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Past to Present

Key Dates

1970 - 1979

1970 - First of our clubs established in Palmerston North by Mr Norman Ng.

1974 - Newly established clubs in Wellington joined together with Palmerston North to form grading panels and demonstrations.

1975 - New Zealand ITF clubs joined the Australian Taekwon-Do Academy (ITF).

26 May 1976 - Gen. Choi visited New Zealand to meet with the instructors.

9 January 1978 - South Pacific Training Camp held at Massey University conducted by Master Y.K.Yun.

22 January 1978 - South Pacific Taekwon-Do Championships held in Wellington with Gen. Choi Hong Hi in attendance.

20 August 1978 - Tournament held in Auckland with members attending from all over New Zealand.

16 June 1979 - First Regional tournament, organised by Central Districts.

1980 - 1989

5 January 1981 - New Zealand members attended seminar and championships held in Brisbane, Gen.Choi Hong Hi in attendance. Gen. Choi requested New Zealanders to return home and register their own national organisation with their Government.

28 March 1981 - Formation meeting for ITFNZ held at Burma Lodge, Wellington and election of first executive committee. ITFNZ accepted as an incorporated Society and Mr David Lange became Patron of ITFNZ.

10 October 1981 - the Foundation held its first official National Tournament in Palmerston North.

21 August 1983 - Members attended South Pacific Taekwon-Do Championships held in Fiji.

26 May 1984 - Members attended seminar in Brisbane conducted by Master Park Jung Tae.

10 October 1985 - Hosted the Sharp International Tournament in Wellington, televised nationwide. Teams from USA and Japan in attendance plus Mr Chon Jin Shik. ITFNZ becomes Sister Organisation to USTF.

3 August 1986 - Members attended "Camp Taekwon-Do in Colorado USA (USTF).

20 September 1986 - Held the first National Black Belt Championships in Auckland to select the team to represent new Zealand at the ITF World Champs in Malaysia.

29 January 1986 - First National Black Belt seminar held at Massey University.

23 January 1988 - Second National Training Camp held at Massey University, made an annual event.

1988 - Master Yun International Taekwon-Do Federation no longer with ITF. ITFNZ continue affiliation to MYITF.

1989 - ITFNZ disassociate from MYITF to form independent organisation.

1990 - 1999

January 1990 - ITFNZ participate in the opening of the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

March 1990 - National demonstration team tours New Zealand to promote ITFNZ. demonstrating to over 6000 people.

17 June 1990 - Members attending "Camp Taekwon-Do" (USTF) and international instructors course conducted by Gen.Choi Hong Hi. Established direct links with the ITF.

January 1991 - ITF Masters Visit in Auckland New Zealand - ITF Training course and Master Classes conducted by Gen.Choi Hong Hi and Master C.E.Sereff.

January 1992 - World Camp held at Massey University, Palmerston North.

October 1993 - ITF Instructors' Course by Gen. Choi Hong Hi and Master C.E.Sereff

1994 - Sent NZ team to ITF World Champs in Malaysia - bronze medal individual patterns.

1995 - ITF Masters Visit - Auckland, with Gen Choi Hong Hi, Master C.E.Sereff and Master Tom MacCallum.

1996 - Sent representative to April Conference in Toronto, Canada

July 1997 - New Zealand team participated in the ITF World Champs in Russia - bronze medal in womens team destructions.

January 1998 - ITF Training Course held in Auckland by General Choi Hong Hi, accompanied by his son Master Choi Jung Hwa and Master Tom MacCallum.

June 1998 - ITFNZ members travel to Maui to attend International Instructors' Course conducted by Grand Master C.E.Sereff and senior dan grading.

April 1999 - Held the first ITFNZ Development Camp in Auckland for double graders.

September 1999 - New Zealand team participated in the ITF World Champs in Argentina - bronze medal in Power breaking.

2000 - 2009

February 2000 - World Camp, Ngaruawahia, Waikato. Special guest instructor was Mr Robert Wheatley, from USA.

August 2000 - New Zealand team participated in the Junior ITF World Champs in North Korea - bronze medal in sparring.

