Ville Platte will have the annual Tournoi on October 15. Sunday will have the Cotton Harvest Mass at 8:15 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church; the Grand parade starts at 12 noon; the Tournoi will be at 3 at Industrial Park. (Ville Platte Gazette Sunday, October 1, 2006)
The Tournoi is an event where men on quarter horses race at full speed and attempt to catch as many rings as possible with their lances. The horses are draped in red and the men wear medieval, knightly looking costumes. It was introduced to the area by Marcellin Garand, an officer in Napoleon’s army, in the 1800s. I’m placing the link at the bottom for more information.
I read an Alexandria Town Talk article (Sunday, October 22, 1967) and it said that similar events take place in Maryland and Virginia.
I’m looking right now through old newspapers for more information and pictures to be placed in a file. I also hope to attend this year’s event.
Check it out if you have a chance.
http://www.louisianatournoi.com/
On the Louisiana Digital Library site, type tournoi in the search field to view pictures:
http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/
Great picture here - just ignore misinformation about French Acadians being in Ville Platte:
http://www.nutrias.org/~nopl/monthly/july2004/july04_11.htm