Preview

Head instructors last training, New Zealand seminar, A quick-fire interview and a perfect 60 feature in this weeks edition of Whakatane Haidong Gumdo Weekly.

This Week

The main story of this coming week will be without doubt Head Instructor Danyel Dagenhart’s last training. After eight years of Haidong Gumdo at Whakatane Haidong Gumdo the Canadian has decided to move back to his home country with his young family.

In those eight years, the 3rd Dan Black Belt achieved a mammoth list of things including, grading eight Black Belts, taking Team New Zealand to the 2019 World Mulimpia Games, coaching a world champion to the 2021 World Mulimpia Games and cycling through three different Dan’s all while raising a family and running a local business.

Tuesday evening will be Dagenhart’s last training as head instructor before 1st Dan Black Belt Mike Harland takes over. Sunday will be a club hang out/potluck to celebrate the Degenhardt family.

Review: Last Week

Master Oh, Headmaster of Haidong Gumdo Australia, was in Tauranga running a Black Belts from other martial arts seminar. Six people from various martial art background where put through the paces of Haidong Gumdo from Tuesday to Thursday. The aim of the seminar was for the participants to be able to learn the basic of Haidong Gumdo so they could incorporate sword into there own training.

Back at Whakatane Haidong Gumdo, Tuesday evening training consisted of pattern practice and paper cutting before the Cho Dan Bo’s talked to the class about there experience of the recently achieved Ordeal. For more on The Ordeal: https://whkhaidonggumdo.com/2023/03/11/ordeal-completed-duo-prep-for-grading/

On Sunday, Master Garry from Budo South Martial Arts, Tauranga was down in Whakatane to take the four Cho Dan Bo’s through there patterns. With only four weeks to the Black Belt grading on the 23rd of April, the Cho Dan Bo’s have upped there tempo.

Making Headlines

Four weeks ago, it seemed that human had conquered paper. In Haidong Gumdo paper cutting the highest score you could get was 30. In mid February club member Finn Fairlie had seemingly achieved the rare, but possible number.

But after a heated discussion, the current counting system coming under fire all accumulating in Fairlie’s score being revoked the Cho Dan Bo has redemption.

This week Finn scored the 30, now 60 under the new counting system, proving that nothing is impossible.

Special

Q&A With Macrae

Red/Black Belt Angus Macrae recently accomplished The Ordeal, a big achievement in his Haidong Gumdo journey. How did he train, prepare and achieve The Ordeal? Find out in this quick-fire interview: Q&A With Macrae.

How did you get into Haidong Gumdo?

Macrae: My mum told me about Haidong Gumdo and I decided to give it a nudge.

How long have you been doing Haidong Gumdo?

Macrae: Roughly about two years.

For the full interview got to: https://whkhaidonggumdo.com/2023/03/18/qa-with-macrae/