July 2001 - New Zealand team participated at the ITF World Champs in Italy.

September 2001 - Held the first ITFNZ Instructors Conference and senior dan grading with guest Master Leong Wai Meng. Jake Pearson, Matt Breen, Vince Pygott, Lawrence Mantjika, Chris Fitzgerald, Andrew Niven and Mark Banicevich graded to 4th dan. In the same month Master Paul McPhail, Graham Patterson and Mark Banicevich spent a week in Jamaica learning Taekwon-Do from the Founder and Grand Master Park Jong Soo.

March 2002 - Held the first STRIPES ON TOUR series of seminars throughout New Zealand.

June 15 2002 - General Choi Hong Hi passed away.

November 2002 - 1st Stripes 1-to-1 Technical Seminar, Taupo.

November 2002 - Attended the ITF Junior World Champs in Puerto Rico winning three Gold, two Silver and four Bronze medals.

January 2003 - National Seminar, Massey University, Palmerston North. Special Guest Instructor – Master Michael Daher. A senior grading was held: Andrew Salton was promoted to 5th dan, and Ian Campbell, Shaun Tolley, Dave Ballard, Darren Ward and Neill Livingstone were promoted to 4th dan

June 2003 - 13th ITF World Championships – Poland 2003. Male Grand Champion, Gray Patterson. Three gold, one silver and three bronze medals; NZ 3rd overall.

October 2003 - International Taekwon-Do Australian Open, Brisbane, Australia. Examiner Grand Master CE Sereff, 9th dan, President of the USTF held a grading, promoting Mr James Rimmer to 6th dan, Mr Graham Patterson to 5th dan, and Messrs Grant Eccles and Mr Steve McQuillan to 4th dan

November 2003 - 1st ITFNZ National Juniors’ Camp – Aongatete Lodge, Bay of Plenty.

July 2004 - Junior World Championships in Riccione, Italy. New Zealand won the women’s competition. Three gold, two silver, eight bronze medals; New Zealand came 3rd overall.

August 2004 - ITF International Instructors’ Course. Seminar Instructors: Masters Hector Marano, Pablo Trajtenberg and Wim Bos, all 8th dan. Also in attendance was special guest: Master Trân Triêu Quân, President of ITF. Messrs Evan Davidson and Paul McPhail were promoted to 7th dan Masters. Also promoted were Ms Jeanette Joe to 5th dan, and Lena Walton, Kane Raukura and Kevin Joe to 4th dan.

May 2005 - Mr Willy Van de Mortel, 6th dan, conducted free sparring seminars in New Zealand.

July 2005 - ITF World Championships in Germany. New Zealand placed 4th and the New Zealand men’s team placed 2nd overall. Two gold, two silver, four bronze.

August 2005 – ITFNZ’s patron David Lange dies at the age of 63.

November 2005 - 2nd Instructors’ Conference – Tui Ridge, Rotorua. Mr Mark Banicevich and Mr Matthew Breen graded to 5th dan, Mrs Kirsten Livingstone and Mr Kris Herbison graded to 4th dan, in the first senior grading carried out by our own Masters, Master Evan Davidson and Master Paul McPhail.

June 2006 - NZ very successful at 3rd Oceania Championships in Sydney, including best overall male and best overall female.

July 2006 - Junior World Championships Honduras. NZ 4th with 3 Gold, 4 Silver and 10 Bronze

August 2006 - International Instructors Course and Senior Dan Grading

October 2006 - Grandmaster Sereff visits for the National Tournament. New Zealand Open Tournament. ITF World Cup – Spain.

November 2006 - Taekwon-Do Television airs for the first time on a major New Zealand TV channel.

February 2007 - Senior Dan grading: four promotions to 4th Dan, and four to 5th Dan.

June 2007 - 15th ITF Senior & Junior World Champs - Canada (Quebec). New Zealand 7 Gold, 9 Silver, 9 Bronze. ITF Congress votes to hold the 2011 World Championships in New Zealand. July. Master Willy Van de Mortel conducts seminars throughout the country.

