Instructor Tom Hartshorne is the founder and Instructor at Hapkido England.

 

Instructor Tom started martial arts in 1992 at his local judo club at the age of 8. through the years he has been through various different styles until he moved to Monterrey, Mexico in 2006 and took up Hapkido under Master Francisco Garcia Avila (6th Dan) and Master Adrian Garcia Torres (5th Dan) both martial arts hall of fame inductees.

 

Tom attained his 1st dan black belt in 2009 and in the same year he went with the Mexican national Hapkido team to the 2010 triennial Hapkido World championship in Battle Creek, Michigan where 19 counties and over 1000 martial artists competed. The Mexican team of only 12 people placed 2nd. Tom went on to win a bronze and a silver medal in the 2 self-defence competitions as well as a bronze medal in the sparring competition.

 

In 2011 Tom went to the Canadian Open martial arts tournament again with the Mexican team where they won gold in the group competition. Tom won gold in both self-defense competitions as well as gold in high cat-falling, silver in long cat-falling, silver in precision kicking and bronze in form. For his results in competition and efforts towards the Hapkido community including helping in seminars and teaching his own class for over 2 years Tom was awarded his second Dan in 2011.

 

Tom's qualifications are recognised by the International Hapkido federation including a level 2 International referee qualification.

 

In 2013 Tom went to the 9th International Hapkido Championships In South Korea this time, having returned to his native England, representing England as a team of one. Tom won a bronze medal in the precision kicking competition for internationals. In the same trip Tom won a bronze medal for self defence at the Moo Moo Kwan 1st Korea Open World Championships when he entered with a partner from the Mexican team, Rodrigo Garza.

 

Late in 2013 Tom founded Hapkido England with the support of the Mexican Hapkido association and the Global Hapkido Association. It continues to change and to grow.