Aug 302019
 

With thanks to Charlie Abel.

Aberdonians have an unfair reputation for being cold and tight-fisted.
Those of us who live here know that is a false stereotype. We are kind and quietly confident. We don’t need to brag and show off. We already know what’s what.  

The bonds of friendship between Aberdeen and Japan have long been in the making. 

However, shared connections like Thomas Blake Glover ( the Scottish Samurai), long celebrated in Japan, are only now being recognised in Scotland after a century of history has passed.  

Ronnie Watt OBE, ORS has been one of the most robust links with our city and Japan since the days of Glover. A link verified by the Japanese when they awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun, an award previously bestowed on Glover, making Ronnie the 2nd Scottish Samurai.  

Ronnie is a 9th Dan Karate master who has taught Karate in Aberdeen and around Scotland and abroad for over 50 years.  25 years ago, Ronnie also founded and organised the prestigious Scottish Samurai Awards to recognise the often unnoticed efforts and achievements of people from all walks of life.

The self-funding awards are supported by his Karate, donations and the hard work of the awards committee. 

Last weekend, 15 school-children from Nagasaki, Japan. visited Aberdeen

Ronnie organised home-stays for them in Aberdeen with many of his friends and karate-ka.  These children experienced a fantastic jam-packed weekend of Scottish culture and history.  

The weekend began with the Lord Provost welcoming the children and their host families with a Civic Reception in the Aberdeen Town House.  

They then visited the town centre, Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, Drum Castle and Crathes.  On Saturday they spent the day at the Lonach Gathering – an extraordinary experience, especially if you are from Japan.

The children and families were accompanied by Ronnie and the Consul General of Japan and Lord Charles Bruce. They were welcomed into the arena by the master of ceremonies Robert Lovie and introduced to the Lonach audience with the pipes resounding in the background.  

On Sunday night the tour ended with a private party hosted by Pauline Dreelan. 

The party began with Ronnie’s Aberdeen children giving a demonstration of Karate.  The Japanese then joined in a bit of ceilidh dancing with Charlie Abel from Iron Broo Ceilidh Band providing the music on his accordion. The children loved the Scottish music and dancing and took to it like a duck to water.

One parent of the families commented on how much she enjoyed the company of the Japanese children during the stay.  

“They were so polite, and I will miss them.  I was in tears when they left.  It was very emotional.  One of them was so fascinated by everything here, and they even took photos of what was in my fridge!”

It is not our differences that define us.  It’s our humanity that unites us.

On Monday morning the groups met up for a tearful goodbye at Aberdeen Airport.

This is the second such visit that Ronnie has organised for the Japanese in Aberdeen. The visits have become a pilgrimage recreating the historic trips of the Japanese students organised by Glover.

The students who visited Scotland over a century ago on Glover’s behalf, went on to modernise Japan and transformed it into one of the worlds most important economies. Glover and his students are celebrated and credited in Japan as the fathers of the new age of industry. 

Who knows what might come of these modern-day trips, a century later?

May 252018
 

By Charlie Abel.

Aberdeen’s own National Karate Institute had more than just the luck of the Irish behind them on their recent trip to the Emerald Isle. Dedication and perseverance paid off.

They were representing the city on the world stage during the Belfast Open World Karate Championships held in Northern Ireland, on 29th of April 2018.

While many of us folks back home were tucking into our Sunday lunches and firing up the barbecues the Aberdeen athletes were burning off the calories and fighting their way through some really tough competition to win a staggering 34 medals.

The self-funded NKI enjoyed some great results bringing home 12 gold medals against fierce competition from the Irish and other countries. There were 16 different Karate Federations taking part.

Team coach and chief NKI instructor Ronnie Watt (9th Dan) (O.B.E. & Order of The Rising Sun) said:

“Our team were outstanding. I’m absolutely delighted! It’s a fantastic result. All the team have been training really hard, some since the age of 7. To get so many medals against such fierce and overwhelming competition from around the world is remarkable.

