The Students of The Year
Mr Kelly Gets 4th Dan in Kickboxing
BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Mr Kelly from @ChuldowTadcaster for being awarded his 4th Dan Kickboxing. Mr Kelly was due to take his Advanced Dan earlier this year. We were honoured to award him yesterday for his time served as a great instructor first and foremost, but also for continuing with his dedication to his own training and advancement. Mr Kelly will be undertaking the Black Belt Graduation in 2021, but deserves the recognition of his time spent and commitment now.
Congratulations to the NEW Junior Black belts
On Saturday 12th December 2020 we held our junior kickboxing graduations at Chuldow HQ. We saw many students achieving their new belt, including Sophie Nodder who, achieved her 1st dan black belt. Despite being the only student on the mat by the end of the grading, Sophie kept up her momentum throughout the whole session. She had nowhere to hide on the mats and her enthusiasm shone through.
Following this graduation, on Sunday 13th December 2020, it was the turn of our junior karate students to graduate. William Harrison, Katie Martin and Thomas Speck all faced their first black belt graduation. Each student gave it 100% effort and more than earnt their 1st dan. Showing these students that it is possible to progress even further than 1st dan were three other junior students. Tobias Hicking, Loui Colley and Leon Tipton have all trained hard for the last 2 years and have now received their 2nd dan black belt in karate.
Instructors, families, and students alike, are all so proud of our new black belt students. Congratulations to you all and keep up the hard work and determination as you get closer to your next graduation date.
New Ladies’ Kickboxing Classes
New Ladies’ Kickboxing classes are beginning at Chuldow HQ in Wakefield, with a top class female instructor.
Congratulations to the newest Chuldow Black Belts
2020 has been a challenging year so far, affecting everyone in many ways. However, as the world begins to change, we can all agree that is a relief to be back at our academies training again, and what better way to start, than celebrating our achievements. On Saturday 8th August, at Chuldow HQ Wakefield, we held our first socially distanced graduations for both karate and kickboxing. As we all followed precautions, the day was a fantastic success.
Firstly, we saw 2 junior kickboxers complete their graduation. Tobias Hicking and Jarvis Hicking achieved their cadet 1st dan on this hot day, displaying a sound knowledge of kickboxing techniques and a great level of fitness required.
Following Tobias and Jarvis were the karate black belt graduations. Achieving their cadet 1st dan were Adam Haq, Seif-Ui Haq and Matthew Goward, along side Majka Karas achieving her 1st dan. Their challenge is now to progress to the level of Gordon Smith who worked hard to attain his 2nd dan in karate. Another advance dan was achieved when Jon Colley took to the mats to work for his 3rd dan in karate.
Congratulations to you all, practice, hard work and determination has got you to the next level in your martial arts journey.
Chuldow Black Belt Graduations March 2020
Saturday March 14th 2020 saw Joshua Barnaby, Stacey Stead, Katie Waddington and Xander Delsiant all attend Chuldow HQ in Wakefield to attempt to qualify as Black Belt 1st Dan in kickboxing. It was a tough graduation, ask any of the candidates and they will agree they were pushed to the limit. It takes a lot of time and effort to reach this level of excellence but the deication each has shown over the years paid off as, exhausted though they were, they happily received their promotions.
They were not alone however. Joshua Falkiner was there too. A 2nd Dan already with many years of training behind him he was attempting to achieve his 3rd Dan. If 1st Dan was tough, and it was, then this test was brutal but Mr Falkiner showed he was made of stern stuff and had put in the time and effort on the mats to prepare for it and was successful in gaining his promotion.
As always Sunday followed Saturday and as always the Karate Gradaution followed the Kickboxing Graduation. Sunday 15th March 202 saw Bradley Robinson, Stanley Seymour-Crawshaw, Luke Dickinson, Cameron Eggett, Sharon Maclean and Stuart Maclean all set forth to prove their worth in Karate. With testing covering the full range of their knowledge, skill and physical prowess they pushed on and demonstrated that they had what it takes to join the select group of Chuldow Black Belts, each earning a promotion to 1st Dan.
Well done all!
Chuldow Taekwon-Do Black Belt Graduation March 2020
March 8th 2020 was graduation day for Chuldow Taekwon-Do. An important day for many students but certainly so for Jonna Laitinen and Hannah Hedigan both from the Morley Academy as they were put forward for promotion to 1st Degree Black Belt. Miss Hedigan and Mrs Laitinen were both put through their paces for over three hours and worked exceptionally hard demonstrating skill in patterns, sparring, breaking and self defence.
Both students demonstrated a superb level of skill, knowledge and endurance and were successful in achieving their promotion.
Congratualtions Miss Hannah Hedigan 1st Degree Cadet and Mrs Jonna Laitinen 1st Degree. A superb effort.
