ITA Winter Black Belt Grading Report
The Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Winter Black Belt Test took place on the weekend of the 7th and 8th of December 2013. The grading was hosted by Mr. Carl Smullen IV Dan and Mr. Stephen Smullen IV Dan in Rathcoole Community Centre, Dublin. Over the weekend 55 people presented for the examination out of which 50 were successfully promoted.
On Saturday Dan grades up to 4th Dan presented for the test. The examiners panel for Saturday consisted of Master Patrick O’Rourke VII Dan, Master Pat Barry VII Dan, Mr. Stephen Cooley VI Dan, Mr. Tim Forde VI Dan and Mr. Terry Donnelly VI Dan. The examiners responsible for testing power breaking, special technique and theory were Mr. Adrian O’Mahoney VI Dan, Mr. Ken Leahy VI Dan, Mr. Niall Jones VI Dan and Mr. Hong Looi V Dan with Mr. Carl Smullen as narrator for the test. There was a very high level among those testing with several of the national team including Ms Chloe Aboud, Ms. Agnieszka Aziewicz, Mr Luke Laffan and Ms Katy Laffan.
On Sunday those testing for 1st Dan graded under two examiners panels which consisted of Master Barry VII, Mr Tim Forde VI Dan, Mr. Adrian O’Mahoney VI Dan, Mr. Terry Donnelly VI Dan and Mr. Ken Leahy VI Dan on panel 1 and on panel 2 Master Patrick O’Rourke VII Dan, Mr Stephen Cooley VI Dan, Mr Mark Buckley VI Dan, Mr. Adrian Byrne V Dan and Mr Hong Looi V Dan with Ms Johann Cardiff II Dan and Jeanne Byrne II Dan acting as narrators. The examiners responsible for power test, special technique and theory were Ms Fiona Gallagher Payet V Dan, Mr Niall Jones VI Dan and Ms Laura Ryan V Dan.
Master Kenneth Wheatley VII Dan, ITA Technical Director and President oversaw the test on the two days and commented on how happy the ITA examining board were with the high technical level of the candidates and the quality of black belts being produced by ITA instructors. Over the 2 days the candidates were tested on fundamental movements, kicking, patterns, step sparring, free sparring, self defence, power breaking, special technique and theory.
List of those promoted:
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