Grading Congratuations!

I want to pass on congratulations on behalf of the Club to Toshi Tsukadaira sensei and his wife Hiroko Tsukadaira sensei for their recent promotion to 7th Dan and 6th Dan respectively in Kendo.

The Tsukadairas have been strong supporters of Kendo in Toowoomba and have always been generous with their time and knowledge when instructing at seminars. Both continue to be amazing, inspirational role models, regardless of the budo you may be engaged with.

I would also like to congratulate James Archer for his promotion to nikkyu in Seitei Iaido on Sunday at the QKR Winter grading.  A great result and worth of the dedication and effort in training that James always put in.

Kendo: "To Dos" for this week ...

Iaido & Jodo Championships Collingwood Pk 20-26.1.2014-5021.JPG

There are several things for Toowoomba kendoka to attend to this week. First, and most important is to ensure that you have paid your QKR membership renewal before Wednesday. Remember: no membership, no insurance; and no insurance, no training. There are details on the QKR website for dealing with direct debit transactions. Please include your QKR membership number and your surname in the information you provide for any direct debit. It will ensure a much more efficient processing of your renewal.

Second, it to make it along to training at the CBRC on Wednesday afternoon. After two weeks of forced absence, I am very keen to get in there and pick up the training intensity. Please bring your bokken and/or your suburito as we will be building up our training in the coming weeks leading to the demonstrations we will be putting on for the 10th Annual Toowoomba Languages and Cultures Festival.

Third is to send best wishes for those travelling down to Collingwood Park this weekend to participate in the QKR winter seminar, particularly those attempting gradings. James Archer is the only BBRD person attempting a grade (for nikkyu in iaido), but we wish all the grading candidates the best.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at training this week!

SMR Jodo training afternoon

Just a quick note to say it was great to be able to host visitors from Rembukan, Brisbane for a training session on Saturday. It will most likely be the last time BBRD will be able to host Glen Henry, sensei and the rest of the team from Brisbane before the departure of Adrian Knight at the end of the month.

On behalf of the Club, I want to provide a wholehearted thank you to our visitors, and hope to see them come up the hill again in the not too distant future to continue supporting the practice of SMR Jodo in Toowoomba.

Queensland Kyudo Association and Seitei Iaido in Toowoomba

I am very happy to announce more details of the arrangement between BBRD and the Kohokai that will bring us one step closer to the incorporation of the Queensland Kyudo Association and formalise our relationship with Kohokai to continue the practice of Seitei Iaido in Toowoomba.
 
As some of you will know, Tom Johnson, sensei has been training BBRD members in Seitei Iaido over the past 18 months, and we have wanted to foster that relationship so that we can grow the number of practitioners here in Toowoomba.
 
After discussions with Tom, we have been able to agree on a special arrangement for BBRD members who wish to train either Iaido or Kyudo. All people training in these disciplines will be asked to contribute $200 to Kohokai dojo membership and the relevant Association membership. The QKR fee is $60 plus $10 per discipline registered (Kendo, Iaido, Jodo), and for Kyudo, the Association membership will be an additional $70. All fees go to covering insurance, equipment and travel costs, as Kohokai, the QKR and the QKA are all strictly not-for-profit associations. They are a prerequisite for attending dojo sessions and seminars.
 
For Kyudo, this represents a $20 saving on the QKA association fees. In addition, full time students wanting to train in Kyudo who are BBRD members will only need pay $200 to cover both Kohokai and QKA memberships.
 
I am personally quite excited with this development. We will be looking to have some demonstration and practice of both disciplines during the upcoming Budo Taste Tester Weekend a the Club, which will be held at the end of July.

As extra incentive, Tom is in the process of arranging a visit to Queensland by Takeuchi Masakuni, 7th dan Kyoshi, and Toowoomba is being considered as a location to host a seminar.

For a little insight into both Kyudo and Takeuchi sensei, have a look at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh-ohspuCmE

Queensland Kyudo Association — Expressions of interest.

I am very happy to announce that BBRD is in a position to support the establishment of a Queensland Kyudo Association.

Tom Johnson sensei has been given the imprimatur for setting this up. For those that don’t know him, Tom has worked tirelessly over the years across a number of martial arts including Jujutsu, Seitei Iaido and Seitei Jodo, including his term as Secretary then President of the Queensland Kendo Renmei. Tom also acts as the supervising instructor for the BBRD Seitei Iaido study group.

Information provided by Tom is that there is some training gear that can be used. Initially all that is need is walking space for practising Kyudo reiho.  Gomiyumi are used to start with just to practice shape. These are similar to rubber slingshots.
 
There has been talk with to Collingwood Park management about letting us shoot inside their courts, but more on that as it develops.
 
Tom has calculated that $270 would be the annual registration cost, which would cover Club State and National memberships.  If can shot in Collingwood park the cost would be about $10 or 15 per lesson.  If there were a space up there and there was interest enough Tom was even offering to  travel up to Toowoomba once a week perhaps.
 
There is a national seminar coming up in Sydney during October with a  7 dan instructor coming from Japan. All financial members of the Kyudo Association would welcome to attend.

We will be posting more details up of the BBRD website as they develop, so make sure you keep looking there to see what is going on!

No kendo at the MEAC this week

Just to let everyone know that the CBRC is booked again this week and, as a result, we will not be able to run our regular Kendo class on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Holy Name is still in term this week, otherwise we may have had a chance to use the MEAC.

We will be back to regular programming next week, and there is always Sunday at the PCYC!

Make sure you sign in and check your details this week!

As you are aware, we have been trialling both cashless handling of payments for BBRD and a new dojo management software this month.

Can I ask that you please sign in before your classes this week, and check the registered details. Please ask your instructor if you you need assistance.

Jujutsu training for this week

We are continuing our exploration of techniques from the ground (ne waza) this week. Nyumon will be focussed on movement and flow, Chuden on the exploitation of opportunities.

However, there will be no training on Saturday this week. The 20th is basically Winter Solstice (technically on the 21st this year), and hence and engagement I meet to prepare for that no lifetime could amount sufficient brownie points  to take a couple of hours out of preparation time ...

Regardless— look forward to seeing you there on the mats this week (literally)!

Jujusts grading results

I am very happy to officially announce that the grading conducted on the 6 July 2015 were all successful, and included a number of outstanding results, and results that everyone should be proud of. First to the grades:

  • John Watton — 6th Kyu
  • Tony Schirmer — 6th Kyu
  • Raymond Undery — 6th Kyu
  • Dylan Green — 6th Kyu
  • Aaron De Smet — 6th Kyu
  • Tracy Campbell — 7th Kyu
  • Reece Overton — 7th Kyu
  • Matthew Mcerney — 9th Kyu
  • Luke Jakins — 9th Kyu

There were some note worth performances, particularly from Tracy and Ray who did sufficiently well to obtain the higher of the grades that they were eligible for. Audience favourites were, of course, Reece and Dylan. Their consistent training and grace shone through over and about the requirements for the grade they could attempt. And John, Tony, Aaron, Matthew and Luke, who all acquitted themselves with honour and aplomb!

Well done everyone! Your individual successes are a result of the consistent work you have put into your own training and the generosity you have shown to others in offering yourself as a training partner.

Official grading certificates will be handed out shortly, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the splash of colour on the tatami.

For those starting their journey into the Chuden waza, you have a new peak to master over the next 1-2 years, to which I feel privileged to act as a guide. For those continuing their path in the Nyumon waza, I am very pleased with the foundation that you demonstrated at the grading and can see you successfully completing this stage with continued determination and application.