Academy History

Huddersfield Taekwon-Do School was started by Mr Johnnie Chan VI in 2000. He did all of his colour belt promotions with First GrandMaster Rhee Ki Ha IX, and brought enormous experience as a practitioner, teacher and competitor. After leaving for a new life chapter in Scotland, our school moved to a new venue under the excellent guidance of Miss Karen Smith VI, who is also an experienced teacher and competitor. Following the pandemic and continued individual training the school has reopened as Huddersfield Taekwon-Do Academy with Dr Eddie Dobson IV who was Mr Chan’s first black belt student, and Mr Jordan Jackson I.

This page shares our academy history.

Past Instructors (Sabum Nim)

Mr. Johnnie Chan (V Dan)

Black belt martial artists performing a jumping back kick and breaking several boards. Performed at a grading in front of First Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha
Mr Johnnie Chan standing next to First Taekwon-Do Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha following a black belt promotion. They are standing in front of the Taekwon-Do examination table and ITF plaque flag
Two black belt martial artists sparring. Both on one leg, Mr Chan is performing a high section reverse turning kick to Mr Lopez who is blocking it with his head.
Mr Jonnie Chan ready to spar. Black belt with red sparring equipment on ready with hands up.
Mr Jonny Chan VI punching two white boards at a martial art competition. The boards are mid break and you can see the effort in his face. Black and white image
Mr Chan teaching Taekwon-Do to new students. Student is holding a pad shield while Mr Chan explains.
Mr Chan teaching Taekwon-Do to new students. Student watches as he is pointing to his foot.
Mr Chan teaching Taekwon-Do to new students. Black belt holding a pad shield while Mr Chan performs a reverse knife hand strike.

Mr. Chan started training in 1993 in Newbury with the UKTA, all of his colour belt gradings were A pass.

All of Mr Chan’s Dan gradings were under First Grandmaster Rhee Ki

Ha. As a black belt, Mr. Chan’s Instructor has been Senior Master Gary Miller.

Dan Timeline:

I Dan – March 1999

II Dan – March 2002

III Dan – March 2004

IV Dan – March 2007

V Dan – September 2010

Now VI Dan

Mr. Chan has trained in France, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong and has represented England and Great Britain at International Competitions.

Mr. Chan sums up his own perspective on Taekwon-Do as follows;

“Ultimately Taekwon-Do is about self challenge and your development as an individual physically, mentally and spiritually there is a different path for everyone. If Mr. Chan could sum up the reason for Taekwon-Do he would simply repeat the message of Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha “Human rights and human equality”.

Miss Karen Smth (VI Dan)

Full information to follow

Assistant Instructors (Bo Sabum Nim)

Mr. Lars Jeuken (V Dan)

Mr Lars Yeuken V dan wearing his formal Taekwon-Do suite, explaining something with his hands in an explaining gesture.
Mr Jeuken with another black belt
Mr Jeuken teaching a wrist lock to new Taekwon-Do students. He has another student by his wrist and the other student is crouched on the floor.

Mr Jeuken started his training in 1988 under Master James Tjin A Ton (seventh Dan) and Kiet Tjon A Pauw (fifth Dan) at In Nae Do Kwan in the Netherlands.

When he moved to Oxford in 1999, he continued his training with Senior Master Gary Miller. In March 2002, he obtained his I Dan, after which he moved to Leeds where he started training with Mr Hirst (VI Dan) at Chang Hun and later joined Huddersfield TKD. He obtained his II Dan in March 2008 and his III Dan in March 2011.

His first two Dan exams were completed under Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha.

Dr Eddie Dobson IV Dan

Two female martial artists posing with five gold medals won at the European Championships in Liverpool 2017. Wearing Doboks and ITF England training tops.
Group photograph of university students, some wearing Dobok. Taken at the UKTA Open championships
Promotional photograph of Eddie Dobson IV dan wearing dobok - presenting the Liverpool European Championships 2017 logo. Dark background with strong light contrast.

Eddie Dobson was for some time our our second assistant instructor. Eddie trained in Taekwon-Do as a child, however, after a long break Eddie began training again from scratch in 2009 with the UKTA under the instruction of Mr Chan (, then IV, now VI). Eddie the first member of Huddersfield Taekwon-Do School to progress from white to black belt in September 2012. Eddie has attended several UKTA competitions, winning gold and silver medals in patterns and sparring, also gold medals for veteran individual patterns at the ITF European Championships, and also as a member of the women’s ITF England veteran team in 2017. Eddie has since progressed to 4th Dan and become an international instructor.

Mr. Alessandro Aquino (I Dan)

Black belt Alex Aquino holding hand pads for a green belt female student in Dobok and pads while she is kicking

Mrs. Ishbel Jeuken (I Dan)

Post grading promotion photograph showing two new black belts and their instructor in front of ITF and UKTA banners and the grading table

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