The 2007 ARMA IG was fantastic

[Mike Cartier]

there is no word to describe this weekend, both myself and John Farthing were blown away with the martial intentisty, comraderie, impressive skills and scholarly work evidenced over the weekend.
Thank you very much to everyone who organized the event we had a great time and came away with a ton of energy and invigoration to bring back to the study group and light a fire under everyone.

Both myself and John Farthing have been doing martial arts our entire lives and attended many martial arts seminars but nothing can compare to what we experienced this weekend. only one word for it ARMA. We truly feel we are not only a part of the best HEMA organization but the best martial arts organization.

Jakes class was just awesome and the skills displayed in the prize playings we awesome and we feel truly honored to have been able to participate. All the classes we fantastic and truly informative and instructive. Thanks to Stacy, Stew and brian ,Shane and Matt, Jay vail , Bart and John clements for the great classes and to kevin Cashen for the great lecture on Spathology.

We both feel truly honored to be members of ARMA

[Jaron Bernstein]

there is no word to describe this weekend, both myself and John Farthing were blown away with the martial intentisty, comraderie, impressive skills and scholarly work evidenced over the weekend.
Thank you very much to everyone who organized the event we had a great time and came away with a ton of energy and invigoration to bring back to the study group and light a fire under everyone.

Both myself and John Farthing have been doing martial arts our entire lives and attended many martial arts seminars but nothing can compare to what we experienced this weekend. only one word for it ARMA. We truly feel we are not only a part of the best HEMA organization but the best martial arts organization.

Jakes class was just awesome and the skills displayed in the prize playings we awesome and we feel truly honored to have been able to participate. All the classes we fantastic and truly informative and instructive. Thanks to Stacy, Stew and brian ,Shane and Matt, Jay vail , Bart and John clements for the great classes and to kevin Cashen for the great lecture on Spathology.

We both feel truly honored to be members of ARMA

The rest has already been said better than I can. Let me to say that I count myself fortunate to be an ARMAteer.

[Keith Culbertson]

just to cover both bases, this I copy from e-list and modify a bit:

Hello fellow ARMAteers, just returned from the IG on the SlowHound and
happy to see all the positive vibes here. I absolutely miss being
with everyone already---I can only be consoled that I was able to get
to know so many new friends over the weekend and can always network
through here at least. ARMraderie (nice one Scott!) was clearly
evident throughout the event---we all helped each other as much as we
challenged each other with good intent and results. Congratulations
again to Aaron and Stew (and to Shane as well---although I thought he already was SFS), many thanks to our hosts and instructors, andto all who attended our thoroughly exhausting and glorious IG.

ciao for now

[Aaron Schnatterly]

The event was outstanding! Seeing ~100 WMA practitoners in one place all with a great deal of commitment and skill was quite a treat for me (both professionally and personally). Thanks for the opportunity, all!

Congrats to the new General Free Scholars - definitely both a treat and inspiration to watch, and to Aaron, Stuart, and Shane on their SFS - you set the bar quite high, and I'll look to you (and the other SFS's) for inspiration in the future. The event itself was very well orchestrated and run, all of the classes looked to be awesome with great instruction - I picked up a lot just in passing.

... and Aaron is truly one of us- thanks for helping me in the ring man...

I'm honored, brother... That's a memory I'll cherish for a long time as well. We need to get something serious set up here soon...

[Jay Vail]

I can't add anything to what the others have said except my own "me too." It was a great gathering -- wonderful people, great classes, fantastic fighting. I have never been to a fighting event as pumped up yet as comradely as the one on Saturday. Everybody gave Aaron and Stew no quarter and they met blow for blow and came out on top. I can't think of a more moving sight than the line of all the participants -- practically everyone at the event, almost 100 people -- queuing up to fight Aaron and Stew.

Even the food wasn't bad.

