From The Page (July, 1989):
This year's Ducal Prize Toumament for the benefit of the West Kingdom Land Fund will
take place on Labor Day Weekend, from Friday to Monday, September 1-4. Organized
events will begin Friday evening with a "Special Request Bardic Circle." Other activities
planned for the weekend will include fighting and nonfighting competitions, the famous
Ducal Prize auctions, and the Second Annual Ducal Garage Sale. A preliminary list of the
competitions will be published in the August Page, and a schedule will appear in the
September Page. The site is the same as last year, Lion's Grove Park in Marysville. It has
the same grass and trees, the same swimming in the river, the same obnoxious trains
roaring past, and NEW privies (which, I am told, bear less resemblence to the eruption of
Mount Vesuvius). We are negotiating with Higher Authorities to arrange more clement
weather than last year's record-breaking heat, but if we are unsuccesful, fighting will be
scheduled for the cooler parts of the day. Note that the site allows only limited driving on
to unload vehicles - if you have a cart, you may wish to bring it. The site fee is also the
same as last year - THERE WILL BE NO SITE FEE! Merchants are welcome, but are
asked to donate 10% of their profits from the event to the land fund. A map and directions
will be in the August Page. This year's Ducal Prize Raffle is for 13 1/2 feet of freshwater
pearls, donated by our very generous friends at the Mongolian General Store. As an
inducement to buy tickets, the gentles who run the Mongolian General Store have
promised a $1 discount on a pearl necklace to anyone who presents a losing raffle ticket.
Tick are six for $5, or $1 each, and will be available at all Kingdom and Principality events
until Ducal Prize and at Ducal Prize. The drawing will be held on Sunday evening. We are
still (always) asking for donations of auction items, prizes, and garage sale stuff. We are
also interested in new and interesting competition ideas. Write to me and let me know
what you will be able to donate - or see me at an event. Remember that donations can
be of services as well as of tangible goods. and that "prornlsorles" for personalized items
do better if we have an example of your work to display. The more donations we get, the
more money we make. The more money we make, the sooner we can buy land. (This
math even I can understand.) We are also looking for people willing to commit some time
to helping to run the event. If you would like to help, get in touch. If you have special skills
that might be useful, be sure to mention them. Write Ducal Prize, (address/phone).
Eilis O'Boirne
Commissar of Commissars
From The Page (August, 1989):
This year's Ducal Prize Toumament for the benefit of the West Kingdom Land Fund will take place on Labor Day Weekend, from Friday to Monday, September 1-4. The site is Lion's Grove Park in Vakkerfjell (Marysville). The site will open at 1 pm on Friday, and will close on Monday afternoon. There will be NO SITE FEE. Organized events will begin Friday evening with a "Special Request Bardic Circle." The site is the same as last year, Lion's Grove Park in Marysville. It has the same grass and trees, the same swimming in the river, the same obnoxious trains roaring past, and NEW privies (which, I am told, bear less resemblence to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius). We have ordered cooler weather, and hope that the Higher Authorities will cooperate. The proprietors of the Sea Rat Inn are planning to open an Ice Cream Parlor which will also be serving cold drinks, and we are planning to contact the ice cream man who showed up last year. Merchants are welcome, but we ask that at least 10% of your profit be donated to the Land Fund at the end of the event. If you have any questions, call Ellis. Directions to the site will be in the September Page, and will be available In handouts at various upcoming events. Note that the site allows only limited driving on to unload vehicles - if you have a cart, you may wish to bring it. This year's Ducal Prize Raffle is for 13 1/2 feet of freshwater pearls, donated by, our very generous friends at the Mongolian General Store. As an inducement to buy tickets, the gentles who run the Mongolian General Store have promised a $1 discount on a pearl necklace to anyone who presents a losing raffle ticket. Tickets are six for $5, or $1 each, and will be available at all Kingdom and Principality events until Ducal Prize and at Ducal Prize. The drawing will be held on Sunday evening.
Auctions:
Competitor Auction: This is a chance for non-fighters to compete for the goodies offered as
prizes for the various fighting competitions, and for the less-skilled to participate in some
of the other contests. The notion is that a competitor who wishes to enter a particular
contest, but (may not want the prize, cannot afford the entry fee, wants to earn more for the
Land Fund) will put his or her skills up for auction. The buyer donates the amount of his
bid to the Land Fund and, if "his" or "her" competitor wins, gets the prize.
Auctions of Goods and Services: These are regular auctions, with the items going to the
highest bidder. There will be several auctions this year, with most scheduled for Saturday
and Sunday. Among them will be a few special auctions: a library auction (a chance to
clear the duplicates off your bookshelves), an auction of food items (Saturday evening),
and a dessert auction, sponsored by the Duchesses of the West (although you don't have
to be a Duchess to make a donation to this particular auction).
