Knight school teaches kids tools of the trade

There's a chance to learn how to be a knight at the Squire School being held as part of the New Zealand Medieval Faire at Taruanga Racecourse later this month. Photo/supplied

Budding knights need a university in much the same way apprentice wizards need Hogwarts.

Tauranga Racecourse will become the young knights' academy later this month with a Squire School that will be part of a bigger, weekend-long New Zealand Medieval Faire.

The Squire School (aimed at youngsters between 7 and 12) and a Princess Party (for 5-11 year olds) will take place on the afternoon of Friday, January 22.

"The Squire School will be combative - they will learn how to use a sword, there will be shield painting, playing games, archery - the sort of things a young medieval knight had to do if they were attending a knight or learning how to be a knight," says Kris Wills, who is part of the team organising the faire.

"They will be instructed by people in costumes from the time."

Among the instructors will be Charlie Tapsell, former captain of New Zealand's Battle of Nations team.

The Princess Party will include medieval dancing and music, crafts, some archery and games.

"We are encouraging them to come dressed up in fairy princess outfits or as maidens - they don't have to be historically accurate," says Kris.

"It's something different and will take kids back to what it would have been like in medieval times."

The New Zealand Medieval Faire will be run over three days, with the Saturday coinciding with the Tauranga A and P Show.

For the past two years the faire has been held in Taupo. "This won't be like previous years (at the A and P Show) where there have been medieval demonstrations - this will be a lot bigger," says Kris.

Re-enactors from around the country will converge on the racecourse to act out battles from different eras including Roman and Viking times, plus there'll be a traders' market, craft demonstrations, plays and plenty of have-a-go activities.

"There will be some seige engines and catapults, an archery range and some big scale battles."