Full Metal Jousting

Full Metal Jousting is an American reality game show that debuted on the History Channel on February 12, 2012. The show featured 16 contestants, split into two teams of eight, competing in full-contact competitive jousting, a combat sport developed by host Shane Adams since the late 1990s. One by one, the contestants were eliminated tournament-style until only one remained. That contestant received a $100,000 grand prize.

Full Metal Jousting
GenreReality
Directed byAdam Vetri
Presented byShane Adams
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producersCraig Piligian
Ralph Wikke
Mitch Rosa
ProducersJohnny Bell
Rita Doumar
Production locationJackson, Mississippi
Camera setupmultiple-camera setup
Running time44:22
Production companyPilgrim Films & Television
Release
Original networkHistory Channel
Original releaseFebruary 12 (2012-02-12) –
April 15, 2012 (2012-04-15)

Gameplay

Each episode featured full-contact jousts in which competitors charged each other on horseback and collided at around 30 miles per hour. Unlike choreographed jousting familiar to many from dinner theater entertainment, the show featured authentic competitive jousting. The season-long competition was structured as a single-elimination tournament.

Two competitors were chosen to take part in each joust, selecting horses from an available stable and having separate practice sessions ahead of time. They wore full plate armor, with an extra plate bolted to one shoulder that served as a scoring target, and were armed with wooden lances. Points were scored by hitting the target with the lance tip, striking hard enough to break the lance, and unhorsing the opponent. A joust could be won on points after eight complete charges ("passes"), or by knockout at any time if a competitor was unhorsed and could not remount and be ready to continue within two minutes. If a competitor withdrew or was disqualified for any reason, a previously defeated opponent was reinstated in their place.

Show

Full Metal Jousting aired its first season (10 episodes) from February to April 2012. The first season was filmed over 38 days in October and November 2011 at Providence Hill Farm in Jackson, Mississippi.[1][2][3]

A grand prize of $100,000 was awarded to the tournament winner. However, in Season 1, Episode 4 it was revealed that a $25,000 prize would be awarded as well. In the finale, each team chose one of its eliminated members to compete head-to-head for this additional prize.

Casting

Casting for the show began in the summer of 2011 with a casting deadline of July 20, 2011.[4] Candidates were required to be at least 21 years of age, proficient in horseback riding, and a resident or citizen of the United States of America.[5]

Around 600 people, including both men and women,[6][7] applied. 30 applicants were accepted to a week-long boot camp led by the host, Shane Adams, at the end of which the producers and host eventually settled on the final 16 competitors,[8][9] aged between 23 and 43. Out of those 16 competitors, five were theatrical jousters working at Medieval Times and another six were professional horsemen (trainers or sportsmen).[10]

Full Metal Jousting is produced by Pilgrim Studios, which conducted a casting search via its website.

Contestants
ContestantOccupation / backgroundTeam[note 1]Eliminated
Landon Morris
27, Ft. Lauderdale, FL		 Auctioneer Black Team, drafted 9th Disqualified[note 2]
Brian Tulk
43, San Tan Valley, AZ		 Firefighter and paramedic Black Team, drafted 13th Injured[note 3]
Mike Edwards[note 4]
40, Las Vegas, NV		 United States Marine Corps veteran, bartender, stuntman Red
Team,
drafted 2nd		 Black
Team		 1st & 7th
Preliminary Jousts
Jack Mathis
31, Dallas, TX		 Theatrical jouster Black Team, drafted 15th 2nd Preliminary Joust
Joseph McKinley
29, Woodland Hills, CA		 Professional horseman and horse trainer Black Team, drafted 11th 3rd & 8th
Preliminary Jousts
John Stikes
28, Atlanta, GA		 Theatrical jouster Red Team, drafted 6th 4th Preliminary Joust
David Prewitt
25, Klamath Falls, OR		 United States Marine Corps veteran, MMA fighter Red Team, drafted 12th 5th Preliminary Joust
Tom Conant
25, Hilmar, CA		 Professional horse trainer and polo player Black Team, drafted 3rd 6th Preliminary Joust
Paul Suda
26, Los Angeles, CA		 Professional horse trainer[11] Red Team, drafted 14th Quarterfinals
Rope Myers
41, Van, TX		 World champion steer wrestler, 2002 Olympic gold medalist[12] Black Team, drafted 1st Quarterfinals
$25,000 Winner
James Fairclough
25, Newton, NJ		 Professional show jumper Red Team, drafted 4th Quarterfinals
Nathan Klassen
33, Broken Arrow, OK		 Professional bull rider and horse trainer Red Team, drafted 8th Quarterfinals
Jake Nodar
33, West Hollywood, CA		 Professional horse trainer Red Team, drafted 16th Semifinals
Josh Avery
23, Myrtle Beach, SC		 Theatrical jouster Red Team, drafted 10th Semifinals
Matt Hiltman
24, Atlanta, GA		 Theatrical jouster Black Team, drafted 5th Finals
Joshua Knowles
28, Myrtle Beach, SC		 Theatrical jouster Black Team, drafted 7th $100,000 Winner
  1. In the first episode, the 2 coaches drafted their teams, with black picking 1st and alternating with red.
  2. Landon Morris was forced to leave the competition in episode five for breaching the show's "zero tolerance to animal cruelty" policy by punching a horse during practice and then denying what he did was wrong. Joe McKinley was reinstated to the competition in his place.
  3. Brian Tulk injured his groin muscle in episode six and voluntarily left the competition.
  4. Mike Edwards was initially on the Red Team but switched to the Black Team in episode six to replace Brian Tulk, who left due to injury.

