Medieval Reenactor Killed After Impaling Himself With Own Spear

Peter Barclay loved to reenact the pageantry of medieval times.

The wife of a Virginia man who accidentally impaled himself while competing in an equestrian event at a medieval reenactment tournament is struggling to come to terms with his death.   

Deborah Barclay told Inside Edition her husband, Peter Barclay, loved to reenact the pageantry of medieval times. But she never anticipated his passion would be his downfall. 

"It's a devastation is beyond anything that you can imagine," Deborah said.

Peter, 53, was killed in a freak accident after his metal-tipped spear hit the ground and flipped, piercing him through the abdomen. The incident unfolded before spectators at a competition in Williamstown, Kentucky.

After he was impaled, Peter, who was known as Master Terafan Greydragon, dismounted from his horse, took a few steps and collapsed. He was not wearing armor when the spear penetrated him.

Shane Adams of the jousting team Knights of Valor told Inside Edition that any sport that involves a horse and a weapon is inherently dangerous. He speculated about what might have gone wrong in Peter's case. 

"It ripped out of his hand — flipped over — and with stride of horse came right back into him," Adams showed Inside Edition.

For Deborah, not knowing for sure how her husband was killed is what's most difficult.

"It is hard to comprehend what happened," she said. "I don't think I'll ever know."

She takes comfort in her last words to Peter.

"I did get to tell him one more time that I loved him," she said.

RELATED STORIES