Over 50 Instructors and students, including 30 Black Belts, from a wide variety of clubs, organisations and martial arts, attended this years Zen Judo (Spring) Budo course. The course was again held at Bognor Regis Zen Judo Club in West Sussex and those attending travelled from clubs in Nottingham, Northampton, Thatcham, Trowbridge, Eastbourne, Devon and Hampshire.

The Saturday turning out to be the most popular day with 50 attendees, this was probably due to the clash with "mothers day".

One of the highlights of the weekend was the presentation by Sensei John Goldman 7th Dan UBA to Shihan Gordon Lawson 6th Dan BZJFA, of a copy of the certificate awarded to Kenshiro Abbe by Emperor Hirohito at the Imperial Palace, Japan, on March 23rd 1945. (see separate news article - webmaster).

On the Saturday morning Sensei Tony Richards 5th Dan Jujitsu, used the opportunity to present two of his Instructors with new grades. Mike Scot was confirmed as an Instructor after serving his year as a 1st Dan Black Belt and Mike Brassett was awarded his 1st Dan Jujitsu Black belt.

In the evening twenty six of those attending the course went out for a Chinese and had a very enjoyable and relaxing evening.

The Sunday was a much more relaxed affair with only 23 on the mats. This allowed more intensive training by the Instructors. It was commented on by a number of the students that they were impressed by the fact that so many high grade Instructors were willing to pass on there knowledge. Some of the Instructors also said how equally impressed they had been by the relaxed and enthusiastic way the different martial arts were able to train together.

Martial Arts covered included Zen Judo, Judo Kata (Itsutsu-No-Kata and Nage-No-Kata), Jujitsu, Groundwork (Turnovers / Locks and Strangles), Taekwondo, Korean Sword, Korean Short Stick and Kubotan Techniques, on the Sunday Sensei John Goldman and his Instructors covered a wide ranging class on Judo.

Instructors:-
Shihan Gordon Lawson 6th Dan BZJFA
Sensei Ron Davidson 7th Dan Taekwondo
Sensei Jo Harbert 6th Dan TJUK
Sensei Tony Richards 5th Dan Kenseikai Jujitsu
Sensei Graham Padgett 4th Dan BZJFA
Sensei Alan Barker 4th Dan BZJFA
Rob Jolly 2nd Dan Kenseikai Jujitsu
John Rapson 2nd Dan TJUK

Special Guest Instructors:-
Sensei John Goldman 7th Dan UBA (Universal Budo Association)
Sensei Ruth Goldman 5th Dan UBA
Sensei Nigel Hoskins 5th Dan UBA
Steven Walter 3rd Dan UBA

Apologies to any of the Instructors Uki's I have left out.

I should also like to thank all the members of the Bognor Zen Judo Club who helped with all the arrangements for the course and its running on the day. And a special mention and thank you to Yvonne and Sharna for all the hard work in the kitchen keeping everyone fed and watered between training on the mat.

See you next year.

John Robertson 3rd Dan ZJF/ 2nd Dan BZJFA
(Chief Instructor Bognor Zen Judo Club).