Lower Hutt Seido Karate

It was another energy filled class last night with the attendances of the black belt candidate students from Kyoshi Tony Gaeta’s South Wellington Seido Karate Dojo….Senpai Rob Campbell and Christine Lin-Barraud…

All black belt candidates sharing some intense floor time together as the countdown to grading day gets closer and closer…

Keep up the great work candidates and we will all be there to support and encourage you all on the big day – 9am Saturday 7th May….

Warmest regards
OSU
Sensei Ken Szeto

Pictured left to right: Christine Lin-Barraud, Senpai Leighton Szeto, Senpai Rob Campbell, Senpai Jon Mackie and Peri Stackhouse

It will indeed be a special Day of Celebrations for our wonderful little Dojo….

We will have the privilege of some very special SEIDO Karate guests for the day…
Hanshi Renzie Hanham (8th Dan) – Head of Seido New Zealand
Sei Shihan Ino Macquirang (6th Dan) – Head of Seido Australia
Sei Shihan Michael Higgs (6th Dan) – Chief Instructor Seido Timaru
Sei Shihan Ben Otang (6th Dan) – Regional Chief Instructor Seido Wellington
Our programme outline for the day…
5am Nidan Grading (2nd Dan) – Closed to the Public, Only Seido Karate Black Belts allowed to attend
9am Shodan Grading (1st Dan) – Open to Public, All Seido Karate students, families and friends allowed to attend
There will be a post Shodan Grading BBQ, mix and mingle session at the Dojo (about 12.30pm) where everyone can congratulate those students that graded and then enjoy each others company over BBQ food and celebratory drinks…

I look forward to meeting old friends again and making many many new ones….

With much gratitude and thanks to everyone
OSU
Sensei Ken Szeto

A new initiative to be implemented at the Dojo this year is the Dojo’s Collegiate Development Programme

Aimed at supporting the Dojo’s teenage students as a collective GROUP, the programme will seek to introduce a focus upon achieving academic and trade related success at College with an emphasis upon supporting them to look at their academic and career options and opportunities for their futures

A key goal for this Group being fundraising together for the next 12 months to raise enough funds to attend the SEIDO Karate International Tournament to be hosted sometime next year in JAPAN…

Keep up the great work Collegiates and welcome to the programme…let’s get busy and reach our goal of getting everyone to JAPAN next year…

OSU
Sensei Ken Szeto

Pictured: Dojo Collegiate Group students for 2016

It was a great night for parents and selected Junior Academy Group students at the Group get together last week at the Dojo…

The development programme was introduced 2 years ago and has proven to be hugely successful in many ways..

In addition to the extra demands expected of students in weekly classes, a key goal of the Junior Academy Group being fundraising together to get as many Academy Group students as possible to be able attend the SEIDO Karate Australia National Tournament held every year in November in Sydney, Australia….

Last year’s monumental fundraising efforts providing the opportunity for 30 Junior Academy students to attend…a great achievement indeed…

This year 17 new junior students have been selected to join those junior students from the previous year, making the Junior Academy Group student total 34 for 2016

Congratulations to all 2016 Junior Academy Group students and thank you to your amazing parents for their wonderful support…

Thank you everyone….
OSU
Sensei Ken Szeto

Pictured: Mixed Junior Academy Group and Junior Development Class students

It is with much privilege that I announce that the Celebration of of our new Dojo premises will be marked with 2 Black Belt gradings to be held on Saturday 7th May 2016….

We are so fortunate to have our Celebration Day made even more special with the attendances of some of Seido Karate’s most senior Black Belts….

Please come along to support all the candidates selected for grading on this very special day…there are candidates from 3 of the Wellington Region Dojo’s, Brooklyn Dojo, South Wellington Dojo and Upper Hutt Dojo…

We have 3 candidates from our own Dojo, Senpai’s Jon Mackie and Leighton Szeto will be attempting their nidan (second degree black belt) grading and Peri Stackhouse will be attempting her shodan (first degree black belt) grading…

So make sure that you come along to support and cheer them all on…and help us to celebrate our wonderful new Dojo and growing Dojo community….

With much privilege
OSU
Ken Szeto

Pictured left to right: Jon Mackie, Leighton Szeto and Peri Stackhouse

2016 is the year of the Monkey on the Chinese calendar…..
Monkey people personalities…..
People born in the year of the monkey are cheerful and energetic by nature and usually represent flexibility…..
They are wise, intelligent, confident, charismatic, loyal, inventive and have good leadership abilities…..
However, they do have weaknesses and are often egotistical, arrogant, crafty, restless and snobbish……
Wow, looks like another fun and challenging year ahead as we already have so many little monkeys…..”of the Cheeky Good type of course”…

Thank you everyone for a most rewarding and special year….we have achieved and enjoyed much together as a Dojo community….

Our tournament successes were a very special highlight this year, with many students achieving great results at this years Seido North Island Tournament held in Wellington and at the Seido Australia National Tournament held in Sydney….

Well done everyone for having a go…..

However, the most rewarding and special event to have happened this year, must be the creation of our very own Dojo..a Dojo that is blessed and filled with “JUKU” (specialness)

Created through the dedication and commitment of so many people with endless amounts of positive energy….

I am truly grateful and privileged to be surrounded by the generosity and love of so many amazing people….

Thank you so much for the most special of years…

Domo Arigato
OSU
Ken Szeto

This year the Dojo’s chosen Charity was The Salvation Army and their “Adopt a Family” Programme for Christmas….

The Salvation Army do an incredible amount of work and they are an amazing organisation….

Our Dojo Xmas Tree was flooded with Christmas Gifts from our many generous families who bought gifts for the 2 families adopted by the Dojo under the programme…

We hope that the many gifts will bring many smiles and festive season happiness to our 2 adopted families..

Wishing you much love and togetherness this Christmas….
OSU
From all the Families of Seido Karate Lower Hutt Dojo

Early morning nerves were soon overshadowed with a wonderful demonstration of “Talent and Spirit” as 8 of the Dojo’s Juniors faced the challenges of their first grading….

Families, friends and fellow students providing vocal and firm support throughout….

Well done to you all…..keep it up Juniors….

Sensei Ken Szeto

Pictured left to right: Emerson De Vos, Rayan Jina, Yazeedh Udhuman, Udha Udhuman, Georgia Baldwin, Levi Harris, Rhiannon Hough and Mackay Hancock

Pushed to their physical limits all grading adult students persevered to overcome the many challenges on the night….

Well supported by families and fellow students, the night ended with smiles and hugs as all were rewarded with grading success…

Well done to a great bunch of people On and Off the Dojo floor….keep up the hard work and effort….

OSU
Sensei Ken Szeto

Pictured left to right: Back Row – Dylan Budge, Peter Fink, Marty Barry, Monty O’Connell, Thomas Baker, Sam Field, Alexandria de Boer and Angus Horan Pictured left to right: Front Row – Devery Foster, Andrea O’Connell, Connor Barkess, Linda Jackson and Susan Cooper