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Animo
08-29-2001, 03:49 PM
The taikai is over and life is returning to normal. I am almost caught up on my sleep. I had fun helping Bob Elder with this great event. I have to thank everyone for coming and special thanks to those who volunteered to help. We had over 60 competitors registered. I hope everyone will return next year.

The seminar instructors were awesome. Seeji Uecki Sensei, Hataya Mitsuo Sensei, Sakaida Sensei, Guy Power Sensei, Carl McClafferty Sensei, and Kim Taylor Sensei were all incredible. The 12 seminars covered a wide range of kata, kumitachi, and tameshigiri.

Special thanks to Big Tony and Bugei for donating the bamboo katana. Especially since I ended up winning it. :D

I have about 40 hours of video footage to edit. We had three cameras going for the seminars and competition. I’ll work on the competition footage first. I hope to have some video clips on the website this weekend. I have a few pictures up already and hope to have more soon. If anyone has good (or bad) pictures, please send them to animo@toyama-ryu.com so I can post them at www.toyama-ryu.com for everyone to see.

I admit I was a greedy bastard when it came to winning medals. I have to thank my instructors Bob Elder Sensei and Hataya Mitsuo Sensei. They took a clumsy guy with no martial arts experience and turned him into a swordsman. I am so glad to be part of Toyama Ryu and the Orlando dojo. The dojo is like having a second family. A strange dysfunctional family, but one I am proud to be part of.

Animo (aka last guy standing)

carl mcclafferty
08-29-2001, 09:18 PM
Mike:

Thank you, Bob, Tom, Kat and the whole crew for the effort that you put into this years Tai Kai. It was huge by anyone's Tai Kai standards. Next year there will no doubt be many more people there, better prepared and the old men like me can help Bob and watch from the side.

The Seminars not only help the attendees, but it also gives us a chance to share/spread the knowledge we have. So we appreciate the opportunity to teach them. I got lucky and only had to cut against you in Wakizashi, but your sidekick got me anyway.

Thanks again and give my best to everyone.

Carl McClafferty
:toast: