Dear friends. Allow me first of all to greet you in the new year and wish you all the best. The end of that last year brought us a lot. We are not lazy and are trying to transform everything to the benefit of the Battle of Libušín 2023 in order to put together a program that will be attractive and adequately worthy of its 30th year anniversary.
As we already announced, this year's St. George's Day falls on Monday, April 24th, which allows us to spend a full weekend together until the next (working) holiday on Monday, May 1st. We would like to take advantage of this and offer you a festival lasting several days this year, including the evening of April 30, i.e. around a common fire during the so-called witch burning. However, that is not all that we would like to celebrate in this year's 30th year of the Battle of Libušín. I consider it a great honor, that as part of the accompanying program, and I emphasize the words accompanying program, that we will also host the Buhurt League World Championship, that is, in layman's terms, the World Championship in HMB, medieval contact combat.
It is an unwritten rule that such a top meeting is held only once in each country, the organization of the World Championship travels all over the world. I consider it really exceptional that we managed to agree with the representatives of the world organization that the World Championship in this young, but very attractive sport for spectators will be held in the Czech Republic, especially as part of the accompanying program of the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Libušín.
Organizing something like the World Championship is understandably financially and organizationally extremely demanding. The participation of teams from more than 20 countries of the world can be expected, and in addition, this year in Libušín we will see the best, and most numerous teams. However, allow me to give you one assurance from the beginning. I am fully aware of what the Battle of Libušín is. I have been a part of it for almost 20 years, and I have no intention of changing anything fundamental to its time-tested format.
I would like to assure all lovers of the traditional days, all those who want to experience the Battle of Libušín as they know it from previous years, that they will not be deprived of anything, on the contrary.
Judge for yourself ,the planned format of the festival:
April 27, 2023
- MS Buhurt League, individual fights 1x1 April 28, 2023
- MS Buhurt League. 5x5 group battles April 29, 2023 in the morning
- MS Buhurt League elimination fights 12x12 and 30x30,
- rehearsal of the Battle of Libušín April 29, 2023 after lunch
- MS Buhurt League - final April 29, 2023 afternoon
- Battle of Libušín and the standard program as you know it from the one-day editions
April 30, 2023
- seminars. archery tournaments, Hema, Soule
April 30, 2023 evening
- common fire and burning of witches
May 1, 2023
- Labor Day, i.e. rest and festive end of the festival.
I believe that everyone will have something to choose from and none of us, organizers or participants, will see a reason to prioritize what they enjoy over what someone else enjoys. On the contrary. We, as organizers, prepare your festival and create it from what you tell us you enjoy and what you would like. Please don't slack off. The Battle of Libušín will be exactly as you show that you would like it to be. Thank you very much for all the suggestions you give us, thank you very much for all the initiatives you have, and will have in the future to organize the Battle of Libušín 2023.
Do you want this or that at the festival? Please register with us, take it under our patronage, and I will make sure that you have a place in the program and that you have the conditions for your activity. I will be very happy to do it. We are now planning a meeting of future battle commanders during January, at which we would like to clarify more specific features of the Battle as such. In parallel with this, we are already intensively working on other points of the program and are preparing an accompanying program. I am very much looking forward to being able to inform you again about the ongoing results of our work.
I look forward to seeing you in Libušín,
Josef F. S. Král