“We all have.” When in the course of battle the two combatants clash, literal sparks fly and the noise of a large sword or battle-axe hitting a metal shield can be quite dramatic. “I’ve been hit in the back of the head and had my bell rung more than once,” says Walker. They take safety very seriously, but rare accidents do happen. The swords, lances, mace, bola and alabarda are all solid metal and wood, heavy and life threatening to both the trained and untrained. In the same way professional wrestlers and Hollywood stuntmen choreograph mock fights, the knights here must be well trained to avoid serious injury. One-on-one combat training commences with head knight Victor Velasquez running the trainees through combat and weapons training even veteran knights train every day. The 1,200 empty seats will soon have a reduced crowd, around 600, socially distanced for the show later that day. We move to the large arena with its sandy footing, perfectly suited to galloping horses and the pratfalls of knights. Horsemanship and fight training also begin on day one. I started out like everyone a squire, then became a knight, then head knight, and eventually show manager here, and finally corporate show manager.”Īll knights start with the not-always-so-enviable duty of squire, where, in addition to being an official pooper-scooper in the arena, they assist their knights by making sure they have everything needed for a thrilling performance. “I’m still a knight and perform occasionally. He, too, is tall and athletic and fits the knightly profile. Though he travels to all of the 10 properties and floats around to manage choreography, story changes and training-along with sound, lights, stables and as a troubleshooter-the Myrtle Beach castle is “home.” “I was a knight for many years,” says Collins. We meet in the knights’ and squires’ locker room, where a dozen men ranging from 19 to 49 years old layer up in various spandex riding tights, workout clothing and polycarbonate modified motocross protective chest and back plates, all in preparation for the afternoon’s fight training.Ĭorporate show manager Jim Collins, 49, has been with the company for 25 years and has called Myrtle Beach home for more than 30. Walker is tall, athletic, has a wide, boyish smile and only recently cut his knightly mane that used to reach the middle of his back. “We do the moves over and over again,” says 32-year-old knight Zach Walker, a lifetime Myrtle Beach resident and noble knight for the past six years. Long before the castle/arena opens to the public, knights and squires show up for the combat training and horse skills that are a part of every workday. But how does a show of this magnitude come across so flawlessly with each performance? How does a busboy from Myrtle Beach become a squire, and then become a knight? It starts with training and ends with experience.Įach and every day, knights and squires (knights in training) rehearse fight sequences. Closer to home, Fantasy Harbour (Highway 501 at the Intracoastal Waterway) in Myrtle Beach has seen a string of theater and theme parks start and stop over the past nearly 30 years, while Medieval Times has remained open and strong for 26 seasons. and one in Canada, this Spanish family-founded dinner theater concept has been entertaining and feeding guests since 1983, beginning with its very first castle in Orlando, Florida. I was recently given an inside look at just what’s required of a young man (no women allowed in this role) as he moves from squire to knight in a daily show, how he becomes an expert horseman and how the fantasy comes to life for the audience amid the thrill of pounding hooves, medieval war games, falconry, and a half a rotisserie chicken, plus sides, a drink and dessert. Thus is the general theme of the popular dinner theater attraction Medieval Times, where cheering on your very own knight comes with a queen and her evil advisor, a four-course meal delivered by serving wenches and a side of fun. In this issue, we’ll ask you to suspend your disbelief and travel back in time to feudal Spain where a knight’s valor, horsemanship, expertise in war and political savvy were often his only salvation. We’ve covered a lot of ground, including in-depth profiles of an area K-9 officer, mayor, judge, shrimp boat captain, culinary arts educator and many others. In our ongoing series, A Day in the Life, together we’ve explored a few of the many fascinating jobs required to keep a place as diverse as the Grand Strand fun, safe and fulfilling for locals and visitors. Knight Zach Walker prepares for the show’s opening sequence, when he and other knights and nobility are first introduced to the cheering crowd.
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