The magnificant tradition of the Western Martial Arts Workshop was secured with yet another successful WMAW weekend hosted by the Chicago Swordplay Guild at a retreat on the shores of Lake Michigan in a gothic revival setting of Racine, Wisconsin 
approximately 1.5 hours north of Chicago. The weather was beautiful and therefore, despite the excellent facilities, many of the instructors opted to deliver their training classes outdoors on the beautiful grounds amongst appropriately gothic architected buildings of the chapel, Taylor Hall and Great Hall. This premier North American western martial arts event had returned to its origins in Chicago whereby the first instance of this workshop occured back in October of 1999 and was called the Western Martial Arts Seminar. It also became the first "international" WMA event with the arrival of David Cvet, the only foreigner at this event. A brilliant idea by Pete Kautz (Alliance Martial Arts) of having a WMA workshop occur annually was quickly followed by an agreement with David Cvet (AEMMA) and Christopher Umbs (Martinez Academy of Arms) to host the workshop in their respective cities to share the burden of financial and organizational resources began with Toronto hosting the 2nd International Western Martial Arts Workshop - 2000 followed by the 3rd International Western Martial Arts Workshop - 2001 in New York City.
The venue was the DeKoven Center 
which began as Racine College, founded and chartered in 1852. Its first building was built that same year and is now part of the East Building, paralleling Lake Michigan. In 1859, Dr. James DeKoven came from St. John's School in Delafield to become Warden of the College. It was he who gave the campus its focus, modeling the quadrangle on English colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, with faculty and students living together in dormitories and eating together in a common Refectory, today known as the Great Hall. The retreat provided the WMAW with ample training and workshop space and despite the availability of space, a number of workshops were held outdoors on the retreat's beautiful grounds where the fantastic weather enhanced the attendees experience.
Instructors and masters from Canada, USA and Europe were in attendance delivering superb workshops and classes for the almost 130 practitioners attending the workshop. Each day began with a grueling workout lead by Pete Kautz (Alliance Martial Arts) that included deep-breathing exercises, calasthentics, and special exercises to strengthen and align the body based on techniques defined in the 19th century. Each day encompassed two streams of workshops, the instructor's stream comprised of 2 workshops daily of 2.5 hours in duration while the masters classes were delivered by notable individuals in the WMA community such as Maestro Lupo-Sinclair, Stephen Hand and Pete Kautz, all of whom are IMAF members. The table below provides the details of instructors & masters' classes:
* indicates IMAF member 
The workshop concluded with a Renaissance Tournament on the Friday, followed by access to the swimming pool or free fencing. Saturday ended with a pair of medieval tournaments, the first being the behourd tournament (unarmoured) followed by the armoured tournament. The day ended with a banquet in the Great Hall with an excellent buffet of pork, chicken, veggies, beer, etc. The workshop ended on Sunday around 5:30pm after the last class.
The next WMAW workshop, WMAW03 will be hosted by AEMMA in Toronto, October 24, 25, 26, 2003.
Vignettes Captured
The following are the classes and workshops captured during the 3 days are limited to those classes and workshops attended by the author. To view a video clip, click on the image in the video column.
