1996 House of Samurai Tournament

 

Several video from the 1996 House of Samurai Tournament, held in Londonderry, NH, to share with you. After this tournament I took my program in a different direction. 

Men's Empty Hand Kata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyiKwVj1xdA

Mike Cassidy Kusanku Kata 7:30-8:50

Andy Ware  SuNuSu kata  16:04-17:25 2nd Place

Young Lee  Kusanku Kata 20:00-21:45 1st Place

An another different video I was competing in the Master's Empty Hand Kata division. This form was custom crafted with Ernie's assistance. I only did it to show how much the local judges didn't know, never expecting to place. <LOL>

Master's Empty Hand Kata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erfEd5duh2I

Victor Smith 5;40-8:35 Yang Long Fist Chiafa form 

                                  Men's weapons Kata

It has many things I am sure you have forgotten. This one is very special for it shows Mike Cassidy at his best performing Urashie no Bo. There is also a performance of Andy Ware choosing to perform one of Tris' forms. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n8gFN6dOXM

Andy Ware 4:05-4:53 performing Tris' O'Sensei No Kon

When Tris Sutrisno saw this is he blew his top, for Andy was doing the secret Bunkai version of the form Tris once taught us on a trip to Hazleton. This was never to be performed in public, to protect the Sutrisno secrets so no one could anticipate what they would actually do.

Isshinryu Kusanki Sai - 10:50-13:12

An Isshinryu Dude from mid NH performing Kusanku Sai using 3 sai. One of them he threw into the pillow on the floor, pulled out the sai at his back and completed the form.

He was not from our group. This is the only time I have seen this form done this way.

Mike Cassidy - Urashie No Bo- 20:32-22L17

Obviously, Mike had an advantage as he went last in the division.

As it turns out, watch to the end where you see Mike awarded First Place.

As this was an open tournament there is a mixture of others performing weapon kata. This was representative of what we competed against in NH.

After this day I choose to move my program in a different direction, away from open tournament competition and focus more om my students training.