless steel) cutting blades are welcome to use their own. Please note that we will be inspecting any personal blades before allowing them to be used.  If you have any questions please email us. 

The Sacramento Freifechter will be attending the 3rd Annual Tosetti Institute HEMA Tournament. This is a NorCal Historical Fencing League event. https://www.facebook.com/events/1783353141894549/ Mark your calendars!  The 3rd annual Tosetti Institute HEMA Tournament will be March 4, 2017. Exact times, events and additional details coming soon.

The Sacramento Freifechter will be attending the largest HEMA event on the West Coast.  Details can be found at the SoCal Swordfight 2017 event page. 

Our newer members who have not yet competed in a tournament have an opporunity to test their skills against other beginners. This event is not a part of the NorCal HFL but will be a great start for new fencers. For more details visit the Tosetti Institute's Event Page.

The Sacramento Freifechter will be competing in the DEMAS HEMA Long Sword Tournament. For details and to register for the event visit the DEMAS Event Page. 

This first Tntroduction to Test Cutting is by invite only.  You have learned to use your longsword in solo and paired scenarios. Perhaps you have competed in a tournament or other competition. You know how to use it and to cut, right? Now is the time to find out. Test Cutting is a calibration and validation tool. It will let you see how good your technique really is. In this class we will cover the mechanics of test cutting and give you a chance to validate your own technique. What you need: Longswords are provided although you are encouraged to bring your Feder as well. Tatami Mats are $10 each and are the ony cost for this event. A minimum of 4 mats are recommended. Please specify in advance how many you wish to purchase.

Youth Dussack Course This class is designed for children ages 12 to 16 and teaches them the fundamental aspects of fencing with the Dussack, a traditional weapon of the Renaissance Era Germanies. This will be a 6 week course during which time students will learn the Primary Guards of the German System, basic attacks and defense, footwork, stance, and the tactical elements of fencing. Students are will participate in a variety of solo drills and paired work with instructors while learning about the history of fencing in the Germanies.  Class Dates: Thursdays from 5 to 6pm.  October 13 October 20 October 27 November 3 November 10 November 17 Price: $100 for the 6 week course. All equipment needed will be provided. Students wishing to purchase and use their own Dussack will receive a 15% discount on the course. 

