November 2008

If one of your goals is to take up exercise or a new form of exercise after the Festive Season we can help. Please look at our website on www.westhillckd.org or contact Mrs Violet Mackie on 07715788578 for more information about class times and receiving some free classes.  Who knows your picture could appear in the future!

Showing off their Black Belt Certificates after their recent Testing are: (from left)

Mr Robert Watson – 2nd Degree Black Belt, Ms Jaimie Allan, Ms Kirsty Williams and Dr Glenn Corr who all attained 1^st Degree Black Belt. Missing from the photograph is Dr Jenny Brownhill who attained her 3rd Degree Black Belt.

April 2008

The First Female 4^th Degree Choi Kwang-Do Black Belt in Scotland
 

A Personal Invitation to Test from Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi is a requirement for any Student to gain promotion to 4^th Degree Black Belt and above in Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International.

All gradings are closed and only those testing or examining or assisting with the test are allowed to be present.

Back Row: B Cairnie,  C Ellis, M Scrimshaw, D Miller, J Wright
Front Row: C Lad, Grandmaster Woo, Grandmaster Choi, Snr Master Pereira, V Mackie

Mrs Violet Mackie successfully undertook a promotional test for 4^th Degree Black Belt in Choi Kwang-Do in Redhill, Surrey.  She is the first female 4^th Degree Choi Kwang-Do Black Belt in Scotland and the second in the UK, (Dr Paula Roberts, from Surrey, preceded her and attained this rank in March 2006.)  She is also the first female in UK to reach 4^th Degree Choi Kwang-Do Black Belt without any previous Martial Art experience.  She is presently the highest Ranking International Instructor/School Owner and Chief Examiner training and teaching in Scotland for Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International. 

Mrs Mackie was examined by Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi, 9^th Degree Black Belt and Grandmaster Don Woo, 8^th Degree Black Belt, on Friday 25^th April, while they were in the UK for the European 20^th Anniversary Seminar.  Mrs Mackie was awarded the rank of SA Dan.  She and two male candidates, Mr Scrimshaw from the Surrey area and Mr Lad from North London, were tested on the syllabus from white belt up to 3^rd Degree - Brown Tag.  The testing lasted from 11:00 hrs till after 15:30 hours! Three other candidates, tested at the same time, and were promoted to 5^th Degree, and they are Master Cairnie (Australia), Master Ellis and Master Wright.  Mr Miller was pre-testing to 5^th Degree. After completing this challenge they all attended, took part in and assisted at the seminar the following day! 

Teh Sahboonim Mackie started training in Choi Kwang-Do in February 1995, at her local School in The Ashdale Hall, Westhill, Aberdeenshire, under her instructor, Anna Johnstone, who was the first female 1^st Degree Black Belt, in Scotland, for Choi Kwang-Do. Mrs Mackie became an instructor after promotion to 1^st Degree on 29 March 1998, and was promoted to 2^nd Degree in November 2000.  She took over the Ownership of this School on 1^st November 2002.  She attained 3^rd Degree on 22^nd September 2003, Grandmaster Choi presided over the Examining table, while over from Atlanta, Georgia, for the 15^th European Anniversary Seminar which was held in Aberdeen. 

The total number of black belts trained by Westhill Choi Kwang Do so far is:

1^st Degree – 66, 2^nd Degree – 14, 3^rd Degree – 3 and 4^th Degree – 1