LOVELAND, Colo. (KOAA) — Clad in steel and armed to the teeth with weaponry from the middle-ages, the armored combat team known as the Colorado Wardens has managed to find a way back in time through a sport known as Buhurt.
Buhurt, derived from an old French term that translates to wallop or clobber, is a sport that allows combatants to don suits of armor and wield swords, axes, and more in regulated fights that range in size from 1v1 to 16v16.
The combat isn't for show, the swings of maces and halberds aren't fake, the punches aren't pulled; this is a sport that fully utilizes armor and that isn't for the faint of heart.
"A lot of times people will compare us to LARPing because they will call our armor a costume, that is definitely the furthest thing from the truth as possible," commented Greg Fisher, co-founder, combatant, and president of the Colorado Wardens, "it is a functional, battle-ready suit of armor that is supposed to keep us safe."
There are strict safety-guidelines to ensure that combatants' armor can handle the intensity of the sport and pre-match checks in place to double-check that all armor is properly in place; even so, the hits can leave bruises, or as Fisher likes to joke, "It doesn't tickle."
Safety, when it comes to armor, can often be measured in weight; armor kits for larger melees (or even just larger individuals) can weigh upwards of 100 pounds while armor utilized in solo matches can weigh significantly less.
The Colorado Wardens are avid about pursuing the sport; founded in 2021, this team has members spread across Colorado and parts of Wyoming with practice grounds set up in Loveland, Denver, and Black Forest. A few years back, the team reported having around 20 members, this year they report having closer to 100.
This rapid growth has led to the group starting two additional teams under the Colorado Wardens banner, these are:
- The Wards, the Wardens' secondary team
- The War Dames, the Wardens' fem team
"For the history nerds in us that really love medieval warfare and history, I think it really calls to us," commented Samm Robbins, a combatant with the War Dames.
"Did you watch Lord of the Rings as a kid, Reign of Fire, those movies as a kid that made you think, 'man, I want to fight dragons and beat people up,' [then] you'll be here," stated Ryan Schulman, captain of the Colorado Wardens, "you'll love it."
Schulman explains that while the fantasy elements and ability to step back in time are the fun parts, those who join and then stick around do so because of the comradery and community that has formed within the team around the sport.
"I came for the medieval combat, but I stayed for the people," added Robbins.
The team regularly travels across the country in order to compete in tournaments, "We go to fights like Carolina Carnage in South Carolina, Cincinnati Siege in Ohio, Ventura Mega-bowl in California," said Fisher excitedly, "we're always trying to compete at that national level."
A few of the Wardens, including Fisher and co-founder Shoshanna Shellans, have travelled abroad to represent our state and country in international competitions; this year they are among three fighters from the Wardens who are competing at the International Medieval Competition Federation World Championships in Denmark from July 23 - 26.
If you're looking for a time and place to see the Colorado Wardens, the team scheduled to appear and participate in a few upcoming events in Wyoming:
- Washakie County Fair - Worland, Wyoming - July 22
- Tournament of Knights - Sheridan, Wyoming - July 25
- Uinta County Fair - Evanston, Wyoming - July 30
If you're interested in learning more about armored combat in Colorado, check out the Colorado Wardens here and here.
_____
_____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