“We were heavily outnumbered and underfunded, but these results show we were not out-classed.

“For such a small club from a small country we proved we have what it takes, against all odds, and I am so proud we can deliver for Aberdeen and Scotland.

“It goes to show that Karate training really brings the best out of people. All our students were first class in my eyes. Medals or not. ”

Invitations for the NKI squad to perform and teach Karate have been coming in from around the world.

The NKF squad are back in training now and are aiming for success at the next festival, The International Karate Festival, which they will host themselves in Aberdeen this Summer.

Anyone interested in training Karate should call Aberdeen 734607 for more information.

The club meet in Aberdeen, Cults and Inverurie.

Ronnie Watt adds:

“We are always keen to attract new members of all ages.”

RESULTS:

Gold    12           Silver   15          Bronze  7         Total  34 Medals!!
 
Individual Senior Kata, Br/Black:
3rd – Grant Conroy.
 
Team Kata U14 Male Female Mixed:
1st – Kai Dark, Sophie Johnston, Nikita Kevra. 
 
Individual Kumite, 14-U16, -57kg:
3rd – Benedict Bruce.
 
Individual Kumite Cadets, Male 16-U18, 65kg+ :
2nd – Connor Davidson.
 
Team Kumite Men Seniors:
2nd – Stuart Odell, Curtis Thornton, Ian Wallace.
 
Individual Senior Women Kata, Br/Black:
1st – Nissara Kirk.
2nd – Chloe Calder.
 
Team Kata Cadets Female:
1st – Yasmin Parsa, Leah Provan, Charlotte Walker.
 
Individual Kumite Cadets, Female 14-U16, -55kg:
1st – Yasmin Parsa.
3rd – Keira Cormack.
 
Individual Kumite Cadets, Female 16-U18, -57kg:
2nd – Leah Provan.
 
Team Kumite Female Cadets:
2nd – Yasmin Parsa, Leah Provan, Charlotte Walker:
 
Individual Kata, 5-U14, Br/Blk:
3rd – Kai Dark.
 
Team Kumite Seniors Female:
2nd – Chloe Calder, Nissara Kirk, Emma Stuart.

Senior Women Team Kata:
1st – Nissara Kirk, Chloe Calder, Emma Stewart.

Senior Female Ippon:
2nd – Chloe Calder.
3rd – Nissara Kirk.
 
Individual Cadet Kata, 14-U18, White – Orange:
2nd – Keira Cormack.
 
Individual Kata, 5-U10, Green – Purple:
1st – Cameron Smith.
3rd – Harry proud.
 
Individual Kumite Female Seniors, +63kg:
2nd – Emma Stuart.
 
Individual Kumite Female Seniors, -63Kg:
3rd – Nissara Kirk.

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Jan 192017
 

With thanks to Charlie Abel.

Joanna Lumley has become the first award recipients of the 2017 Scottish Samurai
awards.

Besides being a well known BAFTA TV award winning actress, former model, author and voice over artist, Joanna has been a great advocate for human rights for Survival International and the Ghurka Justice
Campaign. 

She is also a great supporter of Animal welfare charities such as Compassion in World Farming and Vegetarians International Voice for Animals.

Her recent documentary ‘Joanna Lumley’s Japan’ was a great hit with the Samurai Award’s membership and U.K. audience. 

The Scottish Samurai awards were founded in Aberdeen by Culter resident and international 9th Dan Karate instructor Ronnie Watt OBE, ORS to celebrate those who serve and excel. The award of Great Shogun recognises those who have reached the ultimate achievement in their field.

Joanna Lumley has said she is very proud and very humbled to receive the honour and she is:

“thrilled to be a Scottish Samurai.”

Ronnie Watt is delighted to add Joanna to the ever-growing list of Samurai.

Some of the previous award winners include Sean Connery, Billy Connolly, Alex Salmond, Aberdeen City Council, Sir Ian Wood, Lord Charles Bruce, Compton Ross, Tommy Dreelan and the current and former Japanese Consul Generals of Japan in Edinburgh.

