A party of 50 Dutchmen and women from Kapelle visited Melton Mowbray for its annual festive show known as "Melton Day" in 1994 and gave an exhibition of their native sport - Ring Riding or Ringtilting.
The sport originates in the Middle Ages when knights at a tournament (also known as a tourney from the Old French "to turn") instead of engaging in human combat on horseback would indulge in competitive games including picking up ladies rings with their lances. (Remember Cervantes' Don Quixote de la Mancha tilting at windmills or (even used now) "riding at full tilt").
This practice evolved since 1824 into a really popular sport with involved Rules including a points system, different ring sizes and creating a social event and much joviality.
Pictured below are Ringriders Ad Schout and Roswith Van Luyk, with "Tom" a horse then owned by Melton Mowbray's Town Crier George Butler.
During this 1994 visit, members of Ons Boeregoed gave a demonstration of their traditional Zeeland costumes in the Borough Council Offices as part of the celebrations at a Twinning Evening and I persuaded several of them to pose for this picture in my garden.
The undoubted importance of inter-town Twinning is well demonstrated by these and subsequent gatherings.
By 1995 we had achieved 10 years of such pleasant associations with the citizens of Kapelle and my sister Kathleen made a celebratory cake.....
......which Councillor John Skerritt ceremonially cut in the company of several of our Association members.
And happily this continues, including my trying to teach Jan de Heer the finer points of English Bowls on my unrolled lawn!
