Introduction to Buhurt

If you haven't heard of Buhurt, it's full contact, unscripted medieval team fights, with real steel armour, and real steel weapons. It's not reenacting and it's not larp. The goal is to put the opposing team on the ground, and there are very few rules.

It's meant to be a modern emulation of melee tournaments of old. In this sense, if you fall down or touch the ground with anything but your feet, you count as "dead."

The sport is unlike anything I've ever played. I've played all kinds of things, from soccer to squash, rugby to dodgeball, and even been a circus acrobat and parkour athlete before this. We're using techniques from judo, boxing, HEMA, and others, all the while holding medieval weapons, and carrying up to 40kg of steel.

What I'm raising funds for

The sport is growing quite rapidly of late, but is still in its infancy. Because of this, there are only a few scattered competitive tournaments across the season, and they are held in locations most of us have to travel long distances to attend.

I am a husband and father of two young boys, and also work in a full time position managing the day-today of a busy, not-for-profit organisation in Grange QLD. This leaves me with the only option of flying to and from these tournaments, which is prohibitively expensive.

Myself and my team, the Brisbane Beasts Bloods, are trying to prove ourselves as a division 1 team, and show we can compete in the larger international tournaments. To achieve this, we've gotta make it to as many domestic events as possible.

Having flights and/or accommodation sorted would mean I could guarantee my attendance, while still being able to make it back to look after my family and return to work without major disruptions.

Who I am

I'm Jason, a 36 year old father of two, who has cared for thousands of other Brisbane-based children over the last 10 years. I am in management at a large OSHC service in Grange, QLD, and in my spare time, enjoy beating up medieval knights, among other things.

I have always been competitive. I've always loved sports, despite being a huge nerd, and I've always loved swords and armour.

I spent my youth playing soccer and cricket, then in high school, had the opportunity to try a whole range of sports casually (but still competitively, where possible). I tried 10 pin bowling, tennis, squash, table tennis, AFL, rugby union, athletics and cross country, surfing, triathlons, Oztag, netball, basketball, figure skating, skateboarding, golf, and volleyball. None really held my attention well enough. Squash held some interest until the end of high school, where I discovered parkour and circus acrobatics.

I trained parkour and flying trapeze for years, and ended up running my own flying trapeze school here in Brisbane with my wife, until covid. During this time I also tried competitive adult dodgeball, which was a blast, but also not quite there.

In Brisbane, I attended my first medieval festival, and saw 8 knights fighting each other with full force. It wasn't scripted, and it was messy, all out brawling. It was amazing. I researched the sport for years, then finally found a home with the Brisbane Beasts. I have since been training for two years, and have never looked back. Since beginning this sport, I'm stronger, fitter, and healthier. I've all but quit alcohol, and have shifted my diet considerably. It has been the best thing for my physical health for a very very long time, and I absolutely love it!

I truly appreciate any assistance donated towards my goal of becoming an international level fighter, and being selected to fight on Australia's national team.