Centuries after jousting disappeared from Europe, a tradition that dates back to the Medieval era is alive and well in a snug Austrian valley inhabited by ethnic Slovenians. Young men from around the area demonstrate their unique skills in a game known as “Štehvanje” (or “Kufenstechen” in German).

Each summer, unmarried men from the Zilje (Gail) Valley in the province of Carinthia don traditional costumes and ride horses – barebacked – past barrels mounted on a wooden pole. They use metal rods first to topple the barrels and then to shatter them as quickly as possible. Their goal is to hook the most wooden rings from the destroyed barrels on their rods. Young damsels from the valley, who are also adorned in traditional Carinthian dresses, then throw a wreath of flowers towards the riders. The rider who catches the flowers with his metal rod is the winner of “Štehvanje.”

The festivities don’t end there, however. Young men then take the local ladies to a dance, where folk songs are performed, and residents of the entire valley come together for a celebration of youth – and the area’s heritage.

The exact origin of “Štehvanje” is unknown. According to researchers, it may have been introduced from Italy through trade links many centuries ago, or it could have its origin in a jousting competition organized by the local Slovenian population. In any case, its origins are Medieval and through the years, the tradition has become closely identified with the local Slovenian community, which has a long tradition of horse breeding. Even today, the Slovenian language is used alongside German throughout the festivities. Only the dark days of World War II and the immediate postwar era managed to interrupt the annual tradition.

In the 20th century, “Štehvanje” caught the attention of the famed Slovenian ethnographer France Marolt, and after World War II, he introduced the game to several villages around Ljubljana. One of those villages, Savlje, has organized its own “Štehvanje” since the 1950s. It is based on the Zilje tradition, but it tends to be somewhat more competitive, with local men vying to score the most points. They are cheered on by spectators from around the Ljubljana area who come to observe an event largely unchanged since knights in shining armor ruled the battlefields of Europe.