My life in Taekwon-Do How to summarise …. The most fortunate person in the world, owing such a lot to Taekwon-Do and especially to the Taranaki Taekwon-Do club. With a bit more detail …. I started training at age 56, became a black belt at age 60, and now, just turned 80, training hard towards grading to 7th Dan in two months’ time. More detail? I’d played hockey, a Taranaki rep as schoolgirl and as adult, sad to hang up my boots at age 40. Was a teacher, mainly maths & physics, at NPGHS and Okato College, but also taught art subjects at WITT. One of the WITT students, Angie, said that her partner Murray Smith was going to start a Taekwon-Do club in Oakura. I felt strongly that girls should learn some self-defence and our daughter was too young to drive, so I drove her to Oakura (we live way around the coast). I couldn’t just sit and watch, so we started our Taekwon-Do journey together. Murray and Angie were both students with Neill Livingstone in New Plymouth, so on occasions we trained with the bigger club. There was (and is) no clear space in our jungle so Toby and I would go into the farmer’s paddock over the stream out the back, and practise Chon-Ji. For gradings we had to drive to Stratford to be graded by a senior ITF instructor from Tauranga or Auckland. It felt like the proudest moment of my life when we both graded to yellow belt. When Murray and Angie left for Australia we joined the New Plymouth club, with Neill Livingstone the instructor. For later gradings we usually had to go to Palmerston North or to Auckland. Gradings took 2 days, with a written theory test, a 2 km run, tests of stamina and strength as well as patterns. Results were not given until a few days after the testing, then sent by email. Toby and I graded together until we were both black stripes when she left for University. Taekwon-Do had become an important part of my life so I kept training. Three training sessions a week, and I missed a session only for sickness or if I was overseas (by invitation I took my things to Paris and to Bulgaria, and I took group exhibitions of Taranaki art to Paris, New York, Vancouver, Paris again, and to Cornwall). I was in Paris for an exhibition, waiting anxiously for my result after I’d graded for black belt. I checked the emails several times a day, was so excited when I learned that I’d passed that I felt I was floating through Paris. I floated past a pawnshop with jewellery in the window. There was a gold ring that I thought looked like a black belt buckle, so I bought it. I really WAS floating high. I remember thinking that I would not be able to get past 2nd Dan, as the pattern Juche was formidable and I knew I would never be able to do it well. I told Neill that. He didn’t make light of my fears, he gave it serious thought then said “Dale, it’s do-able”. I held that thought, and gave it my best. Not good, by any standard, but my best. That support, and encouragement, has continued. When I graded for 5th Dan, for which all three patterns have got at least one mid-air spinning kick, rather than have me feeling like a fool being the only one on the floor and performing so badly, both Mr Livingstone and Brent Flynn lined up with me, performed the patterns with me, then took a step back. Another very proud moment, as Master Jamie Moore and the other examiners stood and applauded. I am indeed the most fortunate of people. I have been with the Taranaki Taekwon-Do club to several seminars or tournaments in Australia as well as to Tauranga and Auckland and Seddon in the South Island. And twice we have travelled to South Korea on an organised Tul Tour. Forming good friendships with Taekwon-do practitioners from Europe, Australia and other parts of New Zealand who joined us in Seoul. So many good friends. As an example, one of the organisers (I think he’s originally from Poland but lives and works in both Australia and Korea) is Zibby. He holds the ranks of Professor, Doctor and Master, but when I asked how I should address him he said ‘Just Zibby’. I’m proud to know him. What else? I’ve put together 5 books on different aspects of Taekwon-Do: Protocol, Patterns, Science, Theory, and the History of Chang-Hon Taekwon-Do. I’m still learning, but also forgetting. I know my faults and my inadequacies. But I also know my good fortune. Thank you. Taekwon.

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