Each year the Scottish Samurai awards grow and continues to encourage and recognise people from different walks of life for their positive contributions to society and those around them.

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Oct 032016
 
ronnie-watt-painting

Ronnie Watt (left) as depicted by celebrated Aberdeen painter, Eric Auld.

By Charlie Abel.

Aberdeen’s famous Karate man Ronnie Watt (9th Dan) will be flying off to Japan on Frday (Oct 7) at the invitation of the Japanese through a fellow martial artist. A Kendo instructor from Japan, Kazuo Yamazaki, who is well known in Aberdeen for setting up the Aberdeen Kendo Club a number of years ago, has invited Ronnie and his wife Gail to accompany him on a tour of Japan.

The highlight of the tour for Ronnie will be visiting the Karate Dojo’s where they have organised displays of three of the traditional Japanese karate styles.

They will also visit Nagasaki where they have been invited by Tomishisa Taue, the Mayor of Nagasaki and some of the most prominent Karate Masters in their area to attend a dinner in his honour.

Ronnie is no stranger to Japan having visited six times to date and training in the world famous Takushoku Dojo, where modern Shotokan Karate was brought to the world by the Japan Karate Association.

Ronnie’s connections with Japan go back a long way. When he started Karate 50 years ago, after being inspired by James Bond movies, very little was known about Karate in Scotland. Few people knew anything other than simple basics and even that was of a questionable standard. The only way to learn was to go to Japan or attend some courses the Japanese masters were running down at Crystal Palace in London. Ronnie did both.

After years of training with the visiting Japanese instructors and visiting the source of knowledge in Japan Ronnie became well known as an instructor and an international competitor. Leading the Scottish Karate team and Teaching over 20,000 people karate.

In his Karate career Ronnie has brought many Japanese Instructors to the UK, Germany and Norway. He became good friends with many legendary karate masters such as Nakayama, Kase, Shirai, Enoeda and Ochi. Many would stay at his home in Aberdeen. Ronnie brought a team over from Japan to compete in a friendship tournament and in 2001 organised the WKC World Karate Championships at the Aberdeen Exhibition and conference centre.

His work with the Japanese and the good work Ronnie has contributed to Karate, not only in the UK but in many countries he visits to teach Karate, has not gone unrecognised.

Ronnie is one of the few people to be honoured by the Japanese outside of Japan, with an Order of the Rising Sun – an award not to be taken lightly. He has also since been recognised by the Queen with an OBE and named ‘Sports personality of the year’ by Aberdeen City Council.

the Scottish Samurai Awards have grown into something really special

He also has honours from the government of Slovakia and from other Karate Clubs in Europe. Last year he was entered into the ‘European Hall of Fame for Martial Artists’.

In 2015, in tribute to ‘Scottish Samurai’, Thomas Blake Glover, Ronnie helped to organise the hosting of 22 Japanese students and school children who were doing a pilgrimage visit from Kagoshima to Aberdeen and London. After his arrival in Japan, Glover had sent 22 students to be educated in the ‘modern world’ and is credited with modernising Japan. Glover is also credited with reviving The Order of the Rising Sun.

During the student’s tour of Aberdeen and London, Aberdeen was very proud to be able to host every person with a family including Ronnie and some of his friends. Ronnie is looking forward to seeing some of Kagoshima on his visit. Ronnie was recently awarded his 9th Dan making him one of the highest graded Karateka in the world and one of the worlds most experienced.

As if all this wasn’t already enough to keep him busy, 22 years ago Ronnie Founded a small awards event to help recognise and encourage people in different aspects of life. Initially it was centred round sports but now the Scottish Samurai Awards have grown into something really special. Each year they have grown into a more prestigious date in the Aberdeen social event calendar.

Names like Alex Salmond, Sean Connery, Sir Ian Wood, Tommy Dreelan, Martin Gilbert, Dr Joseph Morrow (Lord Lyon of Scotland) and The Very Reverend Professor Ian Torrance, have added Kudos to the broad spectrum of recipients who are recognised for being ‘people of spirit’ – Scottish Samurai.

