Confrérie du Sabre d'Or
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Membership
The Complete Novice:
The best way to begin your journey into the Confrérie du Sabre d'Or is to attend an event and perform what is known as your 'Novice' Sabrage. This is the opening of a bottle of chilled Champagne by removing the cork and the glass collar or 'annulus' surrounding that cork by using a single (and of course 'flamboyant') sweep with a French Cavalry Sabre!
It is a lot more achievable than it sounds and full instruction, advice, help, assistance, guidance and encouragement is always provided (as, of course, is the Sabre). While not always successful on the very first 'sweep', no one has ever failed to open the bottle. Have a look at our tutorial page by Clicking Here.
Having completed that introduction to the world of Sabrage, one is Intronised by a Maître Sabreur (a Master in the art of Sabrage - in the case shown right it's the UK Ambassadeur, Gerard O'Shea), by the 'laying-on' of the Sabre to both shoulders while receiving the time-honoured introduction to the Order.
The cork and glass neck just removed by the Novice is presented in a velvet bag, together with a personalised 'Diplôme de Sabreur' (see right) and a certificate from the Caveau in which the event took place.
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So, the first step toward all this is to attend an event!
Attending your First Event:
If you are lucky enough to know an existing Member of the Confrérie Club, they will guide you and perhaps suggest an appropriate function to attend. If not, take a look at the list of forthcoming events on this website (Click Here) and contact us indicating your possible interest in a particular event (the one shown below is from our visit to the Old Bailey in 2016).
We will get back to you as soon as possible with further details on the cost and availability of the chosen event, at which you may be able to complete your Novice Sabrage. You will then be encouraged to join the Confrérie Club and become a Sabreur member of the Order.
However, you could simply join the Confrérie Club straight away and receive all the regular email updates and magazine before deciding upon and booking your first event (which will of course receive the member discounts discussed below). It is expected however that you should complete your Novice Sabrage within 6 months of joining the Club.
The cost of basic membership is a once-off joining fee of £45 and just £55 per annum. Simply Click on the Application Form button below, fill in the form and set up the payment system and you're all set to go. We'll be automatically advised of your having completed the form and will contact you straight away with all the latest info.
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The Benefits of Membership:
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Financial: Members receive discounts on many of the Club events offered throughout the year - simply going to a few events easily pays back the annual fee.
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Progression: To go on and become Chevaliers, Officiers, Commandeurs etc one must of course start as a sabreur member. Those 'commissioned' ranks carry even greater event discounts, not to mention the increasingly flamboyant regalia one gets to wear!! And the chance to Sabrage increasingly large bottles. The sooner you 'join' the sooner you can begin planning your rise through the ranks of the Confrérie.
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Booking: To book directly for events in your own right and bring your own guests, rather than always having to come as someone else's guest.
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Information: Members get regular email updates on news and events within the Club, together with information on who has joined recently and any promotions. The annual magazine "Golden Sabre" is published each November and gives a round up of the year's activities with lots of photos and articles. Through all this information and inclusivity, members soon feel a real part of the organisation.
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Suggestion: If you will usually be attending events as a 'couple', there are many advantages in both joining the Confrérie. Although a discounted 'Joint Membership' is not something we currently offer, the financial and other benefits highlighted above could therefore be enjoyed by both parties.
Promotion to Chevalier:
The first Promotion within the Order is to Chevalier and this can be achieved by a further Sabrage, but can only be done at special events. Click Here to get further details on which events qualify for gaining promotion to higher (commissioned) ranks such as Chevalier.
It is entirely possible (encouraged in fact) for a brand new member of the Confrérie to immediately become a Chevalier at the same Event (providing it qualifies, of course). Any such applicant will firstly need to have completed the above 'Membership Form'. They (or any existing Sabreur Member, wishing to become a Chevalier) should then click the button below and complete the Online Chevalier Application Form.
Club Ranks:
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British commissioned members (Chevalier and above) are also appointed to the equivalent rank in the Order of The Golden Sabre (the British Chapter of the Confrérie du Sabre d'Or) and are presented with a personalised 'Commission' and appropriate decorations.
An example of the British Commission for Chevaliers and the Confrérie's Diplôme de Chevalier-Sabreur are shown right (Click Here for more information on upper ranks).
