BLACK BELT SUCCESSES IN SPAIN
October 2019
At a grading held in Alicante, Spain, three students successfully tested for Dan promotion. The successful candidates were: Jesus Jimenez promoted to 4th Dan, Gabriel Lopez promoted to 2nd Dan and Yannick Malfatti promoted to 1st Dan.
Pictured here (left to right) are Yannick Malfatti, Alberto Jimenez - assisting at the testing, Grandmaster Sam Plumb presiding, Jesus Jimenez and Gabriel Lopez.
UK's NEWEST BLACK BELT
September 2019
James Hogg, a student at Whitwell Hapkido Dojang, successfully tested for 1st Dan at a grading presided over by Grandmaster Sam Plumb and held at the EHA headquarters Dojang in Derbyshire. Welcome to the black belt club, James!
Grandmaster Sam Plumb presents James with his black belt certificate.
Greece & Spain Seminars
March & April 2019 - Master Michael Paleologos hosted seminars in Athens which were conducted by Grandmaster Sam Plumb and special guest instructor Grandmaster Son-Young Gul, 8th Dan Heuk Choo Hapkido. Grandmaster Son's martial arts history spans over 40 years of training and teaching. Originally from Daejeon, South Korea, he now resides in Ohio, USA. He was a personal student of the founder of Heuk Choo Kwan Hapkido,, Jin Jong Moon. Grandmaster Son shared his vast knowledge and explained the history of Hapkido as it relates to Daito Ryu Aiki-Jutsu.
After the seminar a black belt grading was conducted by Grandmaster Sam Plumb and Grandmaster Son where 10 new Dan grades were promoted.
The two Grandmasters later flew to Alicante, Spain where they conducted training at the Moo Hak Kwan dojangs of instructors Jesus and Alberto Jimenez. After a week of intensive training, Grandmaster Sam returned to England accompanied by Grandmaster Son, where more training sessions were given by Grandmaster Son in the EHA Headquarters Dojang.
February 2019 - Grandmaster Sam Plumb and Master Nick Sellars were invited by Tang Soo Do Master Colin Baldantoni to teach Hapkido at the Hwarang Tang Soo Do Winter Warrior weekend in Fuerteventura, Spain. Here are a few pictures from the event.
MASTER STANISLAW STERKOWICZ PASSES
Krakow, Poland - It is our sad duty to report the passing away of Master Stanislaw Sterkowicz in October 2018. He was 67 years old. He is survived by his wife, daughter and two grandchildren. Master Sterkowicz began his Hapkido training in 1991 under Grandmaster Sam Plumb. He was the first person in Poland to train ion Hapkido and, with the help of Grandmaster Sam Plumb, he introduced the art to Poland, opening the first school in Krakow.
To give him his professional title, Prof. Dr. hab. Stanislaw Sterkowicz was the head of the Combat Sports Department at the Academy of Physical Education in Krakow. He has trained hundreds of students in Poland.
Master Sterkowicz's daughter and son-in-law, both Hapkido 4th Dans, plan to carry on his teachings in Poland and also to organise a martial arts festival in his name in 2019.
RIP.
26th KOREA HAPKIDO FEDERATION MASTERS SEMINAR
iIn May 2018, Moo Hak Kwan enthusiasts from around the world rendezvoused in Gyeongju, South Korea for the KHF Masters Seminar. A weekend of intensive training was given by the Senior Masters of the KHF.
When the seminar was over, Grandmaster Sung Soo Lee arranged further training at other dojangs near Seoul. He also organised an intensive programme of sightseeing. Moo Hak Kwan students came from Australia, United Kingdom, India, Poland, and Spain. Here are some pictures of the highlights of the tour:-
DAN GRADE SUCCESS FOR POLAND
January 2019 - After a lengthy promotion test, Adrian Kamysz of Krakow, Poland, was recently promoted to 2nd Dan in Moo hak Kwan Hapkido.
Adrian is a loyal student of instructor Edyta Gielas.
Adrian is pictured here being presented with his 2nd Dan certificate from Grandmaster Sam Plumb.