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Dec 032015
 

By Charlie Abel.

Ronnie Watt 11Aberdonian karate students will have great cause to celebrate this week with the news that their very own Ronnie Watt OBE ORS, chief instructor of the NKF (national karate federation) and director of Shotokan for the WKC (world karate confederation) has been awarded a 9th Dan black belt (Kudan). It is believed to be the highest ever Dan grade awarded to an Aberdonian or a Scotsman.

This is a major achievement for Ronnie and for karate in Scotland.

Ronnie Watt’s name is already famous and well respected throughout the city of Aberdeen and the karate world. Being graded a 9th Dan Ronnie joins the elite ranks of the worlds most repected Karate masters.

Obtaining a black belt is very difficult, very few people manage to train hard enough, it takes at least three years and most people give up, perhaps one in a hundred achieve a black belt. Some will go on and get a 2nd Dan or higher. However, it is almost unheard of to achieve a 9th Dan in karate. Very few manage to reach this level, most are Japanese and it takes a lifetime of training.

This is a first for Scottish Shotokan Karate and it’s a great honour for the city having a home grown 9th Dan teaching and training karate, here in Aberdeen, Ronnie’s home town.

The 9th Dan will be presented to Ronnie by the International Shotokan-ryu Karate–do Shihankai (ISKS). The ISKS was set up in 2004 by an international group of world karate masters to protect and maintain the tradition of karate, which they see is sadly being diluted by many outside ‘fashionable’ influences. The ISKS is one of the most respected orders in the world of Karate today.

Karate has been a way of life for Ronnie and his family. He has won many competitions both home and internationally. To date he has trained over 25,000 students in his 50 years, many of them achieving black belt and going on to higher Dan grades, his students are well known for returning from World Championship tournaments laden with medals and golden trophies.

His wife Gail has been indispensible in running Ronnie’s NKF Karate Academy and his children, now adults are also very much following in his footsteps with Son Reeve (5th Dan) and Daughter Roxy (5th Dan) training karate regularly and teaching classes. Grandson Cooper (age 4) has also recently started training, keen to join his grandpa in the dojo.

Ronnie who has trained karate ‘religiously’ as a way of life for 50 years was recently entered into the European Hall of fame for Martial Arts (November 2015).

Ronnie has previously been awarded an OBE from the Queen. In 2010 was recognised by the Emperor of Japan with an Order of the Rising Sun – a very special award rarely given to foreigners. Ronnie joins good company with famous people such as Clint Eastwood, Gustav Eiffel of France, George Takei (Sulu, Helmsman of the Starship enterprise on Star Trek) Bobby Charlton, and ex UK Prime minister Sir John Major.

In 2014, Ronnie was awarded a Commemorative Medal of the Trnava Self-Governing Region (TSGR) of Slovakia by the TSGR’s president, Tibor Mikus for promotion of friendship between Scotland and Slovakia. Ronnie is also a Free Burgess of Guild member of the city of Aberdeen, (Freedom of the city) and is a banner bearer to the Knights of the Most Holy Trinity, who are a heraldic based charity organisation raising funds for good causes.

When asked about his 50 years in Karate and his 9th Dan Ronnie says,

“I’ve just loved karate, being karate. It’s what I’ve always done.

“I see a lot of people and see what it can do for them.  The discipline, the training, the Budo (the way) it changes them. It changed me. Karate improves people. It’s beautiful….My 50 years have not been easy, but I’d do it again tomorrow..”

“ I’m very happy and really humbled to receive the 9th Dan. It’s amazing…I’m still learning!”

Having one of the worlds most decorated and respected Karate masters living and teaching in Aberdeen is a massive advantage to anyone wishing to learn more about Karate-do.

Visit www.karate-scotland.info for more info.

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Nov 122015
 

NKF 2015 (2)By Charlie Abel.

