Running at the ring

Running at the ring, riding at the ring or tilting at the ring is an equestrian tournament activity originally practiced at European royal courts and likely derived from other lance games like quintain. It gained new popularity at Natural Chimneys near Mount Solon, Virginia, possibly as early as the 1820s,[1] and since 1962, has been the state sport of Maryland.[2] A similar contest, the corrida de sortija, is held in Argentina where it is considered a gaucho sport derived from the Spanish tradition of medieval tournaments.

  1. ^ Andrew Jenner, 'The Fading Glory of America’s (Allegedly) Oldest Sporting Event', Modern Farmer, 9 October 2014
  2. ^ Robert Shosteck, Weekend Getaways Around Washington (Pelican, 2004), p. 440: James Chambers, Holidays Around the World: Sith Edition (Infobase, 2018), no. 1537: Helmut Nickel, 'Hunting, Gaming, and Sports', The Secular Spirit: Life and Art at the End of the Middle Ages (New York: Dutton, 1975), pp. 207-208: