Beaumont Texas is a town that has produced some of the best martial artist in the country. Over the years many of these top champions have left there mark in the rich history of Texas karate. The list is long and includes both top fighters and forms champions. Fred Simon has been a key player in the Beaumont Karate scene. He and his students abound in most of east Texas. Students of Fred Simon are a major part of Texas sport Karate. This years February 6th Spindletop was produced by Fred Simon and attended by a large crowed of Texas AOK competitors. This tournament has been around for 37 years, wow.
The event started on time and when they said 9AM they meant it. After the usual customary prayer and national anthem things got going. The first competitions were the weapons and specialty divisions. Specialty divisions are musical forms and weapons as well as self defense and team forms.
In black belt weapons forms a group of well known champions entertained everyone with highly skilled routines. Johnnie Murphy was awarded the top spot by judges in weapons. I know what your thinking, and yes this guy can write and compete also, sort of like walking and chewing bubble gum. Well any way, I or he, whichever way you look at it, managed to pull out wins in 35 years old black belt specialty and 45 years old black belt forms. And yes, there were more than one competitor in the divisions. Next up was black belt self defense where Joshua Repond upset the reigning champion, Courtney Allen. In 18 plus black belt women’s kata, Martha Garcia beat Ashley Wood and Kayla Kaplan. Mike Polomo and David Vines competed in the 35 plus men’s black belt kata. Both looked strong but Mike had the edge with the judges deciding in favor of him for the championship.
A series of adult kata was next with Alfredo Bustamante winning in Soft forms. Black belt adult traditional forms included Andrew Rangel, Kayla Kaplan, Luis Torres, Charles shed and again Alfredo Bustamante. These were great competitors with excellent displays of strong forms and power. Alfredo Bustamante pulled out the win with a well executed Kanko Sho Kata.
Black belt 18 plus men’s kata was the biggest black belt adult forms division of the tournament with Casey O’brien, Matthew Tyler, Derick Quick, Joshua Repond, Alfredo Bustamante and Luis Torres vying for first place. Derick Quick was the champion in men’s open forms.
The Junior black belt divisions were up after the adults with Joshua Jones winning 10 to 11 years old boys kata. One of the largest junior black belt forms division of the tournament was the 12 to 13 years old group where David Tate was first place. Another even larger Junior black belt division was the boys 14 to 15 years old black belt kata. This division had eight competitors. Enrique Diaz won with a strong and dynamic kata. Juan Carlos was the 16 to 17 years old boys kata champion.
Melody Clay and Morgan Vines went at it in the girls 16 to 17 year old forms division where Melody managed to nudge out Morgan. The winner in the junior 11 and under junior black belt specialty division was Samatha Guiterez. David Tate won the 12 to 17 black belt specialty. Samantha Guiterez also won the 10 to 11 girls black belt kata. These specialty divisions were massive and included some of the AOK’s best junior black belt specialty champions.
The under belt specialty and kata divisions ran concurrent with the junior black belt divisions and need mention because of the great talent demonstrated by them. Another girls junior champion was Clara Garcia who won in the 12 to 13 black belt girls kata. These kids were putting out there best and congratulations to them for the entertaining performances they produced.
The Junior under black belt and black belt sparring divisions were up about noon. Black belt junior sparring champions were Timothy Wiggins over Rommell Paul in the boys 14 to 15 point. Juan Carlos Mena won the boys 16 to 17 point sparring division. There were as many as 17 competitors in many of the under black belt junior forms and sparring divisions but the AOK producers were on top of things with most of the rings running all the time. The competition was proceeded at a good pace. Good judging by great champions like David Johnson, Eric Cantu and a long list of AOK black belts were instrumental in the timely operation of this tournament.
Adult women point fighters were up next. Where Ashley wood was first in the women’s black belt light weight point sparring. Phyllis Omo was the women’s executive black belt point sparring champion.
Men’s black belt point sparring was last up with the men’s light weight first. Andrew Rangel was on top over Matthew Tyler. Then DE Chambers took out Peter Wheatly for his win in the men’s executive heavy weight point sparring, Courtney Allen was third. Then Joshua Repond was defeated by Tyrone Berry in the men’s middle weight point sparring division. Mike Polomo had a show down with Vanrick Batist with mike coming out on top in a narrow victory and a great fight by both competitors.
Winding down the whole event were the last men’s point sparring divisions. Berry Benton defeated Charles Shedd in the 45 years plus black belt division. In the last series of fights of the tournament three heavy weights were up for the championship. First up was Tim Gregory and Stephen Linn who went head to head with Gregory and ended up coming out on top. Then in the last fight Tim took on Mike Garcia. This was a great fight. Both fighters were going at it. Tim tried to fend off Mikes advantage in speed with his power but Tim was unable to stop Mike’s blitzes and Mike ended up winning.
This concluded Fred Simons 37th Spindletop Open Karate Tournament. I would have to rate it high because it was well attended and the event terminated on time.