The National Karate Federation, Kumite Championships for 2015, held in Aberdeen at Cults Academy, were a great success.
The club had been preparing hard for the event that inspired over 200 people from both Shotokan and Wado to take part.

We were very lucky to have Lady Bruce in attendance as a special guest and she was very pleased to be given the honour of presenting the medals and trophies to the winners.

The day before the competition a referee seminar was held, instructed by Chris Davidson, our own WKC referee and chaired by Ronnie Watt.

Senior members of the NKF squad and executive committee took part and became fully qualified NKF officials for NKF competitions. The club would like to thank them for their hard work and for their assistance in running the competition so efficiently on the following day.

Back on the day when they first entered Ronnie’s dojo, many of the competitors never imagined they’d become karate champions.

NKF 2015 (4)The years of hard training have began to pay off, transforming some of the most unlikely people into confident athletes who have now began to realise the benefit of years of hard training. Karate never fails to inspire those of a certain character and will surprise the humblest of people.

Our Aberdeen club is very proud to have run such a successful tournament off it’s own back with no funding other than the entry fee which helped cover the cost of medals and trophies and hall hire.

This success is, yet again, testament to the hard work put in by the members under the expert eye of Ronnie Watt (8th Dan) OBE ORS who would like to thank the NKF members for their continued dedication to training real karate.

Here are the results:

Men’s Kumite

1st John McInnes
2nd Thomas Phillip
3rd Allrezar Bashar
3rd Craig Russell

Women’s Kumite

1st Chloe Calder
2nd Angela Mcintyre
3rd Carole Kelman
3rd Vivienne Grant

Boys 14-17 Kumite

1st Greg Brimmner
2nd Alasdair Russell
3rd Awi MacDonald

Girls 14-17 Kumite

1st Chelsea Stott
2nd Jack A Lynn Walker
3rd Shannon Morrison

Boys 10-13 Brown/Black

1st Benedict Bruce
2nd Ben Porter
3rd Naman
3rd Andrew Bonner

Girls 10-13 Brown/Black

1st Leah Provan
2nd Leila Adair
3rd Ellie Douglas
3rd Stephanie Ross

Boys 10-13 Kyu

1st Jack Mitchell
2nd Ryan Dreczkowski
3rd Lewis Mcintyre
3rd Nicholas Heny

Girls 10-13 Kyu

1st Megan Hunter
2nd Maggie Pirie
3rd Lauren Lesley

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Nov 102015
 

Ronnie Watt and Alain Verbeek By Charlie Abel.

Ronnie Watt’s National Karate Federation have returned from Berk, France where an international open competition was held on the 25th of October 2015.
The competition was hosted by French instructor Alain Verbeek (6th Dan).
Alain’s club trains in the doctrines of Alain’s late instructor, Taiji Kase (9th Dan). Kase is a widely respected Japanese Karate legend.

Our Aberdeen based NKF team did exceptionally well during the competition returning with 4 international medals against some stiff competition which included 1 Gold and 3 Silver – Nissara Kirk taking the Gold and 2 Bronze, and John McInnes taking a Silver.

There were 150 competitors in all so Ronnie and his squad can hold their heads high.

A special training course was held the day before the competition. Participants in the course enjoyed 6 hours of karate training the day before the competition from 4 different karate masters. Participants travelled from around Europe to reach Berck for this rare opportunity with competitors from Germany, Austria, Scotland, France and many from Brittany.

KarateFranceShihan Ronnie Watt (8th Dan) from Aberdeen focused on speed technique to score points in kumite. Sensei Alain Verbeek  (6th dan) demonstrated Kase-ha sparring tactics, using various knife hand attacks in response to an attacker. Sensei Christian Le Romancer (Brittany) demonstrated bunkai and emphasised the importance of Kime (power, focus).

Sensei Dieter Langer (3rd Dan) from Germany demonstrated the structures behind the kata and the importance of form over strength.

Also present was the wife and daughter of Taiji Kase. They will soon publish a much anticipated book detailing the life and legend that was Taiji Kase. Kase was also a frequent visitor to Aberdeen and a close friend of Ronnie Watt.