[Jason Taylor]

I tell people all the time that there is almost no-0ne in the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts that I don't find likable and my experience fencing and talking with my fellow scholars at this event has borne that view out yet again. We have people from all walks of life and all levels of education that while coming from different backgrounds, all share that same love for the sword that binds us together. I truly have the same experience among you guys and gals as I do among my own family over Thanksgiving dinner. I like each and every one of you and enjoy the brotherhood that comes from the crossing of swords that much.

I'd been wracking my brain trying to think of how to put the way I felt about the IG. And that was it. Thanks, Shane. There's something to be said for not reinventing the wheel when someone has said something perfectly, and you just did.

Also, The IG really turned me from an ARMA member into a hard-core serious ARMA member who is going to bust his ass to learn his art. Having only worked with my own (respectably proficient) study group members way out here in Cali, I can't tell you what a validation it was to see the human Cuisinarts that are Aaron and Stew in person. And no matter how awesome you guys were (which I think we can all agree was pretty high on the awsomeocity scale) you were still ready to chat with us lowly newbies and help us learn our stuff better.

The ARMA IG 07 was, without a doubt the most rewarding and enjoyable educational experience, conference, and especially martial arts event of my life. That's not an exaggeration. I made so many acquaintances who became instant friends, and I learned the camaraderie that comes of fighting side-by-side with another person. Even if the weapons were all padded.

Thanks again to everyone. I hate to be repetitive, but some things deserve repetition: ARMA is the fantastic organization it is because of its people. I thank every single one of you for a tremendous experience, especially those of you who took time to teach, to organize.

EDIT: Stew, your performance has turned me into a new proponent of the sword and buckler as one of the most effective weapon combinations ever devised. Once I get a bit more longsword under my belt, I'm going to pull out my notes from your workshop and start practicing.

Jason

[Sydney Heald Yarbrough]

Not to repeat what the previous posts have said, I will add no further, except to say that Shane's post most accurately states what I would say.

What I will say is that the IG definitely reaffirmed what I have consistantly seen in the ARMA. From the very first time I saw John teaching a class (when he was in Houston) to what I saw at this last event.
The wonderful lack of eliteism. We are all students, each of us continually challenging the other to improve our skills and never allowing their fellows to settle for just good enough. I know there are some of us, myself included, who from time to time, get distracted from this goal, and that is why I enjoy the chance to meet with my fellow ARMAteers.

Sydney Heald Yarbrough

[Gene Tausk]

Fellow ARMA Members:

A survey and questionaire about the Event will be posted on the e-list. We ask that all who participated in the Event take a few minutes to answer the questions and return it to the email address listed at the bottom of the survey.

We in the Houston ARMA North and South siders groups appreciate in advance your taking the time to give us this valuable feedback.

[John_Clements]

This was a fantastic event. I too am horse from talking, and sore and bruised from activity. It was so smoothly organized and exceptionally well run that I can’t imagine it could have been done any better. Having over a hundred ARMA members and guests together for 3 days and 4 nights generated a lot of excitement and energy. I was impressed with every aspect of the event and heard nothing but positive things from everyone and am humbled by all the personal praise.

The camaraderie, martial spirit, athleticism, fellowship, integrity and utter lack of pretense, and even the constant humor among the attendees, was extraordinary. The quality of instruction and of the fighting in general, was excellent. The new research scholarship, special interpretations, and exercises we revealed at the event were very well received by the membership. Without exception the feedback has been exceptionally positive. I was wowed by some of the expertise our guys displayed.

The Prize Playings were superb. Congrats to all our new General Free Scholars, and our 2 new Senior Free Scholars, and our first Senior Free Scholar in Sword & Buckler who is also our first double-ranked member. Aaron Pynenberg definitely set a new standard: 90 bouts of longsword in 74 minutes, with only 17 losses. His conditioning and stamina is enviable. Stew Feil’s sword & buckler was overwhelmingly impressive: 70 wins and 20 losses in only 40 minutes. The best sword & buckler skills I’ve yet seen. I could not have done much better myself. The variety of techniques he displayed and the smoothness and coordination of his hits was inspiring. Precedent was also made in Shane Smith being Allowed his deserved (and overdue) Senior Free Scholar certification.

