Virginia Man Participating In Medieval Sport Impaled By His Lance

WOODBRIDGE, VA — A man competing in a medieval sport at an event in Northern Kentucky died after being impaled by his lance, according to multiple reports.

The man, identified as Peter Barclay, 52, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was performing a trick on horseback that involved spearing a paper plate on the ground, WLWT reported. In a Facebook post, Barclay's brother, John Barclay, described it as a "freak accident" and wrote that the metal tipped lance hit the ground and flipped.

The Society for Creative Anachronism, which organized the event "Hounds and Horses," said in a statement that it was investigating the matter and cooperating with authorities. The event was held Williamstown, Kentucky, which is located about 40 miles south of Cincinnati.

"On Saturday, October 6, a brother in arms to many of us lost his life in the pursuit of our game," the statement said. "The Society’s Equestrian Marshal, Master Terafan Greydragon, died while competing in an equestrian game at an SCA event in Kentucky."

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The SCA said the society marshal is conducting an investigation to determine what might have led to the event and what measures should be taken to avoid such an incident in the future. The investigation's results will be made public, the statement said.

"We have reached out to Terafan’s family to express our support for them at this moment of loss," the statement said. "We ask that Terafan and his family be held in your hearts."

John Fulton, president of the SCA, told WLWT that he had never had an injury on the field that led to something like this. He described those who knew Barclay as being stunned by the news.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Fulton said Barclay had the lance in his hand and had picked the paper plate off the ground. When he was finishing the course, "something happened with that spear," Fulton told the Post, adding that the tip went into Barclay's abdomen.

Fulton, who recently retired from the Army, had been involved in medieval events for more than 30 years and coached others, according to the Post. The paper reported that Barclay was from Woodbridge and worked at the Pentagon for the last four years.

"He was the consummate expert," Fulton told the Post. "He knew how to do it and how to do it safely."

Per WLWT, Barclay died on the way to the hospital.

According to The Courier-Journal, the Hamilton County Coroner's office in Ohio said an autopsy has not been completed and Barclay's death is listed as an accident. The coroner's office did not comment on the cause of death.

Photo via Shutterstock (Not a photo of Peter Barclay or the event in Kentucky)