ABOUT US & FAQ

Historical Problems, require modern solutions

At Bighorn Historical Combat, we’re all about building a welcoming, inclusive community around sword based martial arts. Our coaches bring a ton of experience with over 30 combined years of training and competing in tournaments. They’re here to help everyone grow, whether you’re brand new or have been doing this for a while.

We keep things engaging with modern coaching methods like game based sparring and constraint led approaches. You’ll be learning, getting fitter, and actually having fun at the same time.

More than just training, we focus on creating a space where everyone feels comfortable showing up as themselves. No matter your background or identity, you’ll be treated with respect and feel like part of the community.

Want to see us fence? Check out our

Instagram
You are among friends! We celebrate trans and nonbinary fighters today, both at home in our club and across the entire HEMA community! Bighorn HC is committed to being a safe, inclusive training environment for all fighters. Happy trans day of visi
You are among friends! We celebrate trans and nonbinary fighters today, both at home in our club and across the entire HEMA community! Bighorn HC is committed to being a safe, inclusive training environment for all fighters. Happy trans day of visibility! #transdayofvisibility #transdayofvisibility🏳️‍⚧️ #hema #historicaleuropeanmartialarts
New glove day! Looking forward to seeing how these go!
That’s a wrap on Smallhorn March 2026 - Gym Sabre! CONGRATULATIONS to our Tier A (Matt T.) and Tier B (Lexa G.) winners! And a huge thank you and congratulations to everyone who participated! We all got to practice judging, scorekeeping and directing a ton, and it was an awesome afternoon of fun! See you next month! #hema #historicalfencing #swordfight #hemasabre
Some more bling from the crew! Matt went to Vancouver on Friday and got bronze in rapier - well done! Maybe after we get enough on these rapier medals we should actually have rapier classes
Some more bling from the crew! Matt went to Vancouver on Friday and got bronze in rapier - well done! Maybe after we get enough on these rapier medals we should actually have rapier classes
SMALLHORN MARCH 2026 GYMNASIUM SABRE March 29, 11am - 3pm $40 Two rounds of pools using our Hornfest rules. Loaners provided, or bring your own sabre under 750g. Message to register! Hope to see you there! #hema #historicalfencing #sabre #airdrie #swords
Team Canada at @socalswordfight ! Alex comes home with a gold medal and made eliminations in 3 tier A tournaments. We're super proud of his performance and are excited to see what new ideas he'll bring back with him!
Team Canada at @socalswordfight ! Alex comes home with a gold medal and made eliminations in 3 tier A tournaments. We're super proud of his performance and are excited to see what new ideas he'll bring back with him!
Congrats @alexander.j.williamson for winning gold at @socalswordfight !! 🥇💪
TFW your friend asks you to crank him in the back of the head because he's testing an overlay
Photographic evidence that coach Alex uses psychic blasts to stagger his opponents to create openings. Come train at Bighorn Historical Combat, where you too can incorporate the devious techniques of Tzeentch into your fencing
Photographic evidence that coach Alex uses psychic blasts to stagger his opponents to create openings. Come train at Bighorn Historical Combat, where you too can incorporate the devious techniques of Tzeentch into your fencing
🏆 Sabre results at Drehfochs - Alex gold, Lexa Bronze, and Matt 4th! Well done! 🥇🥉🏅
🏆 Sabre results at Drehfochs - Alex gold, Lexa Bronze, and Matt 4th! Well done! 🥇🥉🏅
Longsword is done! Our crew performed fantastically, with Matt taking the gold and Alex taking silver in a razor close match 💪 Sabre is up next
Longsword is done! Our crew performed fantastically, with Matt taking the gold and Alex taking silver in a razor close match 💪 Sabre is up next
We're at @edmontongermanfencingguild event today! Looking forward to a full day of fencing ⚔️
8/16 books in a giant group order came in today ⚔️ looking forward to 💪 GAININ' 📚 SUM 🧠 KNOWLEGE 💪
8/16 books in a giant group order came in today ⚔️ looking forward to 💪 GAININ' 📚 SUM 🧠 KNOWLEGE 💪
Alex’s shenanigans trouble Julian’s day thanks to @academieduello - no better way to spend your winnings! #hema #sabre #historicalfencing #fencing #swordfight
Did you have a nice warm coffee or tea for this crispy morning?
Did you have a nice warm coffee or tea for this crispy morning?
Midway 2026 was not a traditional event, but we’re proud of all our Bighornies accomplished! 8 clubs participated in this collaborative event in Red Deer. There were a lot of workshops at this event - our crew, Lexa and Allie, did a fantastic job. They ran workshops that promoted physical and social accessibility, and I’ve heard nothing but compliments from both. Alex and Matt also ran great classes about general improvements in fencing that clearly yielded improvements in everyone who participated! Alex, Allie, Lexa and many others in this region decided to run this event, and they did a fantastic job. While not a Bighorn event specifically, I’m very proud of everyone for putting something on that led to a ton of people having a great time! A lot of little things have to go right for that to happen and you all nailed it! Love, Julian #hema #longsword #albertahema #hemacanada #rapier
Results from our monthly Smallhorn! These training tournaments are a low-stress opportunity to learn mindset and energy management, build community, and learn valuable skills like judging and scorekeeping! Congratulations to all participants, lots of growth this month! #hema #longsword #historicalfencing #swordfight #calgary
