Medieval fighters clash swords in the Upper Highway
A sword fighting club is in training for the international Historical Medieval Battles event. They are participants in a full combat sport, wearing historically authentic armour and wielding bone-crushing weapons.
“WE aren’t knights. We’re just savages in armour,” says Josh Suttie.
Suttie and partner, Christa Heysen Martin, manage a sword fighting club called the SA Rogue Squadron. The small club with a big heart is based in the Upper Highway, where the dedicated members practise in full armour and wield historically authentic weapons.
The sounds of metal on metal are audible long before the fighters are visible, attacking each other on the grass at the Camperdown Club House. They are participants in Historical Medieval Battles (HMB) or buhurt, which is said to mean “wallop” in Old French.
Martin says they consider themselves serious athletes rather than re-enactors. As the armour is handmade from steel and the weapons constructed in the traditional manner, the extra weight that a fighter carries into battle requires physical strength and stamina.
The weekly training sessions focus on technique but the athletes are encouraged to undertake core-strengthening and cardio exercises in their own time.
The club offers soft weapon fighting to new members as the equipment investment is less.
ALSO READ: Mind Sports SA adds new titles to esports championships
Although the sword fighters consider themselves serious athletes, anyone can join the club, however, the training sessions are physically demanding.
“For our team, we want people who are keen to fight, and prepared to put in the effort, time, and lifestyle changes to become proficient. It’s not like playing a video game; there is real blood, sweat and some tears involved in our sport. Just like any other sport, people can view it as a hobby, or push for something more. It’s up to everyone to decide how far they want to take it, but we welcome anyone who wants to try,” says Martin.
Martin, a lecturer with an educational institution, has big plans. “I aim to complete the Russian coaching qualification, as I want to open a legitimate sword school, where children and adults of all ages can learn to fight with medieval weapons,” she says.
Contact: https://www.facebook.com/SARogueSquadron
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations. 
