Training in El Paso

Black Tiger Training In El Paso
Texas - October 2007

Since re-affirming the association's heritage some years ago, Sifu Paul Burkinshaw, his Instructors and some students have been travelling regularly to Hong Hong for continual training events. Many of the original forms of Grand Master Wong Cheung had never been passed onto the English clubs in the 70's. Sifu Paul Burkinshaw is dedicated to learning any lost skills or knowledge to enable our association to develop whilst remaining true to our roots.

In 2007 Paul Burkinhsaw and Robert Buckler travelled to the USA to train with people very knowledgeable in Grand Master Wong Cheung's Black Tiger Association. Namely, Eric Wu and Jerry Davis.

The planning of the trip was detailed. Bedworth, Engalnd all the way to El Paso, Texas, USA. A total of 5093 miles!

Unfortunately, El Paso could not offer an international airport, so instead of a connecting flights we thought it would be interesting to drive from Dallas to El Paso, right across the state of Texas.

In late October we flew to Fort Worth Airport in Dallas, Texas and hired a car capable of the long drive, a Ford Mustang.

It was a long, tiring drive from Dallas to El Paso but it was a lot of fun to be out on the American open road.

We completed the drive with a stop over for a few hours and arrived in El Paso on a bright sunny morning. We checked into a local hotel and went off to meet our hosts for the week Eric Wu, Jerry Davis and family.

Our training began with a very complicated form called "Black Tiger Two Man". As the name suggests the form is demonstrated by two people. Each move from one person resulting in a response from the other. Obviously each side of the form needs to be understood for someone to be able to teach this intricate set of moves. Jerry and his son Jerry Jnr demonstrated the moves very well and Sifu Paul Burkinshaw was able to remember the moves well enough to document for further practice in the hotel in the evenings.

As well as the 'two man' form Sifu Paul Burkinshaw learned the 'Cane' weapons form from Jerry Davis. Sifu Paul Burkinshaw seemed to be at home with this form, picking it up very quickly indeed. The form contained movements that we have seen many times in other GM Wong Cheung Forms.

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Whlist Sifu Paul Burkinshaw practised the 'cane' form, Eric Wu helped Robert Buckler with techniques and went through the detail of an already familiar 'Kam Kong' form. Eric Wu pointed out detail in the form that would be very difficult to spot when just observing the form. Both Eric and Jerry demonstrated a deep and thorough understanding of Master Wong Cheung's techniques and principles which was fasinating to be involved with.

Jerry Davis and his family have a long assoication with El Paso. On one particularly warm day we ventrured to Hueco Tanks ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hueco_Tanks), a state historic site in El Paso that was both culturally and spiritually improtant to the Native Americans. Jerry Davis and his family have strong links the area, so much so that one of Jerry's fathers hunting knives is even on display at the tourist centre. We enjoyed our time at Hueco Tanks and took some great photos. SIfu Paul even spent some time with Jerry practising the cane form.

Sifu Paul Burkinshaw and myself both enjoyed our time spent with Eric, Jerry and the families and we are looking forward to being able to return the favour and host them for a visit to the Sil Lum Kune Academy in Bedworth.