Tournment Association awards celebration hits 5 years

The SLTA held its annual Awards Celebration June 10, 2016 to celebrate Season V, and begin a new Season.

It wasn't clear if the event would occur, due to a severe SL crash about an hour before the start of the event. Users offline could not log-in and those online could not teleport to other regions. The problem was resolved about 20 minutes before the first speaker took the stage.

In his opening remarks, organizer for the gala event, DDA Headmaster Forester Lowenhart quipped:

"It was all prearranged. It’s like going out to the Theatre in RL. I asked the Lindens to turn off the lights in the lobby to let everyone know the curtain would soon be going up on our Show."

Headmaster Lowenhart was joined by other presenters who honored SLTA supporting hosts for their participation in the Interim Jousts and award jousters with the highest point standings.

The SLTA began tracking the standings of participants of the 'Cry The Tournament' Intersim Joust in 2011, and has since included the point standings for participants in all jousts in SL reported to the websites of the Jousting League, and more recently the SLTA.

The Season ends each year after US Memorial Day, and begins new around the Summer Solstice. Points standings are zeroed out, so each jouster has an equal chance of excelling during the year.

This season was noted as a comeback season for the jousts in SL posting higher numbers in attendance, prize money and numbers of joust. DDA Headmaster Forester Lowenhart cited these numbers:

A Lot of Realms.

Over 50 Realms have hosted the ‘Cry The Tournament’ Intersim since its start in 2011, including a record 18 Realms participating in this year's rotation.

A Lot of Lindens.

A 52% increase over the previous year. Over $300,000 lindens were contributed to the purse for jousters in 435 reported jousts.

A Lot of Jousters.

Attendance was up 62% over the previous year. Jousts from 18 Realms were being reported last year. That increased to 22 Realms this year.

A Lot of Tournaments.

435 total jousts were reported, with the DDA, DragonLance, KingsLanding, Intersim and Duchy of Shleswig hosting the most jousts.

Putting this upsurge into context, Headmaster Forester noted:

"If you attended our Anniversary a year ago, the numbers were quite different showing a sharp decline in attendance despite an increase in joust tournaments. Trouble times was certainly a factor.

I noted then that 'after a year of data, we could do better to retain and attract others' and appealed we all work on ‘creating the best community experience for our jousters.' We may still have a ways to go to get back to 2013 and 2012, when attendance was twice what it is now, but we have learned one thing for sure. Working together in harmony and cooperation really works!"

DDA Dean KaliVRahu was singled out for posting over 400 joust entries into the Jousting League website, with painstaking attention to detail to get the facts right and make sure all are counted.

DDA Director Sir Nephilim Ventris and SLTA host of DRAGONSLAIR was also singled out for his efforts in helping Realms schedule events without conflicts, promote all equally without bias, acting as an official for many events, and jump starting new Realms with sales of his DL joust and archery system. He presented the first awards of the evening.

REALM HOST AWARDS

In his presentation to 18 participating Realms, he remarked:

"This past year I have to say, has been quite amazing. It's been fantastic seeing so many good folk working together for a common goal."

Through these sports and gatherings we have come closer together in the community as friends, as family, as a whole. And for that, I would like to thank each and every one of you for your continuing dedication and contribution in making this one of the most exciting adventures Second Life has to offer.

Each of the Realms and their leaders have worked with us to better the experience for everyone, offering more events now weekly than ever before!

Now we begin a new season, a new era, as we have many new realms and new participants joining us in this adventure. Each of us have given of ourselves and I for one appreciate the ability to visit so many beautiful realms and associate with such a lovely and wonderful Family of friends."

Honorees in alphabetical order:

Avilion, CasterlyRock, DarkFire, Darlecia, DoubleDragon, DragonsLair, DuchySchleswig,

Fort Ruina, Glanmire, HighGarden, JoyusGarden, KingsLanding, Melanthia, Nevermore,

RavenHearts, Stillwater, Summerwind, Whitehall

KING & QUEEN OF HELMS

Dame Queen Nakajima, DDA Program Advisor and recent IRON LANCE presented the awards for those who received the most Best Of Helm awards for the Season.

"Each year the SLTA awards a Queen and King of Helms for the Lord and Lady voted Best Of Helm most often in the Intersim Jousts. Tonight, I am honored to announce the winners for this past season."

Queen of Helms, Queen Stormy Summerwind

King of Helms, Baron Brett VonKjeller

TOP 10 LEAGUE AWARD

Dame Ricci Juliesse, DDA Steel Lance presented the TOP 10 LEAGUE AWARDS.

"Greetings and well met to all. We find ourselves at the end of yet another wonderful and exciting season of jousting and tonight it is my great honor to award those who have show great prowess and skill in this great sport."

She also took the opportunity to announce a 10 day Relay For Life event at the 2nd Annual UAC (Unmasking A Cure) Medieval Faire, starting June 17th that will offer Joust, Melee, and Archery Tournaments with all proceeds going to fight against Cancer.

Winners in alphabetical order:

Belladonna Mandrake, Brett Kjeller, Hacker Jannings, jazz Barrowstone, KALIvRAHU,

Littlebigtrouble, Mathew Porchers, Nephilim Ventris, Queen Nakajima and Stormy Summerwind

LEAGUE AWARDS

DDA Dean of Archery Hacker Jannings and SLTA host for MELANTHIA presented the awards for winners of the JOUSTING LEAGUE's overall standings tracked from all SL jousts reported in Season V.

