| Club History. The club started off in 1993 as the Farmhouse karate club. The style of karate taught was modern freestyle karate. This basically meant that there was very little Japanese terminology used during the lessons, we hardly ever did any katas, we all wore different coloured and very lightweight suits and most of the lessons were freestyle kumite (sparring) with full pads and competition rules. The building was built by Jim and Paul Hill and when the club first opened it was only half the size that it is now. (The back half of the room where we lined up at the start of lessons was added in 1994). In 1994 the club started it's current style, traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate under Sensei's Clive and Mark Tranter, (at the time both 4th Dans). The club was renamed Farmhouse Shotokan Karate Club. We joined the Amateur Martial Association (A.M.A.), and within the A.M.A. we were involved with a group of clubs called the Midlands Budo Kai, (M.B.K.). The other clubs in this group were, Tipton SKC, Bearwood SKC, Allience SKC, Total Fitness SKC and the Cannon SKC. These clubs were run by their own instructors under the guidence of John Flavell, (then a 6th Dan), with Archie Fieldhouse, 5th Dan, and Clive Tranter, 4th Dan. Over the next few years Sensei's Tranter and Tranter split teaching at the club with Cannon students Tracy ??? 1st Dan and Alan ??? 2nd kyu (surnames escape me at the moment!) In 1997 classes were taken over full time by Sensei Mark Hipkins, 3rd Dan, the instructor of Total Fitness SKC. Ian Rogers, (then a 1st kyu) started the Friday beginners class during this time. This class was taken over, for a short while in late 1997 by Steve Mason, 1st Dan until Janurary 1999 when the class was returned to Ian Rogers, (by now a 1st Dan). Mark Hipkins left in Janurary 1997, and classes were then taught by Dave Byrne, 3rd Dan and Dave Flavell, 2nd Dan. Dave Flavell was replaced in April 1997 by Darren Milward, 2nd Dan. Darren left in October 1997 leaving classes taught by Dave Byrne, 3rd Dan, Steve Mason, 1st Dan, and Wayne Butler, (then a 1st Dan). Steve left the club in Janurary 1999 and Dave Byrne left the club shortly afterwards leaving the club with it's current - and perminent Sensei's Wayne Butler and Ian Rogers, (both were then 1st Dans). In April 1999 the Cannon and the Farmhouse parted ways with M.B.K. and created their own group, the Cannon Karate Federation, (C.K.F.) within the A.M.A. Since then we have added to our group, Twin Dragons SKC, Daisy Bank SKC, and Edgmond Village SKC. In October 1999 Wayne and Ian passed their 2nd Dan black belts. Due to the foot and mouth outbreak, the club moved to Moreton Millennium Community Centre in Moreton, Nr. Newport, Shropshire in February 2001. In April 2002 Barry Bowen, Jack Bowen, Wendy Frost and David Hill all passed 1st Dan, the first black belts since leaving M.B.K. In October 2002 Ian and Wayne passed 3rd Dan Black belts. In November 2002 we decided to part ways with the C.K.F. group and deal directly through the A.M.A. In April 2003 Gary Shepherd and Vikki Stevens passed 1st Dan black belts, our first since leaving the C.K.F. In October 2003 Matthew Norton became our youngest ever black belt passing cadet 1st Dan aged 9 years. Callum Beddoes and Katie Stevens also passed cadet 1st Dan and Phil Ritchie passed 1st Dan black belt. In February 2004 Ian and Wayne both passed E.K.G.B. National qualifications in Karate instruction. This qualification has recently become compulsary for all Karate instructors in England. |