North East Judo Championships, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

 Photo - Back Row L/R,    Robert Stuart, Liam Banks, Jessica Cairns.  Front Row L/R - Jack Compton, Jack Barnett, Ellie Hutton, Leon Milner.

On Sunday 30th September 2012 seven members from Wallsend's Bushido Judo Kwai competed at The North East Open Judo Championship at Westgate Centre For Sport, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Liam Banks won Gold in the boys under 60k, Jack Barnett won Gold in the  boys Primary under 34k, Ellie Hutton won Silver in the girls Primary under 27k, Jessica Cairns won Silver in the girls under 45k.  Both Jack Compton (7) and Leon Milner (11) competing in their first championship came away with runner up medals, senior member Robert Stuart (16) who was competing in his first senior event, gave a very good account of himself despite coming up against black belt competitors, but unfortunately didn't make it into the medals.

Butokokan Judo, Weekend Judo Course in Northumberland.

Photos courtesy of Duncan Stuart.

Top,      Group photo from the Saturday Session.
Lower,  Robert Stuart and Liam Banks.

The Butokokan Judo Weekend Judo Course was held on the 22nd/23rd September 2012 at Newbiggin Sports and Community Centre, Northumberland.  The organiser of the event was Michael Douglass, 4th Dan assisted by Glen Douglass, 1st Dan and Andrew Douglass, 1st Dan with invited guest coaches, from - Scotland Dave Hammond, 4th Dan, from Morpeth - John Hall, 4th Dan and Juneielle Smith, 6th Dan, from Wallsend - Chris Dawson, 7th Dan.  The weekend consisted of Judo and Ju-jitsu techniques and was well support by local clubs.  The course was a great success, with everyone putting in a hundred per cent effort and I sincerely hope that Michael will be repeating this again next year.  The Bushido Judo Kwai was represented by Ellie Hutton age 7, Liam Banks age 12 and Robert Stuart age 16.

Steve Milsted, I Dont Believe It !!!!!!!

Above photo - Some of our members who were there on the night, 

Robert Stuart, Liam Banks, Roy White, Leon Milner, Ellie Hutton, Steve Milsted, Steve's nephew Chris.

It was Monday 3rd September 2012 and Steve Milsted walked into our dojo, it had been so long since we had last seen each other that  I didn't even recognise him.  Steve and I first met in 1975 when we both trained at Marine Park Judo Club, Hadrian Road, Wallsend.  Eventually on the 3rd May 1976 ten of us left Marine Park and founded the Bushido Judo Kwai.  In 1977 we had seven of our junior members qualify for the International Budo Federation European Schools Judo Championship in Frankfurt Germany.  The idea was for the club to pay for everyone but we were £200 short, not a problem for Steve, he did a sponsored run from Morpeth to Newcastle and raised the money.  We did very well when Steve Brown won Gold in his event and when we arrived back home we were on BBC Look North.
Steve Milsted had qualified as a chef and went to work at the Intercontinental Hotel, Flensburg, Germany. During that time Steve sent me some money to buy a trophy for the junior members to compete for annually, and that would go to the person who ended the year at the top of our medal table.  This proved to be very popular and even improved their judo, as the kid's were desperate to get into every competition that we were invited to, Jan Russell was the first member to win the Steve Milsted Award.
Eventually Steve emigrated to Australia and after many years I was able to make contact with him through Barry McSherry who as a junior himself had won the award three times.  In September Steve returned to England for one week to visit his Mum and Dad.  Brother Ian, who had also been a member of the club told Steve that he had a surprise for him and that was a visit to the Bushido Judo Kwai and what a surprise it was for me.
Thanks to Ian for making this happen.