"Having Just received an award, I now find myself doubly honored in being too able to present the next set of award winners. This past season competition for the top 10 slots was fierce and even more so for our next award. Out of those top 10 competitors, 4 of them rose to the very highest levels of their performance and led the SLTA in standings till the very end. Those competitors showed us their very best qualities in determination, commitment, honor, and good sportsmanship."

Winners were:

FOURTH PLACE: Mathew Porchers

THIRD PLACE: KALIvRAHU

SECOND PLACE: Littlebigtrouble

FIRST PLACE: Nephilim Ventris (Second year in a row to receive this distinction)

TOP 10 INTERSIM AWARDS

Headmaster Forester stepped in to present Top 10 Interim Awards when technical difficulties prevented DDA Joust Instructor Tabbicatt Duskwalker from returning to SL.

"Our dear friend Tabbicatt was to present but I will try to do my best in her place. Unlike the League Awards that present many opportunities for jousting and venues to compete in, the Intersim is a finite set of jousts in which jousters compare their skills on various lists. So these awards really compare skills very well and those receiving should be justly proud."

Winners in alphabetical order:

Belladonna Mandrake, Brett Kjeller, ElvaWilmarie, Hacker Jannings, jazz Barrowstone, KALIvRAHU, Littlebigtrouble, Mathew Porchers, Nephilim Ventris, Stormy Summerwind

INTERSIM CHAMPION AWARD

Sir Nephilim Ventris returned to the stage to present the final award of the evening, the coveted Intersim Champion Award for Season V.

"Once a week we hold the Intersim tournamnet, a grand event to say the least, celebrating our participating realms. But each year one rises to the top to claim the Intersim Trophy. Lady Lil, if you would please join me on stage. This past season you have risen above and beyond the rest to prove you have earned this magnificent award. I fought hard to earn it myself, among the best we have to offer and now it gives me great pleasure to pass this Honor on to you."

Winner of the award, Littlebigtrouble, who had amassed an impressive record, had this to say:

"I'd be lying if I didn't say I was so looking forward to this moment... but it's still a huge shock to be standing up here after a whole year of lance splitting! First of all, I'd like to thank the Summerwind team for their support and Queen Stormy for taking me under her wing. It is such an honor to be a part of her team and I am humbled that she would place her faith and trust in me.

Also I would like to express my warmest gratitude to all hosts, officials and volunteers who have worked tirelessly for the development of the joust community.

My deepest "thank you" to those who were there at the very beginning. I wouldn't have made it this far without the guidance of Lord Russel, General Kzebo, Ser Fin, and so many others who have dedicated much of their time to the training of the new apprentices.

Lastly, I would like to thank all my opponents for running such a fair and competitive campaign and for opening my eyes to so many new perspectives regarding the joust. As I've said many times before, we learn more from our defeats than from our victories, and I owe much of what I've learned to the brave jousters who have knocked me off my horse =^.^=

Thank you all for your friendship and for the opportunity to be here tonight =^.^="

CLOSING CELEBRATION

Headmaster Forester returned to the stage for closing remarks, allowing time for those who wished to address the audience with personal remarks. Queen Stormy Summerwind being among them, who spoke eloquently to presenters, hosts and jousters.

"Greetings everyone, I'm so happy to see you here. Congratulations to LIL and each of you and thank you for a fantastic season! Please bear with my long windedness as I have a few things I wish to express here this eve.

I would like to thank Headmaster Forester Lowenhart for everything he does for the community and organizing this wonderful awards ceremony to celebrate our achievements this season and what an amazing season it has been! Thank you Headmaster.

I also wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for Arch Duke Nephilim Ventris for his tireless dedication to each of us and to this sport we all love so much. He is always here when anyone needs assistance with training, officiating, bringing in new realms and existing realms. I know some may wonder why he officiates so many jousts and the answer is dedication. He is dedicated to ensuring the show goes on for all of us no matter what when others are unable to do so. Thank you Lord Ventris.

And also the beautiful Duchess Kali Ventris, Duke Hacker Jannings, Baron Brett VonKjeller and Commander Matthew who have and continue to devote countless hours documenting, training, organizing and officiating so we are able to have numerous tournaments to attend.

Thank you for all that each of you do for us.

Sometimes there may arise a difference of opinions concerning time slots, joust tactics and or official calls and this is to be expected with so many different perspectives participating and I would like to offer this, we each do our best and sometimes misinterpret things but our friendships and close bonds are precious and worth so much more than petty disagreements. ‘The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm’.

And finally I wish to thank each of you for your continued support of jousting, for the Realm of Summerwind, all other hosting realms and each other.. For it is we that make up a part of the whole which would not exist without each other. It has been and continues to be a true honor to face each of you in the list, forming new friendships, strong alliances and becoming such close and dear friends. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart and best of luck to each of you in the new season!"

The event ended with a fireworks display while Headmaster Forester congratulated all the winners and honorees, thanking everyone in attendance for coming, and an invitation to all who could stay for a celebration in the DDA's DragonPit, with a dance and DJ Dargost Volos.

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