CONGRATULATIONS KASSAI LAJOS

On behalf of BJMA – European Division, and all members we would like to congratulate Kassai Lajos for his dedication to preserving the antiquity and heritage of horseback archery.

KASSAI LAJOS pictured being awarded the
Knight of the Hungarian Culture for the nursing of the cultural heritage.

His efforts have been acknowledged by his acceptance to the Knights of the Hungarian & Universal Culture, on the celebration of the XVI Gala of the day of Hungarian Culture - January 22nd, 2012.

The ceremony was held at the Corinthia Hotel in Budapest (Pictured Below), guests from twelve countries of two continents were in attendance.

During my travels in recent years I have trained in Portugal with some famous matadors and they had given me an insight into their ‘life versus death’ martial arts attitude into how they choose to live their lives. Then I spent most of 2011 in Spain and Germany meeting and training with and sharing the ideals of one of the most ancient martial arts, incorporating rapid fire archery, while galloping on specifically trained warrior-horses.

Several business opportunities brought me to America and as a result we now have a BJMA training academy in Los Angeles. The Head instructor here is Matt J Doyle – 4th Degree black belt (WKA) who like Richard Norton - and many other very successful Aussies - has come from Australia to the USA to pursue an acting career.

As I arrived he had just finished a pilot shoot for a new sitcom called “KINFOLKS” where Matt marries the older Keith’s sister and becomes his white-guy brother-in-law and the younger Keith’s even funnier white-guy Uncle – crazy & funny scripts.

The photo is of me and the two Keith’s white-guy personal trainer, that just might see me as a guest on upcoming episode as somebodies famous bodyguard or something equally as silly. Matt and his ‘Film Producer’ wife Patricia Qin-Doyle have been showing me the sites of LA (Pat is a brown singlet in BJMA – Kickboxing).

From turning their home into a film studio for “KINFOLKS” just as I had arrived - then we were off to a LA black rappers birthday party - then an evening at a jazz concert - spectacular ‘whale-watching’ out on the bay - Gold-Pass New Release Movies - a lobster festival and a day trip to the seaside of Santa Barbara Museum (my favorite) which was full of Celtic artifacts and information.

All this immediately after almost a year on a farm in Spain (which I loved with a passion) – talk about a culture shock.

Here in America Thanksgiving Dinner is on a Parr of popularity with Xmas as a family get together, and it was ‘one of our’ family that invited me to share thanksgiving with herself and friends. Gail Gotlieb-Sanders, a 5th Degree black belt from the infamous family lineage of George Zakaria of the 70’s & 80’s, the first woman ever to do the ‘LEAGUE OF BLOOD – 2nd DEGREE MARATHON GRADING’ who now resides in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Gail lives here with her husband Doctor John Sanders who is a specialist here at one of the many worldwide ‘Shriners Hospitals’ who take on the laudable task of providing ‘free-medical services’ for ‘special needs children’ who are welcomed from anywhere in the world, absolutely free.

For me this turned out to be somewhat of a spiritual experience as on Thanksgiving morning John took me to meet hospital staff and visit an inpatient who was enduring some serious pain. A slight re-evaluation of this young man’s self-induced medication drip and a particular thanks ‘giving smile’ was shared by the patient, his visiting mother, his Doctor and me as the teenagers pain was at least temporally subsided.

That evening I shared an American Dinner of Thanksgiving where all the guests were specialist doctors including the Shriners Hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Jacques D’Astous (who showed particular interest in my unusual lifestyle). As the turkey was sliced and passed around Dr. Kristen Lee Carol (an orthopedic surgeon) asked each guest in turn what they wanted to give their thanks to? As it became my turn to give thanks I responded with that ‘one word’ we spend our lives training for in the martial arts and which seemed most prevalent to the occasion – as I made a reference to wishing everyone… “Health”.

Gail and her husband John and every one of these Shriner Hospital Doctors, all share common passion activities… snow skiing and treacherous mountain climbing during the non-ski season. Some of them I believe would make incredible martial artists, they mix the two sports by glacier climbing as you can see by the pictures here of Doctor John Sanders. Next trip Gail & John want to take me glacier climbing, hmm! And I am a martial artist.

