As all of us know who have competed in American Jousting Alliance Tournaments know, good tournament Judges are very important to the sport.
The job of any Judge, Umpire, or Referee is a difficult one. We have all either heard stories, been witness to, or been a part of a game that would have had a different outcome were it not for one of these Officials. As human nature will have it, it is normally the loser that protests the loudest. In some cases, the Official's call was a just one, in other cases perhaps it was the general consensus that it was not. Either way, unless there is overwhelming evidence to support a disputed call, the Official's decision should stand. Otherwise, people will continually attack an Official or Judge's call in an effort to suit themselves.
Our goal is to always invite fair, impartial people who have an educated eye to judge tournament jousting matches.
We do not encourae Knights to question a Judge's call or a score. Should a Judge get too much of this, he could simply refuse to participate in another tournament. However, a good Judge should always be ready to back up a call or a score on his scorecard.
So now that we have touched on the importance and difficulties of being a Judge, let's talk about what it takes to be a good tournament Judge.
Since each Judge sees a different point of view, it is understandable that Judges tend to score a match somewhat differently. However, when a match is judged from four different points of view, the law of averages should prevail when you have four good Judges.
A good Judge needs to have a trained eye. He or she needs to be able to analyze what type of contact was made, and who made the contact. Since the contact happens in a fleeting instant, it is iportant to observe the match very carefully and call it as you see it.
Alliance Members who are not competing in a given tournament normally make good Judges. As Members, they are familiar with the Rules and Guidelines. As competitors in prior tournaments, they understand what a Knight is facing when competing in a match.
Should you agree to Judge at a tournament, here are some things that will help you on your way:
Study the Rules and Guidelines governing tournament jousting prior to a tournament.
When possible, watch some jousting training or matches prior to the tournament and analyze the contact made at the point of impact.
Always have your total concentration on the match. Make sure there are no obstructions in your line of vision.
Listening to the impact will help in determining how to gauge the hit in one or both competitors.
Watch how Knights' bodies react to the impact. Remember, a Knight's body can bend back when he is hit solidly. However, his body will do the same thing when he himself makes a hard hit and does not release the lance. Watch very closely.
When giving or taking away points for a Knight's safety judgment, horsemanship, or sportsmanship, stop and think. You may think of one particular action that influences your score, or you may get a sense of one or more of these qualities while watching the entire match.
Remember, if two Knights are hitting with the same intensity, a match should be won or lost when the Judge takes into consideration one or all three of the following: Horsemanship, Safety Judgment and Sportsmanship. Note: these three qualities were written into the rules because they are important in keeping our sport enjoyable, safe and sane.
When making a call regarding a hit being too high or too low on the shield, remember the determining factor is how extreme is the motion of the shield. If it does not move quickly, it is not an infraciton.
If you are unsure of a Knight's action, or of particular rules or guidelines, stop and confer with the Chief Marshal on the Field.
Being a Tournament Judge is not an easy task, but it is still the best and fastest way to determine the winners and losers of jousting matches.
When judging, do your utmost best, as you would want your peers to do with you.
In closing, I would like to thank those people who judge our tournaments, without whom we could not have true competitions.
James Zoppe
Founder and Director
American Jousting Alliance