Alain Verbeek has studied Karate for over 45 years and in this time Ronnie and Alain have become great friends.

At the end of the festival and competition Alain was surprised to receive a Samurai SHOGUN award for his service to karate and promotion of friendship between Scotland and France. The award was given after the closing ceremony of the competition in front of many guests and VIP’s including Chieko Kase (wife) and Sachiko Kase (daughter), the Mayor of Berk and the ambassador of Japan in France, Yoichi Suzuki.

The Auld Alliance is still strong. The NKF would like to thank the French families that hosted the NKF squad and for showing them such great hospitality.

warshell

After the tournament Ronnie and his NKF squad were invited to the Berck town hall to be treated to a special civic reception hosted by the Mayor of Berck, a senior MP and other VIPs from the area.

Ronnie was presented with a medal by the Mayor of Berk for promoting friendship and culture between France and Scotland through Karate.

Ronnie was also presented with a very special gift, from the people of Inverness, France.

This was an unexploded world war one shell (pictured right), encased in a special hand made box.

It had been fired into the area where the Scottish soldiers had fought, many giving their lives to fight for the freedom of France in the Great War, 1915.

Ronnie said he was “deeply moved” by this special gift.

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Sep 182015
 

If you think about karate or martial arts in Aberdeen, or even in Scotland or in the UK, one name that will spring to mind should be our very own Ronnie Watt (8th Dan, OBE, ORS) who this year celebrates training in Karate for 50 years. Ronnie has never been out of the headlines and this month is no different, as it has just been announced that Ronnie is to receive yet another significant award in recognition of his karate, this time from an international organisation. Charlie Abel reports.

Ronnie Watt 11 The President of the IBSSA (International Bodyguard and Security Services Association) has acknowledged Ronnie by entering him into the European Hall of Fame for Martial Arts.

The honorary award ceremony will take place in Rheine, Germany at their black tie Gala where Ronnie will attend as their special guest.

Ronnie is delighted to receive the award, which came as a great surprise, and is another very prestigious occasion for Ronnie and his family. It also brings Aberdeen to the forefront of International Karate, the city again recognised on the international stage as having a living legend in our midst.

Only last year he was awarded another honorary title from the Slovakian Government in recognition of his services to Karate in their country:

“for the promotion of understanding, tolerance and friendship among nations and regions”

In recognition of his services to karate, Ronnie has previously been honoured by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun and has been appointed an OBE from her majesty the Queen.

Ronnie has now been inducted in to the European Martial Arts Hall of Fame 2015.

After 50 years of training karate, competing and winning medals around the world, not to mention teaching tens of thousands of children and adults, many students reaching black belt and going on to win medals in various world championship karate events, Ronnie’s place in history is already clearly stamped, though there’s still plenty ink left!

Ronnie continues to train and still teaches to his private members in Aberdeen three times a week and is constantly receiving invitations to travel abroad to train at karate festivals and self defence courses.

Anyone in Aberdeen of any age (over 5) interested in becoming a member of Ronnie Watt’s Karate Academy should call 01224 734607 or visit www.karate-scotland.info. If you are interested in self defence, getting into better shape and keeping fit while learning an ancient Japanese discipline, this is an ideal opportunity to train with a real master of karate….here in Aberdeen! What are you waiting for? It just doesn’t get any better!

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Jul 032015
 

Scottish Samurai AwardsBy Charlie Abel.

Aberdeen City Council treated the 2015 Scottish Samurai awards to a special civic reception at the town house on the 20th of July 2015. The Lord Provost, George Adam, welcomed distinguished guests and opened the awards with a very well received welcome speech.

First to collect an award was Benedict Bruce, the youngest of this years recipients was awarded the Scottish Samurai – Order of merit and was also presented with his WKC Shodan certificate by Dr. Fritz Wendland, the President of the world karate confederation who travelled from Germany.

