Tulsa Dueling Society
Upcoming Events
- Saturday, March 17, 2012 @ 7:25 am – The Tulsa Dueling Society will host a Duel @ Dawn! This will be a open, one-touch, electric epee tournament. Registration will begin @ 7:00 am. The entry fee is $5. The winner will be honored with a free breakfast @ Jimmy’s Egg @ 41st and Peoria immediately following. The event will be outside on the front lawn of the South Brooke Church of Christ, 1132 East 38th Street, Tulsa, OK 74105. Medals and bragging rights will be awarded for 1st (Gold), 2nd (Silver) and 3rd (Bronze).
- Saturday, April 21, 2012 @ 6:45 am – The Tulsa Dueling Society will host a Foil @ Dawn! This will be a open, one-touch, electric foil tournament. Registration will begin @ 6:15 am. The entry fee is $5. The winner will be honored with a free breakfast @ Jimmy’s Egg @ 41st and Peoria immediately following. The event will be outside on the front lawn of the South Brooke Church of Christ, 1132 East 38th Street, Tulsa, OK 74105. Medals and bragging rights will be awarded for 1st place (Gold), 2nd place (Silver) and 3rd place (Bronze).
Past Events
- Duel at Dawn - December 17, 2011 What an exciting morning! With the temperature below freezing, only the bravest dared to attend this special yuletide event! Some of the competitors must have made Santa's "nice" list since they showed up with their new Leon Paul SR-71 blades. The fr...
- Duel at Dawn - September 24, 2011 What perfect weather! (Except when the dew and humidity played havoc with the electrical systems.) Eight fencers showed up for this morning's festivities. It was good to have Chris Hughes rejoin us. Although his forte (pun intended) is Foil, he handled...
- Duel at Dawn - July 30, 2011 Wow! Nine people showed up at 6:30 am this morning for our Duel at Dawn! The competition was so intense and robust that we had a 3-way tie for 2nd and 3rd place! After it was all said and done Rob King took 1st place (Gold), Scott Griffith took 2nd ...
- Duel at Dawn - July 16, 2011 This bright, cheery and hot July morning only 4 brave fencers arrived to participate in the Duel at Dawn. But make no mistake, the competition was fierce and the rivalries were intense! Congratulations to Jeff for 1st place (Gold), Scott for 2nd place (Si...
- Duel at Dawn - June 25, 2011 This morning 5 brave souls arrived for the Duel at Dawn! Congratulations to Scott Griffith for 1st place (Gold), Rob King for 2nd place (Silver) and Karen Welch for 3rd place (Bronze). Although Mike Rusk and Reece Morrel went home empty handed they st...
- Duel at Dawn - April 30, 2011 Promptly at 6:30 am (a.k.a. Dawn), the 6 intrepid fencers of the Tulsa Dueling Society began their tournament! Rob took home the Gold Medal. Michael, a dedicated foil fencer with amazing point control (had never fenced epee before), took home the Silve...
What is the Tulsa Dueling Society?
The Tulsa Dueling Society is an organization whose purpose is to perpetuate the “duel at dawn.” There are three types of “duels at dawn.” They are, “Duel at Dawn,” “Foil at Dawn,” and “Sabers at Dawn.”
It should be noted that the Tulsa Dueling Society does not, in any way, advocate the killing, or even injury, of anyone. The “duel at dawn” concept is based on the use of modern Olympic style fencing weapons and techniques, and is a completely safe sport.
Those who participate in Tulsa Dueling Society events, are previously trained in techniques of modern Olympic competitive style fencing. There are also a few non-fencers who aid in set-up, take-down, score-keeping, and other duties.
In a very real sense, members of the Tulsa Dueling Society could be thought of as a close knit fraternity dedicated to the concept of keeping the tradition of gentlemenly dueling alive. But, in doing so, keeping it safe, and maintaining it as an art form, not as a means of vengeance, or of killing an enemy.
To accomplish this, the society holds an event (a “duel”) once every four months to once each month depending on interest and weapons used (epee, foil or saber). These duels, in keeping with historical tradition, must be out of doors, on grass (or other similar surface), in the early morning, and regardless of the weather (rain, shine or freezing cold).
As few as two or three duelists may participate in an event, or as many as eight or ten, or even more. In order to maintain an atmosphere of intimacy, we generally prefer to limit the number to six or eight duelists.
The duels are invariably for one touch each, and the scoring is by battery operated scoring equipment. All duelists will fence against all other duelists present, in a pool system. Medals are awarded to first, second and third place duelists. The printed rules of the United States Fencing Association are generally used, but may be modified to fit the requirements of the Tulsa Dueling Society.
With us the emphasis is on courtesy, gentlemanly conduct, and camaraderie.
How Did It All Begin?
Epee fencing began in 1904 when a group of fencers from a London fencing club decided to try to recreate the conditions of the duels of the Dreyfus Affair. The last of the duels had taken place in France in 1901.
There had been as many as three thousand of these duels between, roughly, 1880 and 1901, many of them fought to the death. However, because dueling was illegal, and no longer in favor (since the French Revolution), many of the duelists were subject to charges of murder. Consequently, by the end of the period of the Dreyfus Affair duels, the custom became dueling to “first blood,” rather than to death. This way, a charge of pre-meditated murder could often be avoid.
