Grand Master Augustus Blanco has a long history of producing first class martial arts events, That includes this years La Pro-Am. The tournament was held on February 11th and 12th. As usual top national competition showed up to get in on the action. This years 24th Louisiana Pro-AM was held in the prestigious Hilton Riverside in the beautiful French Quarter in down town New Orleans.
Party and tourism make this city a prime destination for many martial arts organizations. Competitors came from as far away as Mexico and New York to win at this first National Black Belt League competition.
Not meaning to sound repetitive, but this was a great place to have a tournament. Boice Lydell, head of the NBL was in attendance to oversee the event and take care of business. The tournament started at 6pm. As usual the technical divisions and continuous sparring ran. A large contingent from Texas enhanced the level of competition with a number of well know champions in attendance.
The Chuck Norris Team Kick Start and Team Chun Kuk Do were some of the major black belt groups in attendance. As of this year at least a dozen NBL world champions are working for the Chuck Norris Organization. Also a number of Texas AOK champions are teaching for Kick Start.
As the competition got Under way it was clear some new champions were on the horizon. Nick Cain of New York was on top in the men’s black belt hard creative Weapons, Adult hard choreographed weapons and adult traditional self defense. Bear Loebe ruled in the black belt men’s Adult hard open musical and adult hard choreographed musical forms.
Brice Marchington was on top in the men’s senior black belt weapons and senior hard open forms. Skyler Bright won the adult breaking division and Kyle Hill took first place in the Junior Choreographed fight division. Andrew Carrasco of Dallas Texas ramped it up in a dazzling display of techniques to win men’s hard creative forms.
Junior black belt traditional and contemporary champions included top competitors from the southwest region. Junior open hand contemporary and traditional forms champions were Jennavy de la Cruz, Ronnie Zapata winner of four divisions, David Tate winner of two divisions, Douglas Cyril, Krimsen Knowles winner of two divisions, Nicholas Parker and Stacey Knowles winner of two divisions.
Junior black belt traditional and contemporary weapons champions were Jason Villar, David Tate, Bret Perkins, Ethan Comer, Harley Dutton, Drake Poussom winner of two weapons divisions, Robert Lozier, Ethan Babam and Stacey Knowles. Team forms champion was Lee Ordonio.
Adult black belt traditional forms champions included top NBL world champions. Rommel Gargoles was the mens Japanese and Korean champion. Benjamin Acosta won the adult Kenpo/Kajukenbo. Sonya White took women’s Japanese/Okinawan and Moriah Chatman was first in the women’s Korean division. Nick Cain of New York was first in the traditional weapons division.
Continuous sparring ran Friday night. The junior champions were Evan Brown, Braylon Frederic, Anthoney Corona, John Garcia, Brett Angelette, Cesar Garcia, Valerie Zavala and Delynne Moore. Adult continuous sparring champions were Andy Brett men’s light, Henry Martinez man’s middle weight, Christopher Mark men’s heavy and Dankin Overland was the men’s super heavy weight champion. Team point sparring also ran on Friday night. Team Kickstart won the boys and men’s team sparring. Team PKKA won the girls team point sparring division.
Black belt point sparring ran on Saturday. Junior point sparring champions were Evan Brown 11 under light, Ronny Zapata 11 under heavy, Anthony Corona boys 12 to 14 light weight, Sebastian Soto boys 12 to 14 heavy weight, C J Haywood boys 15 to 17 light weight and Douglas Cyril boys 15 to 17 heavy. Girls 12 to 17 continuous sparring champion was Delyne Moore.
Adult black belt point sparring champions were Andy Bret men’s light, Ryan George men’s middle, Skyler Bright men’s heavy and Andrew Carrasco won the men’s super heavy weight point sparring. The legendary Regina Thompson won women’s fly weight point sparring. In the old guys point sparring Derrick Wilson took senior men’s light weight point sparring and Chun Kuk Do champion Roy White was the senior men’s point sparring champion.
David Tate, Texas AOK champion, ended up winning the junior forms grand championship with Rommel Gargoles winning the adult grand’s. Sparring grand champions were Ryan George – men’s, Derrick Wilson – men’s senior and Regina Thompson taking home the women’s point grand. This concluded another great Louisiana Pro-Am.
