About The Ballarat Kendo Club

Since its inception in 1987, the Ballarat Kendo Club and its members have achieved many things at local, state, national, and international levels.

Local Achievements

• 1987
  • The first Kendo classes at the Ballarat Karate club begin in February.
    • Gary Oliver – Founder
• 1993
  • First resident Sensei in Ballarat.
    • Katsumi Kuramochi
  • First demonstrations for schools and charities around Ballarat begin.
• 1999
  • Inaugural Mumeishi 3′s Tournament.
    • Satoru Takada, Gary Oliver, Ryan Oliver – 1st
• 2006
  • Ballarat hosts first public demonstration outside Melbourne by 140 Nittaidai University students.

State Achievements

• 1990
  • State Individual Kyu Championship.
    • Tony Pickering – 1st
• 1993
  • Ballarat wins State Open Team Championship (3 member teams only).
    • Gary Oliver, Jason Widdy & Tony Pickering
  • State Individual Kyu Championship.
    • Tony Pickering – 1st
    • Arpad Maksay – 2nd
• 1999
  • State Individual Kyu Championship.
    • Tarl O’Mara – 3rd
  • State Individual Dan Championship.
    • Satoru Takada – 1st
  • State Kyu Team Championship.
    • Ballarat – 1st
• 2000
  • State Kyu Team Championship.
    • Ballarat – 1st
  • State Individual Kyu Championship.
    • Ryan Oliver – 1st
• 2000 – 2003
  • Mumeishi 3′s Tournament
    • Gary Oliver, Tony Pickering, Ryan Oliver, Tarl O’Mara & David Tannard – 2nd (various combinations)
• 2001
  • State Individual Dan Championship.
    • Ryan Oliver – 2nd
• 2003
  • State Individual Dan Championship.
    • Gary Oliver – 3rd
• 2006
  • First State Iaido Grading held in Ballarat
  • First Victorian Junior Kendo Championship
    • Chris Brown – 1st under 13.
    • Patrick Brown – 1st Under 11.
• 2007
  • Mumeishi 3′s Tournament.
    • Team Fighting Spirit Award – Jason Widdy, Sachiko Sakai and Adam Corbett.
• 2008
  • Inaugural Nagae Taikai (Kata).
    • 1st Gary Oliver & Tony Pickering, 3rd Tarl O’Mara & Ryan Oliver
  • Kyu Individual Championship.
    • Adam Corbett – 1st
  • State Kendo Championship held in Ballarat for the first time.
  • State Individual Dan Championship.
    • Ryan Oliver – 3rd
  • State Open Team Championship.
    • Ballarat – 2nd – Tarl O’Mara, Jason Widdy, Ryan Oliver, Gary Oliver and David Tannard.
  • Mumeishi 3′s Tournament.
    • 2nd – Tarl O’Mara, Ryan Oliver, Adam Corbett
    • Team Fighting Spirit Award – Tarl O’Mara, Ryan Oliver and Adam Corbett.
• 2009
  • Mumeishi 3′s Tournament.
    • Team Fighting Spirit Award – Jason Widdy and Carl Ruff
  • State Junior Championships
    • Chris Brown 1st, Sean Hearn 3rd.
  • State Championships – Veterans
    • Gary Oliver – 2nd

National Achievements

• 1982
  • Octoberfest Individual*.
    • Gary Oliver – 2nd
• 1983
  • Octoberfest Individual*.
    • Gary Oliver – 2nd
• 1989
  • Okura Shield – service to Kendo.
    • Gary Oliver
  • National Kyu Team Championship.
    • Jason Widdy – 2nd
• 1991
  • National Kyu Individual Championship.
    • Tony Pickering – 2nd
• 1993
  • National Kyu Individual Championship.
    • Jason Widdy – 2nd
  • National Kyu Team Championship.
    • Tony Pickering & Jason Widdy – 1st
  • Fighting Spirit Award – National Championship.
    • Jason Widdy
• 1996
  • National Dan Individual Championship.
    • Katsumi Kuramochi – 1st
• 1999
  • National Junior Individual Championship.
    • Ryan Oliver – 1st
• 2000
  • National Kyu Individual Championship.
    • Ryan Oliver – 3rd
  • National Iaido Team Championship.
    • Gary Oliver – 2nd
  • National Kendo Dan Team Championship.
    • Gary Oliver – 3rd
• 2001
  • National Kyu Individual Championship.
    • Ryan Oliver – 1st
    • Tarl O’Mara – Fighting Spirit Award.
  • National Kyu Team Championship.
    • Tarl O’Mara & Ryan Oliver – 2nd
• 2002
  • Dedication award for 9 years of inspirational kendo for youth within Australia.
    • Tarl O’Mara
• 2005
  • National Seniors Individual Kendo Championship.
    • Gary Oliver – 3rd
• 2007
  • National Seniors Individual Kendo Championship.
    • Gary Oliver – 3rd
  • University Games.
    • Adam Corbett 1st Open Kyu Championship
• 2008
  • University Games.
    • Adam Corbett 2nd Open Kyu Championship
• 2009
  • National Kata Championship.
    • Gary Oliver & Tony Pickering – 2nd

* Octoberfest became National Kyu Championship in 1985.

International Achievements

• 1992
  • Assistant Language teacher position at Inagawa, Japan.
    • Stephen Johnston (first ever appointee).
• 1993
  • Saitama Summer School for Foreigners & Kumeikan dojo in Tokyo with Kubo Sensei.
    • Tony Pickering (1st time)
• 1994
  • Saitama Summer School for Foreigners & Kumeikan dojo in Tokyo with Kubo Sensei.
    • Tony Pickering (2nd time)
• 1995
  • Kumeikan dojo in Tokyo with Kubo Sensei.
    • Gary Oliver
• 1997
  • First World Iaido Embu at World Kendo Championships in Kyoto.
    • Gary Oliver
• 2001
  • Scholarship to Hakodate University, Hokkaido.
    • Ryan Oliver
  • Saitama Summer School for Foreigners.
    • Gary Oliver & Kumeikan Dojo in Tokyo with Kubo Sensei
• 2003
  • Hong Kong Asian (Regional) Invitational Kendo Tournament.
    • Tony Pickering & Ryan Oliver – final 8 teams
• 2004
  • Ballarat vs Inagawa tournament in Inagawa.
    • Gary Oliver, Tony Pickering, Tarl O’Mara, Ryan Oliver, David Tannard & Walter Butler
• 2005
  • Assistant Language teacher position at Inagawa, Japan.
    • Ryan Oliver
  • Asian shimpan Seminar, Seoul, Sth Korea
    • Gary Oliver
• 2008
  • Asian shimpan Seminar, Hong Kong
    • Gary Oliver