Pictured with Greg “Maddog” Bendel, the 14th Black Belt of the Kiado-Ryu, are his two beautiful sons: Hunter (age 7, left) and Marcus (age 4, right). This photo was taken at the KIA’s thirtieth anniversary celebration at Dana Point Harbor on August 30, 2009, nineteen years after Maddog achieved his 1st Dan. He is now one of thirteen 2nd Dan KIA Black Belts.
Supporting new blue belts, Tristan “Raptor” Ligtvoet (left) and Josh “Viper” Shamassian (right), are Mr. and Mrs. Ligtvoet with their son, Tristan, Grandpa Shamassian with Mr. and Mrs. Shamassian with their son, Josh. Hannah, Josh’s sister, is in the front row along with Raptor’s little brother, Aidan. Aidan looks like he’s ready to follow in his brother’s footsteps.
Clark “Flash” Hyman, the 16th Black Belt of the Kiado-Ryu, who received his 1st Dan in August of 1991, is pictured behind his lovely and ageless wife, Gwen, and their two sons, Sheldon and Brandon. Flash has been a wonderful friend to and stalwart component of the legacy of the Karate Institute of America since he began his martial arts studies in the mid-1980s. Some people just never get old!
Congratulations new blue belts, Tristan “Raptor” Ligtvoet (left) and Josh “Viper” Shamassian (right)! These two young men are rising stars in the Kiado-Ryu, ascending studs to be sure. This last test was excellent, both boys exhibiting vast improvement in their abilities. Pictured with Raptor and Viper are (from left-to-right), Black Belts Kim “Cultivator” Thomas, Chris “Growler” Grau, Mr. King, and Mike “Shooter” Benedict.
The date: October 13, 2009. The event: Tristan Ligtvoet and Josh Shamassian’s Blue Belt test. From left-to-right are, Kim “Cultivator” Thomas, Tristan, Chris “Growler” Grau, Josh, Mike “Shooter” Benedict, and Mr. King (kneeling in front). The boys did an excellent job during their testing, as confirmed by the Black Belt panel. More to come, stay tuned.
Pictured left-to-right are Chris, Christa, and Kaylee Grau. Chris “Growler” Grau is the 36th Black Belt of the Karate Institute of America, the webmaster of Kiado-Ryu.com, and will soon be testing for his 3rd Dan, a prestigious rank of considerable achievement, which will make him the highest ranking active Black Belt at the KIA. Christa, his lovely wife, heralds from Arizona. Kaylee was soon to be a year old when this photo was taken.
Lou and Linda Gacs have been devoted and long-time friends of Mr. King and the Karate Institute of America. Each is an accomplished Black Belt, Lou holding multiple black belts in different styles. Mr. King first met Mr. Gacs, a now-retired United States Marine, when he was hosting martial arts tournaments at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in the mid-1980s. Although not an official Kiado-Ryu Black Belt, Mr. Gacs is one of our own, a true friend, an unrelenting KIA supporter, and a black belt of uncompromising character.
Pictured here at the KIA 30th Anniversary Celebration at Dana Point Harbor is the Dale family. Annette “Warrior” Dale and her husband, Mark, are accompanied by their beautiful children, Sophia and Jake (also known as “Black Stripe” around the Karate Institute of America). Beautiful smiles!
Kim “Cultivator” Thomas kneels in a moment of repose before he performs a kata during his 2nd Dan Black Belt test at the Karate Institute of America. Of the current sixty-three Black Belts of the Kiado-Ryu, Mr. Thomas is currently the eleventh 2nd Dan in the thirty year history of the KIA.
If Kim “Cultivator” Thomas didn’t scare anybody with those eyes of his, that knife with its curved beak certainly would. And notice that huge right hand holding the knife! One of Cultivator’s trademarks are his enormously strong mitts, developed over many decades during his career as a landscape architect. This shot was taken during his second dan Black Belt test, in which he performed an open blade knife kata—the use of a real blade being a KIA requirement—as well as two other weapon sets: short stick—his favorite—and nunchaku.