Sports

Martial Arts Championships brings different disciplines to tournament

November 20, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

There was a lot of skill on the mats at the third annual Orangeville Open Martial Arts Championships held at the Orangeville Agricultural Centre on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Around 400 competitors arrived to compete in several martial arts disciplines in a day-long tournament that featured non-stop action.

Hundreds of spectators turned out to watch the competition and appreciated the non-stop action on the mats.

The competition featured all age groups, from an age 6 and under novice group to women and men age 42 and over. Divisions were divided by skill level and the level of belts held by competitors.

“The event is open to all striking martial arts, and also self-defence for the kids and adults,” explained event organizer, Sensei Joe Gallay. “This is the third year we’ve done this event. The first year, we had 250 competitors and 400 spectators. This year, we had 250 competitors pre-registered with close to another 200 that registered at the door and around 400 spectators.”

All events were monitored and observed by trained referees who controlled the action on the mats. The referees are all former competitors.

During competition, sparring equipment was mandatory for all those on the mat. This includes a mouthguard, headgear, hands, feet, shin pads, and elbow pads.

It is a lot of work to put together a tournament like this. Gallay said the martial arts community works together to ensure these events are successful.

“There’s a club here in town, The Dojo, and they brought students to help us set everything up. The karate community is pretty tight. We try to help each other out.

Gallay has hosted tournaments at various locations worldwide.

This was a well-run event, featuring non-stop action with a well-timed schedule to keep things moving as competitors met on several mats around the room, and plenty of space for spectators to enjoy the action.

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