WestCountry Wrestling

Discussion in 'Western Martial Arts' started by Louie, Mar 10, 2004.

  1. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    The Cornish Wrestlers Oath

    on my honour and the honour of my country, I swear to wrestle without treachery or brutality and in token of my sincerity I offer my hand to my opponent. In the words of my forefathers “gwary whek yu gwary tek”.
    translated from the cornish as. “good play is fair play”.


    In Devonshire a style of wrestling developed which included kicking your opponent in the shin while wearing a square toed wooden clog, the idea was to distract your opponent by inflicting pain so that you could throw him to the ground. Some wrestlers protected their shins with pads made of horn and leather but ‘others scorned such things.’ If a man was kicked to the ground he lost that round whilst the victor was he who could ‘throw’ three men. The Devon form of wrestling died out completely in the second half of the nineteenth century because it was considered too brutal and also because a large number of matches were tainted with cheating.

    Cornish wrestling was established in Cornwall by the indigenous population long before the Roman conquest, later in the middle ages gatherings on Halvager Moor saw locals compete in the Cornish style.
    Cornish wrestling still survives today - an unbroken tradition passed down from father to son and from workmate to workmate. Cornish wrestlers wear stout, loose canvas jackets in which all grips are taken, this is worn over a pair of shorts and each man is bare footed or in socks. All throws are made from a standing position, wins are obtained by the precision of a throw rather than by disablement of the opponent or by a knock out. The object is to lift and to throw the opponent so that he falls on his back.

    For more information check out:
    http://ejmas.com/jwma/articles/2000/jwmaart_pfrenger_0300.htm
    http://cornishwrestling.tripod.com//
    http://www.thisisnep.co.uk/schoolshout/local_history_4.htm

    Louie

    See Pic for Shin Kickers.....
     

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    Last edited: Mar 10, 2004
  2. Trent Tiemeyer

    Trent Tiemeyer Valued Member

    Dirty shinkickers.:D Good stuff. I had never heard of such practices.
     

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