November 2007 - Stripes 1-to-1 seminar in Taupo with 21 IV Dans and above in attendance. Master Evan Davidson appointed as Chairman of the ITF Ethics & Discipline Committee.

December 2007 - Master Van de Mortel returns for another round of seminars. Taekwon-Do Television Season 2 goes to air.

February 2008 - ITFNZ National camp and senior dan grading. Master McPhail and Mr Pellow introduce the new coloured belt self defence syllabus introduced to instructors.

March 2008 - ITFNZ holds Extraordinary General Meeting and adopts a new structure, including a board and the ITFNZ Council. Host 4th Oceania Championships in Counties Manukau.

July 2008 - International Instructors Course and Senior Dan grading. Mr Mahesh Bhana becomes New Zealand’s third Master.

September 2008 - Seven athletes earn Performance Enhancement Grants from SPARC. Mr Mark Banicevich was appointed to the ITF Business Development Committee October. A team from New Zealand competes at the ITF World Cup in Italy

December 2008 - Taekwon-Do Television Season 3 airs on Triangle TV and Sky TV.

February 2009 - New ground self-defence syllabus and the “Mini-kids” childrens programme introduced to instructors throughout New Zealand.

March 2009 - Master Willie Van de Mortel returns to New Zealand and conducts seminars throughout the country.

August 2009 - Gup grading round sees more than 1000 people grading for the first time in ITFNZ history.

September 2009 - Khandallah Club, originally founded by ITFNZ President Master Evan Davidson, celebrates its 30th anniversary.

September 2009 - Six athletes earn Performance Enhancement Grants from SPARC. Four of them also receive the Prime Minister’s Scholarships

October 2009 - New Zealand performs extremely well at ITF World Championships, bringing home 13 Gold, 10 Silver, 9 Bronze, and Best Overall Senior Male. NZ second overall behind the hosts Argentina.

January 2010 - ITF President Grand Master Tran Trieu Quan dies in the Haiti Earthquake. New Zealand is represented at his memorial service by our President Master Evan Davidson.

February 2010 - Mr Mike Thompson appointed as ITFNZ CEO and Mr Shaun Tolley as Operations Executive.

2010 - 2019

March 2010 - 50th International Instructors course held in Auckland. New Zealand’s Mr James Rimmer promoted to 7th Dan. Also promoted on the same weekend were Master Wim Bos (Italy) to 9th Dan, Master Michael Daher (Australia) to 8th Dan and Mr Peter Barbour (Australia) to 7th Dan.

April 2010 - Master McPhail was made Chairman of the ITF Communications Committee.

August 2010 - Master Davidson & McPhail inducted into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

July 2010 - ITFNZ re-branded as International Taekwon-Do.

August 2010 - Master Davidson & McPhail inducted into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Jan 2011 – Master Lan (Germany) visits and conducts seminars

August 2011 – Mr Peter Graham is inducted into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame

October 2011 – Celebrating Women in TKD Seminar is held in Auckland organised by Mrs Lena Walton and Mrs Trish Rounthwaite.
 
December 2011 – Instructors conference and senior dan grading is held in Rotorua.

March 2011 – iTKD successfully hosts the ITF World Championships in Wellington.  New Zealand enters 49 competitors and wins best overall country for the first time.

April 2012 – Oceania champs are held in Australia

October 2012 – iTKD members compete at the ITF World Cup, Brighton UK

February 2013 – IIC is held in Auckland.  Members attend from NZ and around the world Instructors are Grand Masters Marano (Argentina), Bos (Italy) and Lan (Germany).

February 2013 – Master McPhail and Davidson are graded to 8th dan and Steve Pellow to 7th dan by Grand Masters Marano (Argentina), Bos (Italy) and Lan (Germany).

March 2013 – First Masters Summit is held in Tauranga.

April 2013 – Master Hutton (Scotland) visits and conducts training seminars

July 2013 – First Veterans camp is held at Aongatete and becomes an annual event.