This new concept of “first blood” completely altered the style of fencing in use since the eighteenth century. It was no longer necessary to attack the opponent’s torso, since blood could as easily be drawn from the hand, wrist, or even foot, as from the body. Consequently, both attacking techniques, and defensive techniques changed.
Even the weapons made during the period changed slightly, to reflect this new style of sword play. The new style, and its weapon, came to be called “epee,” the French word for sword. In Britain and America, until well into the 1950′s or 60′s, it was simply called the “dueling sword.” Now, it’s called “epee.”
It was in England that a group of fencers made an attempt to re-create, in 1904, the conditions of the Dreyfus Affair duels by holding an outdoor competition in the early morning, on the grass, for one touch only, with hits allowed on any part of the anatomy. Thus, was born the sport of epee fencing, now an Olympic sport.
With the invention of electrical scoring equipment during the 1930′s, epee fencing moved indoors (where the electricity was) where foil fencing had always been. With the ease of electrical scoring, epee bouts went to multiple touches (anywhere from three to fifteen), and one touch bouts became a thing of the past, along with the idea of fencing outdoors.
In 1993, a coach of the Tulsa Fencing Club commented, “Whatever happened to one touch epee?” Several of us began wondering the same thing, plus,”Whatever became of outdoor epee, at dawn, on grass?” The result was the first “Duel at Dawn.”
Duel at Dawn
The first “Duel at Dawn” ever, in Tulsa, was held on Saturday, September 25, 1993. True to its name, it began at dawn (7:00 am), and was in Tulsa’s River Park at 56th & Riverside drive, on grass.
This was strictly an epee event. Individual duels were to one touch, and were electrically scored. Except for the electric scoring, this was a fairly faithful recreation of the first ever epee bouts, held in England in 1904, which had, in turn, attempted to recreate the duels of the Dreyfus Affair.
There were seven duelists and several observers. Medals were awarded to the top three duelists. They were: John Bellovich – 1st Place, Lyle Wilson – 2nd Place, and Sean Peacock – 3rd Place.
After the duels, everyone involved repaired to a nearby Tulsa restaurant for breakfast and camaraderie. This has remained the tradition ever since. There was definitely a feeling, during this very first “Duel at Dawn” ever, of doing something of historical significance. In addition, it was so enjoyable that the Tulsa Dueling Society was eventually formed in order to perpetuate the art of “dueling.”
Foil at Dawn
The problem was that most of the Tulsa Fencing Club members were foilists, not epeeists. They couldn’t understand why the couldn’t fence in “Duel at Dawn,” too.
It was explained, of course, that there was no tradition of fencing foil outdoors on grass. Still they were insistent. They wanted their own “Duel at Dawn.”
Consequently, “Foil at Dawn” was created. There was no tradition for it, but it worked! (One touch electric foil outdoors on grass.) As a matter of fact, our second “Foil at Dawn” was during a thunderstorm, with rain and lightning flashing all around us. They loved it! So, now the society also sponsors “Foil at Dawn,” as well.
Sabers at Dawn
For the first forty years of its existence, the Tulsa Fencing Club didn’t fence saber at all, just epee and foil. But with the membership of Chris Hamilton, an experienced saberist, all of that changed, and “Sabers at Dawn” has been added to the events of the Tulsa Dueling Society.
Our first ever “Sabers at Dawn” event took place on November 21, 1998. After that, “Sabers at Dawn” was added to the events of the Tulsa Dueling Society. From that time, there has been a “duel” once each month, following the sequence of epee, foil, and then saber throughout the year, at dawn on the Saturday most closely associated with the 21st of the month.
There have also been several special events, such as “Yule Duel” and “Duel at Dusk,” sponsored by, and held in the homes of individual members.
Tulsa Dueling Society Membership
Membership in the Tulsa Dueling Society is by invitation, and is not limited to the members of the Tulsa Fencing Club. However, before one can become a member of the society, he/she must have satisfactorily fenced in either four “Duel at Dawn,” or four “Foil at Dawn,” or four “Sabers at Dawn” competitions.
In addition, members are expected to be honorable and to conduct themselves in a strictly gentlemanly manner, especially in connection with fencing or dueling.
Dueling Society Ranks
You may check the current Tulsa Dueling Society Roster and Rankings here.
Once a person has fenced in his or her first TDS event, he or she will be regarded as a candidate for membership in the society. Once he or she has fenced in four of the same event (that’s one year’s worth, each of the four events being every three months), he or she may be, provided he or she is deemed worthy, offered a membership with rank, according to his or her achievement. Until that time, he or she will be regarded as a candidate or cadet.
With the exception of honorary members, all members of the society will be assigned ranks according to their experience and success in dueling. The twelve ranks of the society are, from lowest to highest:
- Duelist
- Sergeant Duelist
- Sergeant Major Duelist
- Esquire
- Cavalier
- Companion-at-Arms
- Comrade-in-Arms
- Master-in-Arms
- Vice-Marshall-in-Arms
- Marshall-in-Arms
- Marshall Commander
- Grand Master-at-Arms
Governing Of The Society
The society is governed under its by-laws, by a Commander who is up for election, by the members of rank of the society, once each year. The Commander may appoint an Adjutant or other officers at his discretion. The Commander plus his appointed officers constitutes the Privy Council.
The Privy Council, under the supervision of the Commander, will establish the society’s schedule of events, sponsor special events, procure medals and awards, induct into the society, new members, assign their ranks, etc.
For more information, please contact Rob King, Commander.