WHAT Fechtschule Sacramento is a public gathering for the display of skill and control with the Dussack and Longsword. The Dussack Tournament is hosted in conjunction with the Davis Historical Fencing Club and is suited for beginner and intermediate Dussack fencers. Synthetic Dussacks from Purple Heart Armory will be provided for competitors in this event. The Longsword Tournament is hosted with support from the Meyer Freifechter Guild Region VI. This event is an open steel tournament and fencers will be expected to provide their own federschwert from approved suppliers. Blunt steel longswords are not appropriate for this event.  WHERE & WHEN Date : Saturday, 24 September 2016 Location: Sacramento Turn Verein,  3349 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 Schedule: Pending. The event will run from approximately 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with an awards ceremony and competitors dinner to follow. Exact details and time lines will depend on the number of competitors in each event.  HOW MUCH Both Events: - HEMA Alliance Member, $40 ($30 for the first event, $10 for the second, Awards Dinner Included) - Non-Alliance members $50 ($35 for the first event, $15 for the second, Awards Dinner included) Single Event: - HEMA Alliance Member, $30 (Awards Dinner NOT INCLUDED, must purchase separately) - Non-Alliance members $35 (Awards Dinner NOT INCLUDED, must purchase separately) Awards Dinner: - Guests, $10 - Competitors competing in only a Single Event, $10 Spectators: - FREE Pre-registration will close September 10th. After 9/10/16 tickets will only be available by contacting the Sacramento Freifechter directly. Food and Drinks will be available for sale throughout the tournament. Competitors are barred from the consumption of alcohol before or during the event.  FECHTSCHULE SACRAMENTO - TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW LONGSWORD We will be using the rules recently run at Fechtschule New York which are affectionately known as the KnifePoint Rules. DUSSACK The Dussack Tournament will be run under the same rule set as long as at least 12 people are competing.  THE KNIFEPOINT RULES FORMAT Fencer's will be grouped into pools of ideally 8. There will be 2 rounds of Pool Matches, followed by the Elimination Rounds. Each fencer will have a number of lives determined by the size of the pools. - When you win a fight, you score a point. - When you lose a fight, you lose a life. - If you Double in a fight, you lose a life. - When you are out of lives, you are out of the tournament. After the first 2 rounds of pools fencers will be sorted into 3 groups based upon their number of wins. These 3 pools will represent the Novice, Intermediate and Experienced fencers. Each group will then fight until they run out of lives. The last man standing in each group wins their pool. Each pool will have 4 Corner Judges and 1 Referee. The Judges will be made up from fencers in the pool and Meyer Freifechter Guild Members who are not competing. The top 3 fighters from the Experienced pool and the top fighter from the Novice and Intermediate pools will all receive awards and recognition. SCORING All targets, except for Hands are valid. Intentional attacks to the Back of the Head and Spine are prohibited and a warning may be issued by the Referee for use of excessive force. The First Warning is a verbal notification. The Second Warning will result in the loss of 1 life. The Third Warning will result in expulsion from the tournament.  All valid targets score the same. There is no point difference. All fights between fencers will be for one "clean" exchange. If there is a debate or question between Judges about the outcome of the fight, it will be thrown out by the Referee and the match will be fought again. Combat does not end after a strike until the attacker has completed their withdrawal or the referee breaks up the fight. HIGHEST “BLEEDING” HEAD WOUND RULE This applies in the case of a Double (simultaneous successful strikes from both fencers) or Afterblow (a successful counterstrike that follows immediately after the opponent’s successful initial strike) situation. Any strike that falls below the head may be negated by a strike to the opponent's head. The order of strikes does not matter. In the event this occurs: - The person struck on the head will be counted as a loss. - The person who delivered the blow will not receive a point for a win, but neither will they lose a life. Gear Requirements Dussack Head = Head protection must cover the entire face and front of the throat for drilling and slow sparring, and the entire head and front of the throat must be covered in competitive sparring. It must be sturdy enough to withstand impacts. There should be no gaps in coverage that would allow a thrust or strike to the face. Throat = A covering to protect the throat. Torso = Clothing to cover the body. (Padded gear is unnecessary.) Groin = An internal or external cup. Elbow = Hard elbow covering to protect the joints. Hands = Sturdy gloves or gauntlets must be used to protect the hands and wrists. Gloves must include protection on the sides and tips of the fingers sufficient to resist hard strikes from steel or synthetic weapons. An un-supplemented lacrosse glove is not sufficient. Steel Gauntlets need additional interior padding of some sort. A mechanic’s-style glove has minimal padding and when used inside a metal gauntlet would not be sufficient. Most HEMA-dedicated synthetic gloves or gauntlets, such as Sparring Gloves and Black Lance, are adequate. Finger breaks and hand injuries are the most common and organizers should be conscientious of these risks. Legs = Hard knee covering to protect the joints. Feet = Covering of some sort. Trainer = The trainer must be free of splinters or burs. The tip must not come to a point. Edges must be blunt or blunted. (These are provided by the Tournament). Longsword Head = Head protection must cover the entire head and front of the throat must be covered in competitive sparring. It must be sturdy enough to withstand impacts. There should be no gaps in coverage that would allow a thrust or strike to the face. Throat = A covering to protect the throat. Torso = Clothing to cover the body. Clothing should be puncture resistant, or three layers.   Groin = An internal or external cup. Elbow = Hard elbow covering to protect the joints. Hands = Sturdy gloves or gauntlets must be used to protect the hands and wrists. Gloves must include protection on the sides and tips of the fingers sufficient to resist hard strikes from steel or synthetic weapons. An un-supplemented lacrosse glove is not sufficient. Steel Gauntlets need additional interior padding of some sort, however a mechanic’s glove has minimal padding and when used inside a metal gauntlet would not be sufficient. Most HEMA-dedicated synthetic gloves or gauntlets, such as Sparring Gloves and Black Lance, are adequate. Finger breaks and hand injuries are the most common and organizers should be conscientious of this. Legs = Hard knee covering to protect the joints. Feet = Covering of some sort. Trainer = The trainer must be free of splinters or burs. The tip must not come to a point. Edges must be blunt or blunted. (Federschwert only, no blunt longswords. These are to be supplied by the competitors.)