AUGUST 2011

After several months of intensive horseback archery training at the Castle in Spain it was time for a break. I had been invited as a special guest by the WKA – current World President Mr Klaus Nonnemacher to celebrate the WKA’s 35th ANNIVERSARY Celebrations at his hometown of Karlsruhe – Germany. A week long promotion from 21st – 28th of August I arrived in time for the spectacular ‘Opening Ceremony’ on the grounds of the Karlsruhe Castle. Thousands of contestants from dozens of countries were introduced within their tribal groupings complete with them all having their National flag of identification. Not unlike their counterparts of the ANCIENT EUROPEAN CELTIC GAMES of the long distant past except the ID back then was their Tribal Banners, the actual competitions being almost identical except there was no ‘killing of the bull’ by the Celtic fianna warriors.

I was honored by the owner of the WKA, Mr Paul Ingram as he announced to everyone that one of the 1976 co-founders of the American concept of the PKA (Professional Karate Association) was present here today, and that I was responsible for the creation of the actual naming of the WKA - World Kickboxing Association.

For the following seven days twelve (12) rings ran constantly, these included two separate non-stop kickboxing rings to cater to the enormity of these multiple eliminations, the search was on for all new World Champions. After more than 45 years in the martial arts business I found it interesting for me that the free-forms and the musical forms were the highlight of the entire event for me. As I keep saying in Australia to all of my students how spectacular the European free-forms are… perhaps you guys could Google and check this out. But hey! many of the fights were barnburners!!!

August 26th was STEKO’S FIGHT NIGHT and the promoter was extremely pleased to have me there, once again as a special guest. The fight of the night for me was one of the early fights, a K1 rules very aggressive match between Taylan Yesil (from Turkey) and Daniel Dorrer (of Germany), an action packed fight that the local boy got the points for. The television high-light was a disappointing promotion fight (Bob Sapp could not answer the bell for the start of the 3rd round – but it was a great show for two rounds and he made his local German competitor look great and everyone was happy (and there was a capacity crowd).

This outcome was quickly overshadowed by the real Super Star of the show as she entered the ring you could feel the energy of a true WKA - World Title Fight. Over the PA boomed “Ladeez and Gentlemarrn”… “THE DOCTOR IS IN THE HOUSE” referring to the current World Champion, Dr Christine Theiss as she entered the ring. Her opponent Marina Zueva, a formidable contender from Russia took it up to the Doctor in almost every round (Marina had Australian Kickboxing Super Star – Prince Amir in her corner). Christine Theiss a true champion paced herself and although well pressured by the Russian (via instructions from Prince Amir) she strategically took the majority of points to successfully defend her title during all of the twelve rounds.

August 30th and I set off from Karlsruhe central to Fulda, which is up in northern Germany as on September 3rd Pettra Engelander was promoting and competing in a Kassai System Horseback Archery Tournament at the infamous Celtic Hotel built next to a Celtic Village, in an area of extremely ancient megalithic importance.

Pettra had also organized Ms Regna Friemel archaeologist to meet and discuss my favorite subject which is of course the CELTS – Connecting Europe’s LOST Tribal Societies. Plus a renowned Celtic Historian, Thomas Duch drove almost 500k's from Berlin to spend time with this passionate Celtic Australian.

Thirdly and a complete surprise was Louis Hoheenedername (a real life Druid – the first real Druid I have met – what an incredible experience) who had also driven 500 k’s from Bavaria and the City of Assau very close to the Austrian border and the Alp mountain ranges.

This was to spend time with his favorite sport (horseback archery) and this unusual guy who has this historic passion as well as being a warrior with fair skin, blue eyes and red hair – all the attributes of the race of warriors who travelled through these areas (the sloping Steppes north of the Black Sea) many thousands of years ago (by the time we got to Australia our grandfathers were convicts – well actually they were slaves – that’s another story for another time).

During these seven days with Pettra, Regina the archaeologist, Thomas and Louis I had taught them much they did not know and for the trade-off they all taught me much more. What an amazing experience, I must write a book one day!

After this adventure it was back to the Castle for some specialized training as James Menehira (Tara Miliata 7th Degree) and Jason Williams who is one of his TM 5th Degrees were keen for me to train both of them in EPC - TM and then they were to be drilled (including me) by Paul Jeffrey TM 8th Degree with his Dragon - Riders Horseback Archery.

NB: Do not miss SEPTEMBER 2011 – my CELTIC adventures take me to the USA…