June, 2011
It is rare for anyone to be promoted to grandmaster ranks let alone several at once and all world champions at that! On June 25, the AKBBA/CSHK promoted Al Garza, David Archer, Jimmy Tabaras, Steve Doss, Santae Wilson, and Jim Chote to eighth degree black belt grandmasters. Grandmasters Allen Steen and Pat Burleson also awarded the very rare ranks of 9th degree black belt to Raymond McCallum and the 10th degree black belt to Roy D. Kurban.
The promotional board was a who’s who of American karate. Besides Misters Steen and Burleson, the “fathers” of Texas karate, the panel included AKBBACSHK high dan members, James Toney, Keith Yates, Royce Young, Richard Jenkins, Charles Bouton, Robert Smith and Steve Selby. Other notables in attendance included Ed Daniel, Johnny Nash, Steve Fisher, Mike Proctor, Larry Ritchie, Ted Gambordella and a host of other grandmasters. An overflow crowd filled the hall at the Mesquite, Texas convention center and they were rewarded with outstanding demos of kata and sparring by the participants. Congratulations to all these icons of American karate.
See more photos on the NEW PHOTOS page.