Gary
Trail joined the NZ Judo College in central Auckland in 1966, initially learning
judo under Henk Broewer, and a year later begining studies in Kawaishi Nihon
Goshin Jutsu with Hans van Ess (7th Dan). In March 1971 Gary was graded to
sho-dan (1st degree) and began running the College's ju jitsu classes, taking
over the full management of the College in 1972. That year Gary's club
amalgamated with Steve Heremaia's Rongo School of Jiu Jitsu and Ivan Gale's two
NZ Jiu Jitsu Association clubs to reform the NZJJA (previously formed in 1968)
and Gary took over the organisation's chairmanship.
In 1976 Gary left Auckland for Ruakaka where he opened the Bream Bay Jiu Jitsu
Kai and in 1986 he shifted further north to Houhora, teaching under the NZJJA
banner until 1997 when he allowed himself to fade from the NZJJA scene and began
to focus more on his own club which he renamed the Southern Cross Jiu Jitsu
Society. In 1985 Gary was made a life member of the NZJJA; in total he spent
thirteen years as a NZJJA committee member, including eleven years as chairman.
Currently Gary holds the grade of roku-dan (6th degree) and is this country's
foremost expert in the Kawaishi method as first introduced to New Zealand. He is
a fine historian and his "The History of Jiu Jitsu and its
Counterparts" is a sound and interesting book.
Gary
Trail joined the NZ Judo College in central Auckland in 1966, initially learning
judo under Henk Broewer, and a year later begining studies in Kawaishi Nihon
Goshin Jutsu with Hans van Ess (7th Dan). In March 1971 Gary was graded to
sho-dan (1st degree) and began running the College's ju jitsu classes, taking
over the full management of the College in 1972. That year Gary's club
amalgamated with Steve Heremaia's Rongo School of Jiu Jitsu and Ivan Gale's two
NZ Jiu Jitsu Association clubs to reform the NZJJA (previously formed in 1968)
and Gary took over the organisation's chairmanship.