Club coaches @alexander.j.williamson and @son_of_thomhema win gold and bronze in rapier and dagger at @comoxvalleycombatguild’s Lovestruck for Longsword! We’re all so proud of you! #hema #hemacanada #albertahema #longsword #rapier
Club coaches @alexander.j.williamson and @son_of_thomhema win gold and bronze in rapier and dagger at @comoxvalleycombatguild’s Lovestruck for Longsword! We’re all so proud of you! #hema #hemacanada #albertahema #longsword #rapier
Another beautiful day filled with making friends and then stabbing them! Plus, Julian brought in some appropriately patriotic tape to mark our loaner gear. #hema #airdrie #swords #longsword #saber #sabre #wma #calgary #swordfighting
Another beautiful day filled with making friends and then stabbing them! Plus, Julian brought in some appropriately patriotic tape to mark our loaner gear. #hema #airdrie #swords #longsword #saber #sabre #wma #calgary #swordfighting
BEGINNER DAY! It’s our favourite day of the month! Every first Sunday 11-2 is a free lesson for first timers. After some intro instruction from coaches Julian and Lexa, this group kicked ass with our longsword boffers! So nice to meet you all and we’ll see you soon! Want to learn to swordfight? See you next month! #hema #longsword #swords #airdrie #martialarts #historicalfencing #swordfight #fencing #wma #calgary
You are among friends! We celebrate trans and nonbinary fighters today, both at home in our club and across the entire HEMA community! Bighorn HC is committed to being a safe, inclusive training environment for all fighters. Happy trans day of visi
New glove day! Looking forward to seeing how these go!
That’s a wrap on Smallhorn March 2026 - Gym Sabre! CONGRATULATIONS to our Tier A (Matt T.) and Tier B (Lexa G.) winners! And a huge thank you and congratulations to everyone who participated! We all got to practice judging, scorekeeping and d
Some more bling from the crew! Matt went to Vancouver on Friday and got bronze in rapier - well done! Maybe after we get enough on these rapier medals we should actually have rapier classes
SMALLHORN MARCH 2026 GYMNASIUM SABRE March 29, 11am - 3pm $40 Two rounds of pools using our Hornfest rules. Loaners provided, or bring your own sabre under 750g. Message to register! Hope to see you there! #hema #historicalfencing #sabre #airdrie #
Team Canada at @socalswordfight ! Alex comes home with a gold medal and made eliminations in 3 tier A tournaments. We're super proud of his performance and are excited to see what new ideas he'll bring back with him!
Congrats @alexander.j.williamson for winning gold at @socalswordfight !! 🥇💪
TFW your friend asks you to crank him in the back of the head because he's testing an overlay
Photographic evidence that coach Alex uses psychic blasts to stagger his opponents to create openings. Come train at Bighorn Historical Combat, where you too can incorporate the devious techniques of Tzeentch into your fencing 🏆 Sabre results at Drehfochs - Alex gold, Lexa Bronze, and Matt 4th! Well done! 🥇🥉🏅 Longsword is done! Our crew performed fantastically, with Matt taking the gold and Alex taking silver in a razor close match 💪 Sabre is up next
We're at @edmontongermanfencingguild event today! Looking forward to a full day of fencing ⚔️
8/16 books in a giant group order came in today ⚔️ looking forward to 💪 GAININ' 📚 SUM 🧠 KNOWLEGE 💪
Alex’s shenanigans trouble Julian’s day thanks to @academieduello - no better way to spend your winnings! #hema #sabre #historicalfencing #fencing #swordfight
Did you have a nice warm coffee or tea for this crispy morning?
Midway 2026 was not a traditional event, but we’re proud of all our Bighornies accomplished! 8 clubs participated in this collaborative event in Red Deer. There were a lot of workshops at this event - our crew, Lexa and Allie, did a fantastic
Results from our monthly Smallhorn! These training tournaments are a low-stress opportunity to learn mindset and energy management, build community, and learn valuable skills like judging and scorekeeping! Congratulations to all participants, lots
Club coaches @alexander.j.williamson and @son_of_thomhema win gold and bronze in rapier and dagger at @comoxvalleycombatguild’s Lovestruck for Longsword! We’re all so proud of you! #hema #hemacanada #albertahema #longsword #rapier Another beautiful day filled with making friends and then stabbing them! Plus, Julian brought in some appropriately patriotic tape to mark our loaner gear. #hema #airdrie #swords #longsword #saber #sabre #wma #calgary #swordfighting
BEGINNER DAY! It’s our favourite day of the month! Every first Sunday 11-2 is a free lesson for first timers. After some intro instruction from coaches Julian and Lexa, this group kicked ass with our longsword boffers! So nice to meet you a

Meet Our crew!

  • Julian Schuetze

    Founder & Head Coach

    Peak Global Competitive Rankings:

    Cutting: 1 - Singlestick: 11 - Smallsword: 18 - Longsword: 38 - Sabre: 145

  • Alex Williamson

    Coach (Fencing & Focused Development)

    Peak Global Competitive Rankings:

    Rapier & Dagger: 11 - Singlestick: 15 - Smallsword: 64 - Longsword: 75 - Sabre: 96 - Sword & Buckler: 99

  • Matt Thompson

    Coach (Fencing & Grappling)

    Peak Global Competitive Rankings:

    Messer: 11 - Singlestick: 23 - Rapier & Dagger: 106 - Sabre: 134 - Longsword: 160

  • Lexa Giguère

    Coach (Fencing & Strength and Conditioning)

    Peak Global Competitive Rankings:

    Women’s+ Longsword: 33 - Sidesword: 64 - Smallsword: 87

  • Allie Pierson

    Allie Pierson

    Social Media & Good Vibes Coach

    Resident Rapier & SCA specialist. Hypebringer, bringer of hype and ruckus.