WMAA supports martial sport applications of HEMA that enable practitioners an opportunity to stress test their technique.
These tournaments are held regularly in Victoria and are currently being tested in NSW and Queensland.
They currently use synthetic plastic weapons and modern protective equipment to minimise harm to competitors and specifically remove critical targets such as hands and groin.
They include
- Longsword
- Broadsword
- in some Highland Gatherings Scottish Backhold is also demonstrated.
You can see these tournaments at selected Highland Gatherings. The next public event will be at the Geelong Highland Gathering on Mar 3, 2013.
These tournaments are inspired on the military tournaments of the 19th Century and 20th Century prior to WW1, these skills were also taught in the early days of Scouting.
For example