Folks the Tucson Tai Kai was one of the best I've seen yet. It started on Friday with seminars in Shin Shin Sekiguichi Ryu by Yamada Sensei, Muugai Ryu and Iai cutting by Tony Alvarez and a long seminar in the Batto Federation Kata by Tom Smyth. This was followed by a good night of partying and the Mizu Hi girls singing Kareoki (there's 7 of them now).
The Ta Kkai went extremely smooth, using a huge (6000 sf) ballroom right at the hotel. The competition both in kata and tameshigiri was tight. There were about 15 ties during the events. Everyone's kata has improved dramaticlly. Tonya's student Shannon came back this year to beat my student Chuck in Iai Kata (who won last year). It was well deserved, her SGR kata was fantastic.
David Drawdy managed to nose out a win in the standing Batto kata over Thomas Goodwin, with almost perfect form. Everyone should be ready for him in Orlando.
Probably most fun was watching Dave Neely and Dave Burish battling in tameshigiri overall winner competition. There were 7 cutting events and Dave Neely won the Howard Clark sword by one, yes one point!
In the overall Kata winner, Mark Gettings' student Loren swept it in his division and took home a CAS Iberia Thurder and Cloud Katana.
It was a long Tai Kai, but it went fast and everyone including a large spectator section stayed till the end. I think it was all the ties.
Kudos to Tony Alvarez for helping me, Dive Boling for using his Master Sergeant voice to put out Tonys's instructions without needing the microphone, Yamada Sensei, Toshi Sensei and my tomodachi Mizoguchi Sensei for their help. Also to Guy Power, Bob Elder and Tony for writting introduction pieces for the Tai Kai Bok. There are a bunck of great photos on our web page www.mizuhi.org .
Tonya McClafferty will be competing at the Orlando Tai Kai and since both she and Lois can do a very good Mizu Gaeshi, you gentlemen in that division should probably practice.
Carl McClafferty
