Mounted atop her magnificent stallion Merlin, Katrina cuts an imposing figure in lightweight ‘stringmail’ armour (true chainmail would be risky to the wearer’s health in the searing FNQ heat) armed with both (blunted) steel sword and (padded) lance. 

Her interest in re-creating the mounted combat of the ancient world started several years ago in Sydney when a disease scare meant her property was locked down.

“There was a horse flu alert so we couldn’t take any other horses off the property, they had nothing to do, so I figured to keep them active we’d give this  a try and it pretty much went from there,” she said. 

Starting out with horse archery, Katrina diversified into other forms of warfare and is now involved not only in jousting but in sword fighting and other types of medieval combat.

Horses involved have to be especially trained and disciplined, and equipment can be expensive – not to mention restrictive.

“We wear the full-face helmets when we joust,” Katrina said.

“They’re pretty bad for limiting vision, we generally can’t see much beneath us or hear very well.”

Provided that the jousting and horse archery events are a success – and Katrina fully expects them to be – she hopes to set up a full medieval festival for next year’s Carnivale. 

Winter – well, the closest thing we get to winter in Port Douglas – is coming.