Graves’ 20th annual tourney is this weekend

    HOULTON – Not only has Graves’ Institute of Self Defense reached a 20th anniversary milestone as the longest running martial arts event in Aroostook, for the last several years it’s the only Karate-Ju Jitsu competition north of Bangor.
    Competitors from several mid-state Maine Ketsugo and Karate Association dojos, New Brunswick Kung Fu classes, and Canadian Karate schools will attend the Graves’ Summer Kick Off Karate and Ju-Jitsu Tournament at Houlton High School Saturday to vie skills with Aroostook martial arts practitioners.
    More than 225 trophies and 100 medals will be awarded throughout the day to top placing competitors in point sparring, form kata, weapons kata, Ju-Jitsu pairs and power impactor divisions. Each event will have several divisions set up by sex, age, weight and experience level (belt color) to assure fairness and the most challenging matches. One head judge and four referees, all black belts, will oversee each of the eight rings to insure safety and enforce the same guidelines for all competitors.
KARATE TOURNEY — Graves’ Institute of Self Defense is the longest running martial arts event in Aroostook, as well as the only Karate-Ju Jitsu competition north of Bangor. This Saturday, competitiors will take their skills into the ring for  point sparring, form kata, weapons kata and Ju-Jitsu pairs. There will also be  power impactor divisions.
    All of the black belt fighting and Ju Jitsu divisions will culminate in grand championship matches to determine the best of the best. Men and women black belts will have the opportunity to spar and demonstrate high level throwing and falling techniques against other random opponents. The top winner in each event will be awarded a four-foot tall, three-tiered, four-post ornate trophy with an engraved plaque, each sponsored by a regional business.
    One of the most exciting and entertaining events of the day is always the Ju Jitsu competition. Pairs of martial artists of the same belt level perform routines they have created to imitate an attack and a self defense situation that might occur on the street. Each of the duos executes three throws in random order and a panel of five judges score the pair on attitude, precision, difficulty and effectiveness. While all belt levels are highly competitive, the black belt division vying for the pair of grand championship trophies remains the highlight of the event.
  Yorks of Houlton, a well-known regional auto dealer and service center, a generous donator of a grand championship trophy for all 20 years, will have their name on the men’s black belt open fighting award. Local offices of TD Bank and Sargent and Tweedie Trucking of Mars Hill have sponsored the pair of grands to be awarded to the two black belts who win the black belt Ju-Jitsu event.
    Patrick Hunt, an Island Falls attorney, continues his multi-year support of the tournament as well. Hunt’s trophy will go to the combo winner of black belt form and weapons kata. Burtchell Trucking of Mars Hill donated the grand championship for Black Belt women’s sparring ages 17 to 34 and Richardson’s Hardware of Island Falls contributed the Senior Women’s black belt fighting grand.
    Competition begins at 10:30 a.m. with multiple kids divisions, and all martial arts fans as well as folks who have never experienced one of these thrill-filled competitions are invited to attend. A concession stand with a wide variety of food and beverages will operate throughout the day’s events.