How tournament participation for companions work?

[MakinTorf]

the title is the question because i like to make tournament and watch every fight of my companions to get them xp and level ups.
in my playthrought (1.8.0) are always the same 3 people, but i would like have some choice or some help, why and how they are chosen.

 

[Nakh]

In my experience companions enlist to tournaments if they have >100 in one of melee combat skills.

To level up melee combat for companions you can use Aserai hideouts, there is no ranged units. so you can just tank for you companions with shield and kicks, while they keep swinging.

Also, looks like companions count as "lords with renown fighting skills" to determine tournament reward. At one of my last long runs I had 6 companions + wife enlisting in tournaments and we got a lot of top tier helmets and good armor as rewards.

 

[MakinTorf]

nice, thank you for the information