Set to be staged at the Kenna Hall tomorrow and Sunday, Tait’s road to karate supremacy has been a long one, and with experience the key, the New Zealand-born Tokyo resident was confident of being able to successfully hand down some of the finer points of the art.

“I’ve been training in this style of karate for almost 40 years now,” Tait said, hoping to offer the kids a lot of fun while the adults will be more than welcome to pick his brains.

“Hopefully I can impart some knowledge I’ve gained over that time.

“To help some of the black belts, just to sharpen their technique, also it furthers my own experience as well. As you’re teaching, you’re always thinking about how you do things as well. You pick up what you’re doing wrong as well.

“You can see a person and think ‘I can do that too’.”

A world champion in the lightweight division of the Goju Ryu in 1992, Tait has taken a back seat competition-wise now to complete his own training and has made a special trip to Australia after being called by the Orange dojo with the invitation to be a guest instructor.

Set to complete a karate workshop for Goju Ryu students from the central west, Yass, Canberra and Goulburn, the fifth dan black belt Tait said he feels honoured to have enjoyed such an illustrious career. 

“That was a lot of years ago,” he said referring to his world champion win.

“I’m lucky in where I live in Tokyo, our style’s head instructor actually lives there. I live pretty close to him. I train under him now. 

“Before I went to Japan, in New Zealand I had my own little dojo at Victoria University, a lot of my students are continuing on with that dojo. I meet them around the world now. It’s good seeing them continuing.”

One of the main styles of karate, the very traditional Goju Ryu will be on display at the Kenna Hall tomorrow from 12pm before resuming on Sunday at 9am.

The session will be open to the public from 3pm tomorrow.