Fighting Competitions:
Ducal Team Melee: Each Duke present will lead a team selected (softball fashion) from
among the fighters who sign up for the competition. The teams will ALL be auctioned.
There will be one prize.
Great Sword Melee: If enough fighters sign up, this melee will be fought three times, and
the winners will fight a round-robin to determine first, second and third places. there will
be up to three prizes, depending on the number of competitors.
Three-Man Team Melee: There will be one prize, suitable for splitting.
Resurrectjon Melee: There will be a number of lives available at auction. Fighters, their
sponsors, or their friends may buy these lives. A fighter can resurrect until his lives are all
gone. There will be one prize.
Blind Man Melee: Each team will consist of two fighters, one blindfolded and one with no
shield or weapon. The unarmed fighter will direct the blind fighter, but will not be "killable."
There will be one prize.
Poleweapon Melee: If enough fighters sign up, this melee will be fought three times, and
the winners will fight a round-robin to determine first, second and third places. There will
be up to three prizes, depending on the number of competitors.
Sword and Shield List: This will be fought in belted and unbelted divisions as a standard
double-elimination list. There will be up to three prizes in each division, depending on the
number of competitors.
Mass Weapon and Shield List: This will be fought as a standard double-elimination list.
There will be up to three prizes, depending on the number of competitors.
Pike List: This will be fought as a standard double-elimination list. There will be up to
three prizes, depending on the number of competitors.
IKAC Round: Standard rules. We will try to have loaner bows available.
Shoot the Scroll: We have had a scroll donated which got spoiled when it was almost
done. As in the "Shoot Hirsch" competition last year, the archers will be aiming for a
"secret spot", the winner will be the one who comes closest.
Jacks: The kid game with caltrops and balls. If this is as popular as it was last year, we
may have multiple prizes.
Jeu-de-Boule:For teams of two.
Hunkerhauser: Standard rules. Kid and Addled divisions.
Gargoyles: This will be run both with and without props.
Gurnlng: Making faces at your opponent until s/he cracks up. This will be run as a
single-elimination list.
Scavenger hunt: For teams of up to four. The prize will be sharable.
Toss the Targe: Frisbee with small round shields.
Arts and Sciences Contests:
PAGE Cover Contest: Black and White drawings suitable for the cover of our very own
Kingdom newsletter. You can include the words "The Page" and "Newsletter of the
Kingdom of the West", or leave space for it. You must leave space for the date.
Cheap Garb: A complete outfit (not including shoes, underwear, or awards) for $2O or
less. Extra points for including the excluded items. We won't ask for receipts, just for
honesty. However, receipts will get extra points for documentation.
Armor: This will be run in beginner and advanced divisions.
Heraldry in Use: Anything using heraldic insigniae which is not drawn on paper or made
of fabric.
Brewing: Beers and ales. Please bring your formula.
Savory Snacks: Dolmas, tapas, antipasto, and similar non-sweet snacks to tempt the
flagging palate. You must bring your recipe. The prize for this contest is four ounces of
Spanish saffron, donated by Grafin Grun.
Noyelle Ancienne Cuisine: Bring a menu and recipes for a nouvelle cuisine version of a
medieval feast. Ingredients must be period; methods of preparation must be possible with
medieval techniques (i.e., none of the recipes must require a microwave). Do not bring
food - this is your chance to "use" truffles, veal, and all the other stuff we can't afford!
Evening Competitions: (These will be held Saturday and Sunday evenings)
Tux-ing: Imitate the Inimitable Theresia von Tux.
Original Song or Poem: On the subject of the West.
Pre-Period Filk: Songs to be filked must be chosen from "Top 40" hits between 1955 and
the beginning of AS I - extra points will be given for thoe originally performed by
"groups" and rendered in the competition by "groups". (Yes, we really want to hear SCA
versions of the do-wah, shoup-shoup songs!).
Bards with Documentation: Any music or poem written in period and performed in period
style. Documentation is required for this competition. (Childe Ballad Numbers are not
documentation.)
Bardic Competition: Serious and humerous divisions. If there are many entries, there may
be multiple prizes.
Storytelling: Impromptu stories based on words drawn from a hat, as at the Mists Bardlc
Competition.
Other competitions may be induded if we get more bright ideas and have enough prizes to go around. If you have a bright idea, talk to Eilis.
As always, we need donations of auction items, prizes, and garage sale stuff. We also need people who are ready and willing to work at all tasks that make Ducal Prize a sucess. It you would like to help, get in touch with Eilis. Write Ducal Prize, (address), or call her at (phone), Monday and Tuesday evenings are best.
Description of this event (if any), taken from The Page, or from memory of at least one person who attended the event.
The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).