THE Orange Medieval Faire, the first held in NSW since the pandemic struck, will return to Orange if the organisers have their way.
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It's estimated more than 5000 people attended the Faire at the Orange Showground over the weekend, which offered a glimpse of life in the dark and middle ages complete with jousting, falconry and blacksmithing.
Creative director Andrew McKinnon, who was also one of the Knights taking part in the jousting tournament, said the medieval extravaganza had ticked the boxes.
"Things have gone really well, we've had a great turn out and everyone's been really enthusiastic about the elements of the Faire," Mr McKinnon said.
"The grandstands have been pretty full every time we've done a session and a lot of people are saying `are you going to come back?'.
"We would love to come back, but that is in the hands of our friends at the State Government. We hope that the Regional Events Acceleration Fund from the NSW Government will fund another year next year.
"Were probably fairly positive that might happen, we've had the Deputy Premier here (Paul Toole) he came, and he was very impressed, said he loved it.
"The mayor [Jason Hamling] and the deputy mayor [Gerald Power], they've all been so positive about it. Hopefully with a little bit of friendly agitation we can get here."
Media Officer Tom Hines said organisers were also delighted by the number of people who dressed in costume to attend Faire, which featured over 200 people involved in over 40 displays and stalls in a mock medieval village.
"They really got into the swing of it," Mr Hines said. "People were really positive about it saying they'd never seen anything in Orange like this before and how happy they were to have something completely different."
Anyone who had doubts the riders taking part in the Orange Medieval Faire's jousting competition weren't serious should chat to Meika Leitch.
Ms Leitch was taken to hospital with a suspected concussion after suffering a head knock, while jousting against her father Phillip Leitch, the World Jousting Champion, during Sunday's day-two of the tournament.
She had regained consciousness before being taken to Orange Hospital for observation, accompanied by her father, while the jousting tournament resumed as a final-six knockout.
At that point, Amanda Challen, riding Nyx was leading the competition but after the sudden death finals it was Rodney Deaman, riding Harry, that took out the tournament.
Ms Leitch was also recovering well, watching the livestream of the final from hospital.
Mr McKinnon said there were protocols in place to deal with concussion with riders having to be cleared medically before being able to joust again. The Faire also has medical personal in attendance. He added it was rare for riders to be injured.
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