Episodes
No. Title Original air date
1"The Ultimate Extreme Sport"February 12, 2012 (2012-02-12)
The 16 contestants are divided into two teams, and begin joust training. Red Team's Mike is chosen to go up against Black Team's Josh, losing 8-5.
2"Unhorsed"February 19, 2012 (2012-02-19)
3"Death Sticks & a Coffin"February 26, 2012 (2012-02-26).
4"Blood and Guts"March 4, 2012 (2012-03-04)
The $25,000 joust is announced, prompting teams to figure out which members will compete.
5"Hits Like a Truck"March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11)
Landon is disqualified for animal cruelty, and Joe is reinstated to replace him.
6"Ready to Rock"March 18, 2012 (2012-03-18)
After leaving due to injury, Black Team's Brian is replaced by Red Team's Mike.
7"A Killing Machine"March 25, 2012 (2012-03-25)
8"Go to War"April 1, 2012 (2012-04-01)
9"Charge On"April 8, 2012 (2012-04-08)
10"The Championship Joust"April 15, 2012 (2012-04-15)

Preliminary jousts
  1. Mike Edwards replaced Brian Tulk who left the competition due to injury. As Tulk was from the Black team, Edwards was required to switch from the Red to the Black team.
  2. Joe McKinley replaced Landon Morris who was disqualified for mistreatment of his horse.

Tournament bracket

After the preliminary jousting completed, three players from the Black team and five players from the Red team advanced into the quarterfinals. The host and coaches decided the quarterfinal match-up, and the rest of the season continued as a single-elimination tournament.

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
 Black  Myers 18
Red Avery 19
Red Avery 22
Black Knowles 23
Black Knowles 25
Red Suda 14
Black Knowles 17
 Black  Hiltman 16
Red Fairclough 7
Red Nodar 11
Red Nodar 1
 Black  Hiltman 22
Black Hiltman 3
Red Klassen 2

^1 Since both players were from the Black team, for visual clarity during this match Knowles' score was designated as Gold.
^2 Since both players were from the Red team, for visual clarity during this match Nodar's score was designated as Silver.

$25,000 joust

In Season 1, Episode 4 it was revealed there would also be a $25,000 prize awarded. Each team was asked to nominate one member of their team, not already in the finals, who would compete prior to the final joust.

The Black team decided on two players they felt deserved to be in the $25,000 joust, Rope Meyers and Jack Mathis. For their final decision they had a coin toss. The coach for the Black Team, Rod Walker, was asked to flip a coin, and prior to the coin toss Jack Mathis was asked to call it; he chose "tails". The toss was "heads", and Rope Meyers was in the $25,000 joust for the Black Team.

The Red team decided to hold a secret ballot. There were two votes for David Prewitt, two votes for Josh Avery, and three votes for John Stikes who would now face Rope Meyes in the $25,000 joust for the Red Team.

Rope Meyers won the $25,000 joust with a score of 6 to 2.

$25,000 Joust
   
 Black  Meyers 6
Red Stikes 2

Reception

The show premiered on February 12, 2012 to a total of 1.9 million viewers.[13] The numbers since the premiere have been stable, ranging from 1.2 million viewers[14] to 1.7 million viewers.[15] The finale was reported to have drawn 1.44M viewers for a .5 share.[16]

References
  1. Kiesewetter, John (February 17, 2012). "History Channel's new 'Full Metal Jousting' filmed in Miss". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  2. "Full Metal Jousting: Episode 1 Recap". MedievalArchives.com. February 15, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  3. Partain, Kyle (March 3, 2012). "ProRodeo cowboys sign on for Full Metal Jousting". Bridle & Bit. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  4. Parisi, Paula (June 22, 2011). "Now, Warrior!". The Equestrian News. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  5. "History casting horseback riders to JOUST for $100,000". Pilgrim Studios. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  6. Abraham, Lois (April 6, 2012). "Full Metal Jousting marks renaissance of extreme sport". TheRecord.com. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  7. Skinner, Jess (April 12, 2012). "Full Metal Jousting". Toro Magazine. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
  8. Abraham, Lois (April 4, 2012). "Living the dream of being knight in shining armour". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  9. "Going Full Tilt with Full Metal Jousting Contestant Jake Nodar". EquiSearch. 7 February 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  10. history.com website
  11. also appeared as "18th-century weapons expert" in Deadliest Warrior, season 3 episode 23 (2011)
  12. "Olympics rodeo is back! February 9–11, 2002 at Salt Lake City, rodeo enters the Olympic arena again in an event called the Cultural Olympiad Rodeo." "Steer Wrestling: Trav Cadwell, Oakdale, Calif.; Jason Lahr, Emporia, Kan.; Jeff Babek, Granite, Okla.; Rope Myers, Van, Texas, and Bryan Fields, Conroe, Texas." (2002 Salt Lake City Olympics To Include Rodeo)
  13. "Full Metal Jousting Premieres to 1.9 Million Total Viewers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  14. "Sunday Cable Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  15. "Sunday Cable Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  16. TV by the Numbers
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