The 27th Annual Saskatoon Kendo Seminar was held March 11 – 13 2016. About 67 people came from all over the prairies plus BC and Ontario. This year we were very pleased to welcome Kelowna Kendo Club and Tesshin Kendo Club for the first time. Regular attendees Calgary Kendo Club, Chinook Kendo Club, Edmonton Kendo Club, Manitoba Kendo Club and Regina Kendo Club were there. Missing this year was University of Winnipeg, hopefully they will visit us next year.
Thanks go out to our guest instructors, Morito Tsumura from JCCC, Hiro Okusa from SFU, Matthew Raymond from University of Toronto and Man-San Ma from Etobicoke. Raymond-sensei was the main instructor and taught everyone about nito from both sides (both doing and fighting against).
Also thanks to our club volunteers who made this possible, Lance Wall and Ryan Chappell. Also thanks to Machiko Miyaoka, Sumiko Asai, Donnagail Knipe and Thomas Gendzwill for all their help in putting on the party.
This year, we had 26 candidates for grading. Congratulations to all who passed, particularly Saskatoon members:
Khai Kang, ikkyu
Renee Talabucon, ikkyu
Colin Gibson, shodan
Corey Duchscher, nidan
Kids
1. Shion Miyashita, Edmonton
2. Avery Nham, Edmonton
3. Angus Palendat, Saskatoon
3. Emily Hulowski, Saskatoon
Beginners
1. Anna Chornenko, Chinook
2. Tianda Mahingen, Regina
2. Matthew Floch, Saskatoon
Mudansha
1. Shion Miyashita, Edmonton
2. Colin Gibson, Saskatoon
3. Isaac James, Edmonton
3. August Blust, Chinook
1-2 Dan
1. Jason Stelck, Edmonton
2. Jun Park, Tesshin
3. Nadia Leenders, Edmonton
3. Joey Roufosse, Saskatoon
3 dan
1. Mitsuaki Ota, Saskatoon
2. Bryan Villaneuva, Tesshin
3. Jared Fedorchuk, Saskatoon
3. Steve Hladky, Edmonton
Women
1. Man-San Ma, Etobicoke
2. Kyoko Miyata, Manitoba
3. Flora Chan, Calgary
3. Reuche Gabac, Tesshin
Open
1. Kyle Lee, Chinook
2. Man-San Ma, Etobicoke
3. Reuben Gabac, Tesshin
3. Dave Westhead, Tesshin
Team
1. Tessshin
2. Manitoba
Fighting Spirit
Mike Wagner, Regina