Full Metal Jousting: Season 2
(Season of the Continental Jousters)
DISCLAIMER: I own none of the show nor its concepts. All rights reserved to Dir. Adam Veltri, the show's creators, and Shane Adams.
It's back. The hard-hitting, horse cantering, mind-boggling concept of jousting brought back as a second season of Full Metal Jousting. Featuring sixteen contestant from different places on the globe, split into two teams of eight, competing in full-contact competitive jousting, a combat sport developed by the all-famous host, Shane Adams. One by one, the contestants are eliminated until only one remains. That person will receive the $100,000 grand prize.
The stage was set; a large ranch right in the center of Jackson, Mississippi, home to tens of horses, large stables, enormous practice fields, and complete with a spacious loft-style housing. Right at the front, a Renaissance-style jousting list; consisting of a long wooden wall surrounded by two sand paths and tents at each end. It was the perfect area for a competition of this magnitude. Coming right through the front gate, into the main jousting list, are the sixteen hopefuls preparing to go head-to-head for the $100,000 prize. Among them, fourteen men and two women, composed of theatrical jousters, horse trainers, bull riders, a veterinarian, a personal trainer, a horse specialist, an athletics specialist, an engineer, a French professor, and a computer programmer. All of them gathered together for one common goal, to become the next winner of Full Metal Jousting. To thing, they thought they were ready for whatever they would face. Oh, how they didn't even scratch the surface of their journey.
"I don't really feel intimidated," professional bull rider Cody Villegas says, "I'm one of the taller, stronger, tougher guys out here. There's no reason for me to fear anyone but my own mistakes."
"I'm a computer programmer by day, a theatrical jouster by night," Jean Terry comments, "I have the advantage of possessing both honed skills from jousting experience and knowledge of the physics and applications behind them."
"I may be the youngest one here, but I have twice the heart as anyone does," horse trainer Naomi Kadri remarks, "With Jennifer, we're going to show all of these men that we are even better than they are at jousting, while looking good doing it."
"Being a profound horse trainer, I know how to get a horse to perform the correct actions nicely," Huck Perry mentioned, "That should give me more of an advantage when competing in a joust."
All of them lined up, standing in uneven rows of 5-6-5, awaiting further instructions on their journey. At that moment, the sounds of beating horse canter and a loud "NEIGH!" came into range. A middle-aged man on top of an off-white, speeding horse entered each person's vision. Yet they all knew that it wasn't any ordinary man; it was none other than professional jouster and captain of North America's premier full contact jousting team, The Knights of Valour, Mr. Shane Adams. The man single-handedly responsible for re-introducing the sport of jousting into modern times. He was riding in on Crispin, one of his ten horses that are open for use by the sixteen contestants to train and compete. A legend in his own right, now standing before them.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," Shane introduced, "And congratulations; for you all have been handpicked to be here as the second line of cfull-mounted warriors for Full Metal Jousting."
An abundance of cheers and outbursts erupted from the crowd of sixteen. eager to begin.
"There are sixteen of you, but only one will become the next Full Metal Jousting champion," Shane reminded them, "We're actually going to split you up into two teams of eight; one will be the red team, the other the black team."
All sixteen were diligently listening, wanting to soak in all the information they could.
"Each week, a red team member and a black team member will joust. After eight passes of jousting, the loser of the match is eliminated, the winner moves on to the next round, and his team gets to choose what the next matchup will be," Shane explained, looking for approval from the crowd, "Understood?"
"Yes." murmured the crowd simultaneously.
"I've picked two of the finest competitors I've ever faced in the joust list before, to be your coaches," Shane announced, settling the crowd's need for training, "Coaching the red team, he's one of the United States' best: Ripper Moore!"
An immediate applause arose from the crowd as Ripper Moore stepped into sight. With a silver goatee and a brown cowboy hat, no one questioned his credibility.
"Everyone knew who Ripper Moore was," engineer Tommy Mckeehen stated, "He is one of the best in our time, and it's great to see him back from season one."
"Even though his team lost last season, I really think he is a really intelligent coach," personal trainer Ivan Rhine revealed, "I really hope he picks me to be on his team."
"Ripper Moore found his connection in theatre jousting," Shane informed, "Quirky as can be, but a true warrior; a true horseman."
"Coaching the black team, Australia's best: Rod Walker!" Shane shouted.
Shouts and clapping appeared from the sixteen competitors, approving the choice in leadership.
"I've seen a lot of him back in Australia," theatrical jouster Nathanael Lawrence added, "I think him and I will get along great."
"It's great to see another Aussie in this sport," bull rider Matthew Smith stated, "It gives people hope that this sport can become international."
"A member of his team did win last season," theatrical jouster Alex Beckley adds, "I really hope he picks me to join his team."
"Rod has a lot of the historical theory of jousting," Shane comments, "His coaching style is completely different than Ripper's, but his theories and teaching styles work."
"Well, considering this is a jousting competition, why don't we get this started?" Shane asked, knowing what the crowd would say.
"Yeah!" exclaimed the sixteen hopefuls, wanting to see what was in store for them.