OUT THERE : SURELY, YOU JOUST LEARNING TO JOUST IS FORMER CIRCUS PERFORMER NOW TEACHES LOST ART.

Byline: Rochelle Kaplan Daily News Staff Writer

Most small children ride tricycles. James Zoppe somersaulted on horses at the local circus.

It is only fitting, then, that Zoppe, now 42, still finds himself on horseback. Today, though, his torso is covered in chain mail and his head covered with an armored hood as he sits on his mount with shield and lance teaching medieval-period fans to joust.

``America is experiencing a growing interest in `the joust,' '' said Zoppe, who has been offering jousting lessons for the past 1-1/2 years at the 1,800-acre Ozena Valley Ranch.

The joust - which pits two knights on horseback dressed in armor and carrying weapons such as lances or swords - and the tournament (a contest for several knights) were medieval public events that simulated battles. Usually held at the invitation of a king or nobleman and beginning in France in the 12th century, jousting and tournaments quickly spread to Germany and England and flourished through the 16th century.

While contests in medieval days ended when one combatant was either killed or disabled, the modern joust is held for entertainment and competitive purposes only. Zoppe's aim is to make the field as safe and fair as possible.

``I started taking lessons because I want to tournament joust,'' said John Swanson, a 28-year-old Ontario resident who was attending his third class.

Born into a family of rosinback riders - acrobatic circus performers who rode atop galloping horses - Zoppe has spent virtually all of his life entertaining people on horseback. It was while performing his routine at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in 1978 that Zoppe was asked if he could return the following year to present a medieval joust.

``I became intrigued with the idea. But as I looked for information to study on jousting, I realized not much had been written on the subject,'' said Zoppe, who founded the American Jousting Alliance as a way of preserving the sport.

After consulting with others who had performed in choreographed jousts and reading what he could find, Zoppe developed his own routines and began crafting his own lances, shields, spears and costumes. He hand carves all of his wooden lances - 10 feet long and 15 to 20 pounds - and puts together his metal shields, which, at 25 pounds, are probably heavier than those used originally, he said.

Talon McKenna of Van Nuys slipped a formidable chain mail bodice over his bell-sleeved shirt and fastened leg shields over knee-high boots. A medieval sword fighter for 15 years, McKenna met Zoppe at a renaissance festival four years ago.

An accomplished horseman, McKenna sees jousting as the perfect complement to his other hobbies.

``I'm Scottish, so I was always interested in (these) things,'' said the 27-year-old McKenna, who also does stunt work in the film industry. ``(Jousting) is part of my heritage. I've always kept up on my background.''

Zoppe's classes are usually small - on this day four students were in attendance - but he has enough trained jousting horses on hand to accommodate as many as 10 pupils. During class, which is broken into two sessions lasting up to three hours each, Zoppe puts the students through specific drills that will build both riding and jousting skills.

Although he stresses horse control for beginning riders, Zoppe allows his students to practice with the lances immediately. In order to learn to steady the lance (lighter-weight units at first), he has students trot their horses as they attempt to spear small rings.

Later in the lesson, he has students gallop as they try to hit a stationary shield quintain - a revolving apparatus on the field with a target dangling on one side - with the heavier lances. Most of the new students find that the sport is harder than it looks.

``Right now, my horse is testing me,'' said Steve Attwood of Marina Del Rey, attending his third class. ``I'm having problems with getting my will over the horse's.

``But it's exciting. I'm really into the medieval scene. Talon (McKenna) got me into sword fighting, and now he got me into jousting.''

For some, jousting is another route to relaxation.

``I used to be a rock musician,'' jouster Attwood said, ``but I got tired of it.

``This is my hobby now. It's my escapist mode.''

MEMO: Jousting classes run for 12 weeks, although students can attend individual classes at $35 to $50 per day. For more information, call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Stressing horse control, James Zoppe t eaches his jousting students how to ride a horse and carry a lance at the same time.

(2--color) James Zoppe jousts against Talon McKenna of Van Nuys. Unlike Medieval times, the object here is no longer to kill your opponent.

(3) James Zoppe, second from left, leads his students during lesson on handling lances while riding, a discipline he even teaches beginners.

(4) Student Steve Attwood, left, takes on teacher James Zoppe in a sword fight.

Jon Lazar / Special to the Daily News