Inducted into A.M.A.H.O.F.(Inc) and W.K.U.H.O.F. in 2010

Life-Time Achievement – Eskrima / Eskrido

 Martin Gardiner has been an inspiration to many men and women throughout his 41 year association with Martial Arts.  He commenced his training in 1968 studying Judo with Sensei Bob Corbett; later in 1969 he started his lifelong association with Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do under the tutelage of Sensei Daryl Kelbar and later Dr. Frank Scalcerio.   He also trained kickboxing under Dr. Scalcerio and Arnis, initially Modern Arnis for eight years, training also with Remy Presas, Rodel Dagooc and Bob Fitten, who was the first person to bring Modern Arnis to Australia in the 1970’s.

Martin promoted the first international kickboxing tournament to be held in Australia, in Alice Springs in 1975, with competitors coming from California USA and Australia.  Sensei Bob Jones was a Judge at this first event.  Under Martins guidance his club competed and was involved in the promotion of 4 international kickboxing events in the USA and Alice Springs in the late 1970’s, as well as national Tae Kwon Do and other full contact competitions in Australia.  Martin incorporated wrestling into his clubs training program under the instruction of Mr. Noel Picken, who coached the South Australian representative Olympic try out team in 1956.

In 1985 Martin travelled to Cebu in the Philippines and was accepted as the first Australian Student of Grandmaster Cacoy Canete of the Doce Pares School, Martin was the first person to bring the Doce Pares system to Australia and was responsible for establishing the art in Australia.  In subsequent years he supported the development of Doce Pares Eskrima throughout Australia hosting Grand Master Cacoy Canete during many national seminars and tours throughout the country.

His efforts saw Australia send a representative team to the first World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) World Stick Fighting Championship in Manila, Philippines in 1989 where the team won 6 World Titles. In 1990 Martin Coached and Captained another Australian team where he also won the Open Champion double Stick, Men’s, Senior, Division.
In 2007 Martin was the Senior Referee at the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation (CDP WF) 2007 Stick Fighting World Championship hosted in Jakarta Indonesia where he was also awarded his 9th degree black belt Cacoy Doce Pares.  In 2008 Martin and Richard Bustillo were both inducted into the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation Hall of Fame in the same category, receiving a “Lifetime Achievement Award”.

As a result of Martins guidance and commitment Martin’s students are testimony to his commitment with many students’ now Senior Instructors, Masters, and World Champions in their own right teaching in Australia, USA, and Indonesia promoting the style of his teachers and his appreciation of Budo.

1968 Began training Judo with Sensei Bob Corbett at the Alice Springs Youth Centre
1969 Began training International Tae Kwon do with Daryl Kelbar
1972 Obtained 1st degree black belt International Tae Kwon Do, Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do issued by Chung Su Hong.
Became chief instructor of the Alice Springs Youth Centre Martial Arts Club (a position he held for nearly 20 years)
Commenced training Modern Arnis
1973 Began training kickboxing with Sensei Dr. Frank Scalcerio Jr. who also became the clubs senior affiliate in the USA,
Club team fights in Mt Isa tournament, “Intercity Championship”
Completed workshop on Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do
Received a letter of appreciation from the Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do Association of South Korea
1974 Graded 2nd degree black belt Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do,
Club team coach for the Australian Tae Kwon Do Championships
1975 Promoted and competed in the first international kickboxing competition in Australia with a team from the USA and an Australian team from Alice Springs and Mt Isa, the event was called a full contact karate tournament.
Coached and fund raised for an Australian representative team to compete in an International Full Contact Karate championship in California, USA.
Received letter of appreciation from Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, Master Hwang Kee.
1976 Graded 3rd degree black belt Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do.
Awarded instructor certificate, Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, (15/10/76).
Graded 1st degree black belt Modern Arnis.
Commenced training with Sensei Bob Fitten in Darwin NT Australia
Promoted the 2nd International Korean Karate Tournament in Australia at Alice Springs.
1977 Continued training with Remy Presas, Rodel Dagooc and Frank Scalcerio
1978 Promoted the 3rd International Full Contact karate Championship at Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.
Commenced a wrestling training program for the youth centre martial arts club under the instruction of Mr. Noel Picken, who coached the SA representative Olympic try out team in 1956
1979 Completed certificate course for Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do (History, Sports Psychology and Physiology).
Awarded certificate from Masters Association of Philippines (Kempo) for Judo and Karate from Sensei Bob Fitten also signed by Master Rodel Dagooc
1982 Attended training in Darwin with Bob Fitten international Amature Karate Organization, Remy Presas and Rodel Dagooc
Graded 1st degree black belt Doce Pares Eskrima
1984 Graded 4th degree black belt Mu Duk Kwan tang Soo Do
1985 Traveled to Cebu Philippines to train with Grand Master Cacoy Canete, Martin became Cacoy’s first Australian student and the first person to introduce Doce Pares Arnis Eskrima to Australia.
1986 Graded 3rd degree black belt Doce Pares Arnis Eskrima,
sponsors Cacoy Canete to Alice springs to promote Doce Pares and conduct seminars in Nhulumbuy and Groote Eylandt, Alice Springs and Darwin demonstrations at Ayers Rock and Alice Springs at the Central Australian Masters Games attracting hundreds of competitors from all over Australia and sponsored by the Northern Territory Department of Youth, Sport, Recreation and Ethnic Affairs project.
Conducted seminars in Townsville including the 1st Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment, and the Gold Coast
1987 Graded 4th degree black belt Doce Pares Eskrima,
Sponsors Cacoy Canete to Alice springs to promote Doce Pares and conduct seminars throughout Australia
1989 Graded 5th degree black belt Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do
Team from Alice springs competes in the first inaugural WEKAF World Championship team wins six world titles, Martin coached  but did not attend
1990 Receives Northern Territory Sports Award for “Excellence in Sport”
Attends the WEKAF, 1990 World Championships winning Gold and becoming the “Open Champion” in the Men’s Senior, Double Stick, Division
1991 Received Registered Instructor  Certificate, World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF),
Received the Community Service Award, Individual Category, Alice Springs Town Council, presented by the Alice Springs Lord Mayor Ms. Leslie Oldfield, recognizing Martin’s 18 years service to the community as the Chief Instructor of the Alice Springs Martial Arts Club
Graded 6th degree black belt Cacoy Doce Pares
1993 Sponsored Cacoy Canete to Alice Springs to conduct Doce Pares and Pangamot Seminars,
Martin Gardiner became the first President of the Australian Doce Pares Eskrima Federation, founded in Alice Springs
1995 Graded 4th degree black belt Pangamot Filipino bare hand combat.
Graded 7th degree black belt Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima.
2007 2007 Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation, World Championship, Senior Referee for the Championship conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Awarded 9th degree black belt Cacoy Doce Pares by Cacoy Canete.
2008 Inducted into the Cacoy Doce Pares, Hall of Fame, “Lifetime Achievement Award”.