17 hours ago
Kiwi knights do medieval battle in niche sport of buhurt
Some have rugby or football as their sports of choice, but an Auckland group spend their free time donning full suits of medieval armour, and battling it out with swords and shields.
While extreme sports like the 'Run It Straight' events have caught headlines recently, Buhurt is a combat sport with a keen eye on safety - although it's not without risk.
Training at a warehouse on Auckland's North Shore, these noble knights say it's all about the community.
Knights of Dreadnoughts Medieval Combat prepare to do buhurt battle.
Photo:
RNZ/Marika Khabazi
Dreadnoughts Medieval Combat is one of two buhurt groups in Auckland, meeting to train in Beach Haven, and fighting it out at events across the country and internationally.
Club captain Colm O'Brien was off to the United States to compete later this year and explained all the pieces that go into a fighter's armour.
"Down here is the sabatons, that's what covers the feet and protects any accidental foot shots," he said. "We've got a vambrace here, which covers my forearm, we've got another elbow cup, we've got the upper arm here and we've also got the helmet."
The name 'buhurt' came from an old French word, meaning to wallop or batter, and even with all the armour, the sport has risks.
"We don't really see as many injuries as something like rugby even," O'Brien said. "We do have roughly 35-40kg armour on ourselves, so it's not too bad, but knee injuries are really bad and sore shoulder injuries are very common."
Club captain Colm O'Brien will take his buhurt skills to the United States this year.
Photo:
RNZ/Marika Khabazi
This reporter put the armour to the test, donning a helmet and getting hit in the head with a falchion sword.
While it wasn't painful, the jolt of the blade connecting to the helmet was shocking and caused a slight ringing in the ears.
O'Brien said much of the equipment came from offshore.
"A lot of the equipment, it's difficult to get in New Zealand," he said. "A lot of this stuff comes from Ukraine and Poland and a lot of Eastern European countries.
"There's a big following of the sport there, and they, funnily enough, have fantastic armour smiths and metal protection there,"
Vice-captain Ethan Wilson said the buhurt community in New Zealand was still growing.
"It's still a niche sport," he said. "There'd be around 50-60 active fighters in the country, which isn't horrible, but it could always be better."
Wilson said getting into the sport was easy: "Find your local club, go along for a training."
One fighter, Devon Hansen, said she had done buhurt for about a year-and-a-half, after seeing it on Tik-Tok, and her favourite part was the people.
"Glad to punch these people up, but hug them afterwards."
Photo:
RNZ/Marika Khabazi
"You start for the sport, you stay for the people," she said.
Even after taking a wallop in the arena, known in the sport as a 'list', O'Brien agreed, it was all about the people.
"I'm not injured, bit tired alright," he said, exiting the list. "It's very draining, but happy I've done it.
"Glad to punch these people up, but hug them afterwards."
He had advice to offer those wanting to get involved.
"Don't be scared of it, it's just another sport.
"We'll start you off easy. You won't be going straight into the armour, but you'll have a lot of fun in the meantime and also make a lot of friends on the way."
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