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Above - Graham and Magic prepare for their first joust together.

Right - Breaking lances with Andreas Wenzel.

After almost two years of training, Graham's horse Magic made his jousting debut in July 2009 with Destrier at a small event in Camelford, Cornwall.

There was so much for Magic to take in, and although he was initially very excited by it all, when it came to the joust he focussed on what he'd been trained to do and got on with it. Graham was more than satisfied after they'd successfully made their first pass down the lists, but it kept getting better; they got through to the final joust off on the Saturday, missing out on the win by the smallest of margins, then on Sunday went one better again by taking victory!

Two weeks after his very successful debut Graham and Magic were jousting again, this time near Dorchester, but a combination of factors, not least the extremely strong wind, caused Magic to spook, bringing Graham crashing to the ground and causing him to wonder if the earlier success was perhaps just beginners luck.

They had just four weeks until the big tournament at the Royal Armouries - the Queen's Golden Jubilee International Joust, so Graham set about rebuilding Magic's confidence by riding him as often as possible in armour, working at the quintain, and finally taking him to Tournament Stud for a practice the week before the big event.

Graham needn't have worried; Magic rewarded his faith with an excellent performance in a highly charged environment that tests even some of the most experienced horses and riders. Graham was very satisfied with their performance, but the competition was fiercely fought and after three days of jousting the eventual champion (only dropping one point) was William West.

Above: Graham and Magic in action at the Royal Armouries, scoring a good shield hit on fellow Destrier member Jason Kingsley, riding his horse Warlord.

A NEW HELM

Graham had also just taken delivery of a new jousting helmet, a great bascinet with frog-mouth jousting visor made for him by Jeffrey Hedgecock in California.

His previous helmet, a salet and bevor, was really designed for battle, but this one is specifically built for jousting and provides a far greater level of protection.

With no head movement at all - it is strapped down to the body - it took a bit of getting used to, but Graham used it to great effect two weeks before the Royal Armouries by taking victory at the Bruce Festival in Scotland, riding one of Mark Atkinson's very experienced horses.

For more details of Graham Turner's paintings, prints and cards, enter Studio 88's online gallery -

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For details of his jousting paintings - CLICK HERE