Mr Hajime Kitaoka, the Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh was awarded the Scottish Shogun Commander for his work in promoting friendship between Japan and Scotland. Mrs. Kitaoka was also given a special presentation for her part in helping his work.

Ian Kirk, a well-known business figure in the Aberdeen Oil Industry was awarded The Scottish Samurai award for forty years of training in a Japanese martial discipline (Karate). Bill Berry MBE, a very well respected Judo master (7th Dan Judo) presented Ian with the award. Bill Berry himself was also promoted to Shogun. As was a previous Samurai winner Mike Mitchell, star of the silver screen and five times world body building champion.

Two world-renowned sculptors, Hironori Katagiri and Kate Thomson were awarded the Scottish Samurai Award for their contribution to fine art.

The Lord Provost, George Adam collected an award on behalf of Aberdeen City Council for their part in helping with the hosting of the 2015 Samurai Awards and for Aberdeen, being the spiritual home of the Scottish Samurai.

Scottish Samurai Awards 2015 – Aberdeen Town House

The ceremony concluded with a thank you speech from the founder and president of the awards, Ronnie Watt OBE ORS (8th Dan) who celebrates 50 years of Karate in 2015 and also 20 years of running the Scottish Samurai awards.

Links:

Scottish Samurai Awards Website.
Facebook Page.

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Oct 032014
 

Ronnie WattWith thanks to Charlie Abel.

Aberdeen’s famous Karate Instructor Ronnie Watt will be looking for a bigger  cabinet to display his medals after receiving yet another award, this time from the Slovakian government for ‘promotion of understanding, tolerance and friendship among nations and regions’

The commemorative medal of Trnava Self-governing region (TSGR) was awarded to Ronnie on the 5th of September by the TSGR president Tibor Mikus. The award has an important place in the chivalry of the TSGR.

Jurai Staffa, the assistant to the President commented:

“It only belongs to those whose contributions to society and human values are extraordinary. It is not only awarded to residents of the region but to other outstanding personalities from other parts of the world. Its prestige and moral credit are unquestionable.

The president of the TSGR in Slovakia ( Tibor Mikos) has added

“TSGR is proud that the medal is in good hands in your case.”

Ronnie first met with President Mikos through Karate back in 2001 when Aberdeen was host to the WKC World Karate Championships at AECC, where thousands of competitors from all over the world came to compete. The competition which had been organised by Ronnie and his team in Aberdeen was praised as a huge success by the WKC who said that it was one of the best competitions they had ever attended and that the hospitality of Aberdonians was second to none.

President Mikos is a keen Karate man himself, and at 8th Dan is greatly respected throughout the Karate world as a former champion fighter and member of the WKC board. He had attended the Championships and was so impressed that he invited Ronnie to Slovakia to train his students.

Ronnie has now made several trips to Slovakia to help with teaching Karate alongside President Mikos, and Jurai Staffa, (a former treasurer and secretary to the WKC, assistant to president Mikos and author.)

This September Ronnie flew to Germany and travelled to Slovakia  with the President of the WKC and good friend Dr. Fritz Wendland from Germany where a surprise ceremony was organised during a 2000 mile European road trip on Dr. Fritz’s World War 2 motorcycle and side car.  The pair had been talking about the road trip for years and Ronnie knew nothing about the award that was in store for him during the journey.

Ronnie has previously received recognition from the Emperor of Japan for his life’s work in karate with an ‘order of the rising sun’  an award seldom given to people outside Japan. This followed recently an OBE from her majesty the Queen and previously Ronnie has been recognised by Aberdeen City Council as their ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ on more than one occasion.

Now aged 67 years young,  8th Dan Black Belt Ronnie Watt still trains karate every day and teaches adults and children the traditional Shotokan karate discipline which has helped shape the karate that Aberdeen is becoming famous for in the karate world. Ronnie has helped tens of thousands of people progress through karate, and some of his students have gone on to win many competition medals including gold in world karate championships.

Anyone wishing to learn Karate please visit www.karate-scotland.info

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