Vince Tait demonstrating techniques on KSD Martial Arts secretary Gary Beardsley at the seminar in the Assembly Rooms.

FOLLOWING the visit of two martial arts grand masters to Caithness, Vince Tait has been graded to fifth Dan Master.

 

KSD Martial Arts recently hosted the annual Northern Budo Alliance Bushi seminar in Wick Assembly Rooms where instruction was given by Soke Gunter Bauer, 10th Dan Hapkido (Grand Master), Soke Mark Kemp, 10th Dan Kempo JuJitsu (Grand Master), and Kyoshi Neil Hourston, seventh Dan (Master).

As well as the one-day seminar, the two grand masters instructed at a regular KSD training session in Castletown.

During the weekend, KSD chief instructor Mr Tait was under intense scrutiny as he sought to be graded to master level.

Following the award, Mr Tait said: “This is a real honour for me and I am delighted to have been deemed worthy of being promoted to master.

“I feel very proud. This is also a tribute to our club and the members who work hard as a team to support our activities.”

Grand Master Soke Gunter Bauer said: “Sabumnim Vince Tait runs a great club in the Far North of Scotland and brings an array of martial arts skills from a number of disciplines to KSD Martial Arts.

“Vince has dedicated a great deal of time both training and instructing in over 30 years of martial arts and has demonstrated the qualities required to become master.”

KSD Martial Arts club secretary Gary Beardsley hailed the visit a success.

He said: “It was great to work with the grand masters in Caithness. They travelled up from Manchester and as a club we feel that it is important that our students have access to instructors of this calibre without having to leave the area.

“Over 70 martial artists from Caithness and throughout the Highlands, including the Scottish Kempo Academy, Scottish Fighting Arts Society, and Bass Korean Martial Arts School, attended the event.”

Grand Master Soke Mark Kemp said the journey north had been worthwhile.

“We had a fantastic time and were impressed with the students and their level of commitment, I congratulate Sabumnim Vince Tait on his success and promotion to master.”

KSD Martial Arts meets in Castletown, Thurso and Halkirk. It is a modern scientific form of non-competitive self-defence with traditional values and is suitable for all ages and physical abilities.