July 2013 – Master Jedut (Poland) visits and conducts seminars in Auckland and Palmerston North and with the NZ team.

October 2013 -  ITF World Championships are held in Benidorm, Spain. iTKD sends a team of 44 and places 3rd overall.

June 2014 – Master Hutton (Scotland) visits and conducts seminars and Kubz instructor courses in Auckland and Palmerston North.

October/November 2014 – Senior Dan Grading and Instructors Conference is held in Rotorua

May 2015 – ITF World Championships are held in Jesolo, Italy.  New Zealand places 1st overall.

31July – 2 August 2015 – IIC is held in Brisbane, Australia.  Gray Patterson grade to 7th Degree, Master Mahesh Bhana grades to 8th Dan under Grand Masters Marano (Argentina) and Lan (Germany).

November 2015 - Master McPhail becomes a member of the ITF Technical Committee.

January 2016 – Master Hutton (Scotland) visits and conducts training seminars, Kubz instructor courses and is the guest instructor at the National Camp in Rotorua.

October 2016 - ITF Taekwon-Do World Cup is held in Budapest, Hungary.

February 2017 – IIC is held in Auckland. Members attend from NZ and around the world Instructors are Grand Masters Marano (Argentina), Lan (Germany and Master McPhail.

June 2017 – Instructors Conference and Senior Dan grading is held in Rotorua

October 2017 – ITF World Championships are held in Dublin, Ireland. New Zealand placed 2nd over-all.

February 2018 – Two new masters are promoted.  Mark Banecevich and Matthew Breen grade to Master in Spain under Grand Masters Tratjenberg (Argentina) and Bos (Italy).

September 2018 – ITF World Cup is held in Sydney, Australia. 

January 2019 – Master Joliette Tran (Canada) visits and conducts seminars in Auckland and is the guest instructor at the National Camp in Rotorua.

April 2019 – ITF World Championships are held in Inzell, Germany.  New Zealand places 3rd best country overall.

Lawrence Mantjika grades to 7th degree Master at Ruhpolding, Germany under Grand Masters Lan (Germany), Marano (Argentina), and Laquerre (Canada)

November 2019 – Stripes 1 to 1 is held in Rarotonga along with a senior dan grading

2020 onwards

March 2020 – IIC is held in Auckland and attended by ITF members from around the world.  Instructors were Grand Master Hector Marano (Argentina), Grand Master Ung Kim Lan (Germany), Grand Master Peirre Laquerre (Canada) and Master McPhail.  This is the last IIC to be held in 2020 due to the global covid-19 pandemic.  NZ welcomes Peter Graham, Christine Young-Jasberg, Kane Raukura and Ian Campbell to the rank of 7th degree Master.  They are graded by Grand Masters Marano, Lan and Laquerre

Late March - May 2020 – Covid-19 enters New Zealand and the country is plunged into a lockdown in an attempt to control and eradicate the disease.  All iTKD clubs were closed until May 2020.  Many instructors managed to keep their clubs functioning by conducting online “Zoom” video classes

August 2020 – Covid rears its head again in Auckland, clubs in Auckland are closed 3 weeks

Covid becomes rampant all over the world and Taekwon-Do events are cancelled including the World Cup in Slovenia and many IICs.  Despite New Zealand remaining relatively covid-free, many events in New Zealand such as the nationals, seminars, regional tournaments etc fall victim to Covid 19 and are cancelled.

January 2021 – Alex Hayton is appointed as CEO of iTKD

July 2021 – The inaugural 1st – 3rd dan symposium is held in Rotorua.  The Symposium was organised by Master Christine Young, Master Kane Raukura, Master Lawrence Mantjika and is attended by 45 members

August 2021 – A virulent form of Covid-19 (delta) enters New Zealand and once again the country is placed in lockdown and clubs are closed for 3 weeks.  Auckland clubs were forced to close for remain closed for over 3 months.

November 2021 – Due to Covid-19 restrictions in Auckland conducts its first socially distanced Senior Dan grading.

November/December 2021 – iTKD celebrates the promotion of its very first Grand Masters




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