Chuldow Black Belt Graduations January 2020
The first black belt graduation of 2020 was a small affair, three kickboxers took to the mats to be put through their paces. With such small numbers there was nowhere to hide but it did not deter Philip Stevens, Caroline Sanderson or Cam Hauer all of whom were thoroughly tested and emerged from the ordeal exhausted but jubilant in their success. Philip Stevens and Caroline Sanderson both achieved 1st Dan Black Belt after a fantastic display of skill and determination. Leading the way and setting a fine example as always Mr Cam Hauer showed us all how it is done achieving his 3rd Dan Black Belt after a gruelling assessment covering every aspect of kickboxing and then some.
Sunday being a day of rest…unless of course you study Karate…meant that three more candidates hit the mats to be assessed in their skill and knowledge of Karate. Campbell Jones (Wakefield), Kay Benson (Royston) and Cam Hauer (Wakefield) were all put through their paces. After a thorough and exhausting test of their skills, knowledge and stamina, Campbell Jones achieved 1st Dan Cadet and Kay Benson achieved 1st Dan. Meanwhile Mr Cam Hauer, not sat at home nursing aching legs and sore abs as one would expect had instead achieved his 2nd Dan in Karate showing an amazing mental and physical resilience and once again setting an example to everyone present.
What a brilliant weekend and excellent results all round, well done all!
Chuldow Black Belt Graduation November 2019
It was a cold, wet and miserable day on Saturday November 23rd 2019. Inside Chuldow HQ it was not cold and it was not miserable but looking at the Kickboxers doing their graduation it was very wet, with sweat. The black belt candidates more than anyone. The list of names is long but distinguished with Damien Dean and Shane Griffiths from Wakefield HQ, Mia Mistry, Nikki Ryatt and Geoff Walton from Morley, Matthew Lambert, Neil Harrison, William Haigh, Harry Senior, Dean Wilcox, Victoria Peckover and Alfie Smith of Knottingley and Stacy Wood of Normanton all achieving their 1st Dan Black Belts. The standard across the board was very high and the sweat poring off everyone was a testament to the effort they all put in. Special mention must be given to Mr Dean Wilcox. He probably won’t be happy about being singled out as he is clearly a man who expects no special treatment, regardless of the challenges he faces but nevertheless it was obvious that everyone watching was inspired and impressed by the skill he has achieved despite being visually impaired. Everyone achieving their Black Belt received thunderous applause as is appropriate and deserved but the applause for Mr Wilcox rightly went on and on. Someone to think about when you feel training is too hard or too challenging!
Mr Jon Colley of Wakefield HQ went further, a particularly challenging graduation to 2nd Dan as he was sharing the mats with Mr Jeffery Moore who was himself looking for promotion to 4th Dan. Both were seriously tested in advanced technique and watching Mr Moore’s walk of pain, even after hours of exertion sympathy went out to his pad holder, seriously powerful kicks. An amazing achievement to push beyond black belt, both gentlemen a credit to Chuldow.
Sunday saw the Karate Black Belt Candidates take to the mats. Prem Meisura of Normanton and Jessica Hargreave of Thornhill both achieving their 1st Dan demonstrated superb skill and technical ability whilst Mr David Skeldon of Wakefield HQ achieved promotion to 3rd Dan, showing skills honed through years of practice and hard work. All three were put through their paces for hours and tested to the limits of their knowledge and technical skill. It was a smaller affair than Sunday for sure but nevertheless an impressive display from three superb Karateka.
Congratulations to all the new Chuldow Black Belts and Advanced Dans!
Chuldow Black Belt Graduations September 2019
It is not unusual for there to be small numbers of people taking a Black Belt test, the air is pretty thin up there after all but on Saturday 21st of September 2019, when she arrived to take her 1st Dan Cadet in Kickboxing, young Abigail Fellows (Morley) was told she was on her own, solo, just her under the scrutiny of the assessment panel and Master Hauer. It didn’t phase Abigail though and she met every challenge given with gusto and at the end was successful is achieving her Black Belt!
Sunday was the opposite! The karate candidates numbered ten but nevertheless they were subject to the same scrutiny. Joshua Gledhill (Rothwell), Kian Morris (Knottingley), Leah Clarke (Knottingley), Lewis Stone (Knottingley), Umar Hussain (Thornhill Lees) and Uthman Hussain (Thornhill Lees) were all successful in gaining 1st Dan Cadet in Karate after a long and trying test of their skills and knowledge. James Turford (Knottingley), Philip Townsend (Wakefield) and Chloe Watson (Wakefield) were each fully tested in their technical knowledge, mental toughness and skill and were awarded 1st Dan in Karate whilst Victoria Ledger (Wakefield), an accomplished and talented Cadet was tested for the first time as an adult and set a shining example to those following as she achieved her 2nd Dan Black Belt in Karate.
Well done all!
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