Saint George HEMA tournament returns to Russellville with three weapons

The second In the Name of Saint George! will put longsword, saber and rapier & dagger back on the strip in Russellville, Kentucky, on July 25-26, giving the Mid-South HEMA calendar a tournament with a clearer identity than most. The two-day event will be hosted by the Nashville School of Historical Fencing at the Russellville High School gymnasium, 1101 W 9th St, and registration is open with space limited.

That branding matters. The organizers are not selling this as just another summer meet, but as a tribute to Saint George, whom they frame as a patron saint of knights, warriors, fencers and anyone who takes up arms for honor, defense and virtue. That gives the event a narrative spine: courage, chivalry and resolve, not just medals and bracket sheets. For clubs deciding where to send athletes in late July, that kind of identity can make the difference between a one-off outing and a must-hit stop.

The weapon slate is the real tell. Longsword brings the two-handed cutting-and-thrusting work that still draws the biggest fields. Saber adds the speed, timing and edge alignment of one-handed military fencing. Rapier & dagger rounds it out with a classic sidearm format built on point control, distance and nerve. Put together, the card says the tournament wants breadth without bloat: a compact event that rewards all-around fencing programs and gives clubs a reason to enter specialists in more than one weapon.

The Nashville School of Historical Fencing is using that formula to strengthen a footprint it has already built in Russellville. The club, founded in 2015, says it is the largest school of HEMA in the Mid-South area, and the town has already hosted multiple events on the regional circuit. HEMA Scorecard lists a June 29, 2024 Summer Longsword and Rapier Open there, while HEMA Ratings shows Russellville events on February 8, 2025 for Hussar’s Revenge, a military sabre and singlestick tournament, and on November 15, 2025 for Virtus in Armis. HEMA Ratings also recorded 48 fighters at the Mid-South Historical Fencing Open 2024 in Russellville, a reminder that this venue has already proven it can draw a serious field.

The logistics also work in Russellville’s favor. The venue sits about one hour north of Nashville and about 25 minutes from Bowling Green, Kentucky, which the organizers recommend for overnight stays. That makes the event accessible for Tennessee and Kentucky clubs while still being a manageable road trip for out-of-state entries looking for a late-summer test. In a crowded season, Saint George II looks built to own a specific niche: a regional, three-weapon tournament with a recognizable name, a proven host and a venue that is starting to feel like a permanent HEMA stop.