| Description |
Head Shot |
Video |
| David Cvet: Armoured Combat David along with the assistance of his brother Anton, delivered a class on armoured fighting techniques that focused on three essential skills: a) grappling techniques; b) dagger techniques; c) 1/2-sword techniques. The techniques were sourced primarily from Fiore dei Liberi's "Flos Duellatorum treatise, along with references to other supporting historical manuscripts. |
 |
2.5MB |
| Pete Kautz: Warm Ups Pete headed up the morning ritual of warmups and stretches, much of which is based on 19th century deep-breathing exercises, calasthentics, and special exercises to strengthen and align the body. |
 |
1.4MB |
| Maestro Paul Macdonald: Singlestick & Backsword Paul presented the fencing methodology and techniques of one of the primary European weapons of the 17th - 18th century, the back or broadsword which was in common use throughout all Europe. He demonstrated the True system of defence with this unique weapon, showing this weapon fencing system from its fundemental principles through a great many techniques revived from and in accordance with original historical sources. |
 |
3.8MB |
| Brian Price: Ponderous, Cruel & Mortal: The Medieval Pollaxe Brian introduced students to the fundamentals of pollaxe work in armoured combat. The course was conducted without harness with precepts of pollaxe play that included control and recognition of range, use of all surfaces, and some leverage / wrestling play. Course material was drawn from surviving iconographical references such as from the anonymous Jeu de la Hache, from Liberi, Talhoffer and Kal. |
 |
2.1MB |
| Christian Tobler: German Longsword Christian introduced the class to the art of fighting unarmoured with the long sword as ensconced in the verses of Master Johannes Liechtenauer, the father of the German late medieval swordsmanship. His hands-on instruction featured the five meisterhau, or 'Master Strikes', as well as the key concepts such as setting aside blows, binding, and winding at the sword. |
 |
2.6MB |
The following are some video clips of the behourd and armoured tournaments. The videos only capture the "essence" of the tournaments and do not cover the entire event. To view a video clip, click on the image in the video column.
| Tournament Description |
Video |
| Behourd (unarmoured) Tournament The first tournament held on Saturday evening was the behourd, designed to promote medieval unarmoured or lightly armoured fencing. It was loosely based on the light armoured tournaments of the 13th and 14th centuries, the vespers tournament and the contest of squires typically held the night before the tournament proper. |
1.9MB |
| Armoured Tournament: Spear Following the behourd tournament, the armoured tournament demonstrated fighting techniques that involved longsword, spear or pollaxe. This particular engagement was designated as combats a plaisance sans encumbrance meaning thrusts were permitted with the spears. The metal spear heads were fitted (welded) with steel ball-bearings approximately 3/4" in diameter for safety. Here, David Cvet of AEMMA and Mathieu Ravignat of OMSG demonstrate their skills with the spear. |
1.9MB |
| Armoured Tournament: Longsword The longsword, the "classic" knightly weapon would be the most popular weapons of choice for these armoured tournaments. The engagements were most often of the combats a plaisance variety of engagement. In this particular engagement, Anton Cvet of OMSG and Tom Olson of Tournament Productions demonstrate their prowess with the longsword. |
1.3MB |
| Armoured Tournament: Pollaxe The pollaxe, also considered one of the knightly weapons was described in detail in such treatises as Le Jeu de la Hache and in Hans Talhoffer's fechtbuchs. Thrusting and hooking were displayed as the principle techniques deployed when fighting with pollaxe. This this engagement, Brian Price of Schola Saint George and Kel Rekuta of AEMMA both exhibit a high degree of skill with pollaxe. |
2.6MB |
David M. Cvet
September 19, 2002
Posted: September 19, 2002
approximately 1.5 hours north of Chicago. The weather was beautiful and therefore, despite the excellent facilities, many of the instructors opted to deliver their training classes outdoors on the beautiful grounds amongst appropriately gothic architected buildings of the chapel, Taylor Hall and Great Hall. This premier North American western martial arts event had returned to its origins in Chicago whereby the first instance of this workshop occured back in October of 1999 and was called the Western Martial Arts Seminar. It also became the first "international" WMA event with the arrival of David Cvet, the only foreigner at this event. A brilliant idea by Pete Kautz (Alliance Martial Arts) of having a WMA workshop occur annually was quickly followed by an agreement with David Cvet (AEMMA) and Christopher Umbs (Martinez Academy of Arms) to host the workshop in their respective cities to share the burden of financial and organizational resources began with Toronto hosting the 2nd International Western Martial Arts Workshop - 2000 followed by the 3rd International Western Martial Arts Workshop - 2001 in New York City.
