People that are splendid

[The Salmon Lord]

Rather than bitch about what's bad can we also discuss people who are impressive. Perhaps concentrating on the slightly more unsung.

I shall start with Chris Chatfield of the 1595 club. I love his work on Saviolo and the insight he has into body mechanics. I shamelessly admit to be slightly in awe of him.

Milo. Hardcore gentleman thug who kicks my arse everytime we meet and then shares ale with me. The foremost expert on Hope in the world in my opinion.

[Reinier]

I think anybody who can combine a good knowledge and understanding of his/her selected source material with applying this material well in free fencing (for instance in a tournament) is splendid. They are even better if they can also instruct their understanding and application well.

At least that is what I personally strife for.

But bitching is more fun.

[knirirr]

Milo. Hardcore gentleman thug who kicks my arse everytime we meet and then shares ale with me. The foremost expert on Hope in the world in my opinion.

Thanks! It is always a pleasure to kick the arse of (or have one's arse kicked by), and then share ale with, gentlemen of taste.

[admin]

Steve Hick and Matt Galas, hunting down new sources, historical fencing rules and other cool things, and generally being awesome.

People like Reinier and Phil Marshal, who actually look like the treatises when they fight in rapier tournaments.

Scott Brown, for forcing me to stop spinning around by battering the crap out of me.

Andy Damms, for being quite old, quite mad, a blade magnet and still winning stuff.

[Phil C]

Pete Kautz- an excellent example of how to work conceptually with historical sources to get so much more from them in different contexts.
Milo Thurston- simply all round splendid. I want to be him when I grow up.
Guy Windsor- taught me how to fence historically and teach.
Victor Markland- has the same penchant as me for uing fencing theory to analyse the minutiae and esoterica of everything else in life
Anyone who attends the Smallsword Symposium- naturally

[Cutlery Penguin]

Fab, for being fab.

[Monster Zero]

Fab, for being fab.

He doth speaketh the Truth and I'd also like to echo the things said about Reinier, Milo, Matt Galas and Scott Brown.

I'd also add:

Matt Easton - Splendid all-around chap who really knows his stuff. What's more he has an amazing ability to find the most interesting historical sources. And rather than hoarding them like some do, he shares them freely on the Internet. That there my friends is true quality. Also a truly excellent teacher.

Dave Rawlings - The man truly gets the combative nature of the arts. opened my eyes to the similarity of WMA with stuff I had been studying in Wing Chun/Jeet Kune Do. His enthusiasm is amazing, infectious and I've learned a lot from him. Makes S&B and other arts extremely fun!

[Bethan J]

Reiner, for beating me up and then giving me a bottle of Very Good Gin

(edited for tenses)

[knirirr]

Reiner, for beating me up and then giving me a bottle of Very Good Gin

He beat me up as well, but I don't like gin and so didn't get any - Bethan had to drink it all. Still, a jolly good fellow, though.

[Oli Barker]

All those people who direct their time, money and ingenuity into designing and making better HEMA kit.

[xn]

I posted this back in Jan on the HemaAlliance forum:

I'd like to take a moment to offer thanks to a small handful of the many, many people who's work and friendship impact my practice and passion of HEMA on almost a daily basis.

First, to Jean Chandler who introduced me to HEMA and is a brother-in-arms, always challenging me to be a better fencer and person.
to Jake Norwood, for coming down to New Orleans and laying the groundwork for my understanding of the art.
to Scott Brown, for bringing the international HEMA community here to the south and opening many many doors...
to Matt Galas, your moulinet/flow drill has forever changed the way I wield a sword.
to Lopes Cordozo, your bio-mechanics class has given me a new lens in which to see and understand movement and technique.
and finally to Michael Chidester for his tireless work on the juggernaut of awesome that is wiktenauer.com

And to everyone else with their translations, classes, class and company that has turned this experience from a love to a passion.

Thank you,
-xn

[Stevie T]

I'm taking a "time out" because I'm probably one of those who count as one of the most annoying people in HEMA, but I couldn't miss out this thread.

Matt has to be counted at the top of the list of "splendid" people. He runs this forum and has to strike a very hard balance of "open" discussion and a bunch of twonks who shouldn't be allowed out in public, and does a very good job of fencing this fine line.

I also have a couple of favourites amongst the many people on here, but I'd have to say that by and large most people who post on here are jolly good chaps!

This forum has encouraged me to drive my group forward in so many different ways and I thank you all who teach, study and practice, because you have all helped me, and all proven yourselves to be "splendid"!

[bigdummy]

The following people are splendid:

Jake Norwood, for helping us learn how to fence and teach, and being a pal when it wasn't convenient. And for being a gamer and for introducing me to Polish history and literature. And for the role he played in starting HEMA Alliance.

Jay Vail, for teaching me everything I know about daggers and ringen, and for being a pal when it wasn't convenient, and for being a bad-ass who throws kids out of the ring in tournaments.

Matt Galas for the research he's done and for constantly pushing us all to a higher standard. Fab, Matt, Gordon and all the guys who were in it for looking so cool on 'Reclaiming the Blade'. (with one exception)

"The Swedes", especially Axel and Anders, for doing more to contribute to a good fencing culture in the US than anyone else, and for sharing what they learned with the world.

"The Poles" for helping to push us longsword fencers collectively over into the world of steel, mainly by inventing gloves and good feders.

Matt for hosting this site, and for the documents and images he finds, Ariella for all the cool stuff she finds... Lyceum for helping me find stuff. Christian, Lenny, Robert and all my guys for continuing to keep our tiny fencing club going and posing a challenge to me mentally and physically every week. Carlos, Roberto and all the Mexicans for making a macuhitil and bringing luche libre into HEMA. Kel for showing me around the wonderful world of Toronto and introducing me to Fiore longsword. Many other people I've met on here who kept me entertained through long work-days...

And also everyone who took my class at FA !

BD

[zarlor]

Well, I thought of just one splendid person, that one guy that did that thing, but after thinking about it I realized I was wrong. You're just all twats.

Actually, the vast majority of people I've met in HEMAdom have all been splendid people, whether for what they have taught me, for what they have learned from me (and often, thereby, taught me as well), and even for just being great, hospitable folk. If I name names then I will just flat forget someone that desperately needs to be included in the list. It's only the jerks that I could probably name, and I can probably count them all with just fingers (and out of the many hundreds of folks into this particular little hobby that I've met and dealt with I think that's saying quite a lot!) So forgive me for not naming those hundreds of truly splendid people and feel free to throw me on the despicable list for it, but there it is.

[admin]

I have to say that most of the best people I know right now in my life are HEMA people. I've done quite a few hobbies and sports over the years, but never have I encountered such a thick concentration of splendid, educated, funny, and just downright nice people as I have in HEMA. I'm not going to slag off certain other groups of people, but HEMA people are just better. FACT.

[admin]

p.s. You don't need to thank me for running the forum, I do it because I want to, it makes my days go considerably quicker, it gives me a place to dump thoughts and research, and it doesn't cost me anything. I get FAR FAR more from this forum than I lose to it.

[Reinier]

I feel honoured to be named in this thread, and amongst such fantastic people. Thanks guys and gals!

[Fab]

I feel hounoured to be honoured by Reineir. Thanks chaps.


Oz : you da Man.

[Lyceum]

Hermann Zu.

[Alexander Pierre]

Hermann Zu.

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