San Patricio Open

San Patricio Open 2026

Historical fencing • Saber & Messer • September 12, 2026

The San Patricio Invitational is a one-day historical fencing tournament built around clean technique, martial intent, and good sportsmanship. This year we're running two single-handed events, Saber and Messer, giving every fighter a full day of quality bouts whether you're chasing the podium or stepping onto the field for the first time.

The Events

• Saber: a single-handed cut-and-thrust event that favors sharp, defensive fencing and confident tempo.
• Messer: a single-handed messer event that is aggressive, direct, and true to the weapon.

You're welcome to compete in either tournament, or both.

How It Works

• Round-robin pools: everyone in your pool fences everyone else, so your day is packed with bouts no matter how the early matches go.
• Single-elimination bracket: the top two fighters from each pool advance to fight for the podium.
• Match format: every match goes to 7 points, or the most points when the 90-second clock runs out. Bracket ties are settled by sudden death.

Scoring & Style

Points are scored with cuts, thrusts, draw cuts, and pommel presentations. The head and torso are deep targets worth 2 points, while the arms and legs are shallow targets worth 1. When fighters close in, grappling and blade grabs on a stationary blade come into play, rewarding fencers who are comfortable in the bind. Self-calling is honored throughout, so the tournament runs on skill and honor in equal measure.

Who Should Compete

The San Patricio Invitational welcomes fencers of all experience levels. Newer competitors will find a supportive, well-organized environment to test themselves, while veterans will find sharp opposition and a format that rewards consistency across the whole day.

• Date: September 12, 2026
• Events: Saber and Messer (single-handed)
• Format: Round-robin pools, top two advance to a single-elimination bracket
• Location: 6500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines, IA 50266
• Fighter Cap: 42 per event
• Schedule: 9:00 AM: Check-in and gear check open 10:00 AM: Saber event begins 1:00 PM: Lunch break 2:00 PM: Messer check-in closes and the Messer event begins

Event Details

Gear requirements and complete competition rules are published in the official ruleset. Please review them before registering. Come ready to fence well, fence safely, and have a great day on the field.