Our vendors and special guests also expressed to me considerable gratitude and thanks and were every happy with the results of their attendance. It was great for everyone to be able to handle so many new and different wasters & gear, as well as two-dozen fine Albion swords. [Congrats to all those lucky ones who won door prizes & raffles prizes of assorted wasters, weapons, books, shirts, and especially that brand new laptop. Very nice.]

This was the most memorable and valuable historical fencing experience I have ever been involved with. Some of the fights I saw were really superb. I’m looking forward to seeing the photos and videos. My gratitude to everyone involved and my apologies to anyone I could not spend more time with. On behalf of all of the ARMA, thank you again to all the staff, volunteers, donators, for your dedication, integrity, and dependability. Our club has grown so much in recent years that yearly regional events on top of regular seminars & workshops made sense, but the requests for an organization-wide international gathering every few years have proven right. On behalf of the whole club I commend the professionalism, honesty, and selfishness displayed.

As has been expressed so many time, it is the quality of the people and our shared values that make ARMA so outstanding.

JC

[Bart Walczak]

I'm back safely to Poland.

This was the best and the most inspiring event I've ever been to.

Much has already been said, so I will just say congratulations to new SFS (I expect to see the tapes ) and GFS out there, thanks to Gene, Stacy, Sydney, Kyle, Kim, Erich and others who made it possible for me to attend the event.

The combination of good research, backed up by excellent martial expertise plus awesome air of ARMA-derie and superb organisation was what made this event so great.

Thanks to everyone, again!

[Shane Smith]

I'm back safely to Poland.

This was the best and the most inspiring event I've ever been to.

Much has already been said, so I will just say congratulations to new SFS (I expect to see the tapes ) and GFS out there, thanks to Gene, Stacy, Sydney, Kyle, Kim, Erich and others who made it possible for me to attend the event.

The combination of good research, backed up by excellent martial expertise plus awesome air of ARMA-derie and superb organisation was what made this event so great.

Thanks to everyone, again!

It was wonderul to see you again Bart! I really did enjoy the innovative format of your presentation . Glad you made it home safe

[Jeremiah Backhaus]

Well, Brothers and Sisters I am glad to hear such wonderful praise of the IG this year. I was not able to make it as I was starting a new calling in life. But I pray that I will be able to attend come the next one (Gott willt). Highest congratulations shared with those who won their SFS rankings, especially to the one who got me started and hooked on training. Your level of work, intensity, intent, commitment, passion and athleticism are a constant inspiration to me, and I look forward to the time that I can cross blades with you again and stand tall. Congratulations.

Congrats to everyone who was able to attend, I hope you took truckloads from there.

-Jeremiah Backhaus

[Craig Peters]

I'd like to extend my congratulations to both Aaron and Stew for their prize playings. Both did extremely well against a veritable gauntlet of fighters.

Congratulations also to Aaron Schnatterly for being the first ever non-ARMA member to take part in a Senior Scholar Prize playing. Aaron, you gotta sign up for classes with Aaron Pynenberg!

[John_Clements]

Actually, he wasn't. We have had non members play a few bouts in previous ones. We simply made a rule later not to do so anymore unless the Prizer requested it.

JC

[Casper Bradak]

I'll try not to be overly to the point. Yes, this event was the best so far and it looks like they'll keep getting better. All of the classes and lectures were very well done and often enlightening, and it was great to see real justice being done to some of the previously little represented subjects especially. My compliments to the logistics that made it so much easier and worthwhile to all the out-of-towners.
The prize playings were great and the results well deserved. I don't think we could hope for better vendors either.

My personal thanks to our Director (I never fail to take with me invaluable direction from our encounters and discussions), the generous offering up of 2 nice dussack wasters from With Intent (and everyone who raised their hand), to everyone who put up with my cramming of countless bouts, particularly the wrestling, the waitress at the pub, and to all my friends I rarely get to see.