Pictured (from left, first row) Gerber, Quinton Cox, Jessica Beaty, Paxton Salazar, Tommy Bodkin, Houston Edwards and Jewel Edwards; (second row) Andrea Kopanski, Kristen Beaty, Quinn Sisson, Emerson Piercy and Wimmer. (Not pictured: Kasey-Lee Wolfe, Xavier McNeil and Kai McNeil)
Iron Horse competitor Kai McNeil competes at the AAU Michigan State Championship in Wayne, Michigan, earlier this month.
PENDLETON — Iron Horse Martial Arts of Pendleton began its tae kwon do competition season by qualifying for a national competition at the AAU Michigan State Championship in Wayne, Michigan.
The March 12 event played host to a record 565 competitors. The 14-member Iron Horse team competed in point-sparring, Olympic sparring, breaking boards, poomsae and weapons.
The team ended up with 25 first-place finishes, along with seven second-place and five third-place finishes.
All team members also qualified for the AAU National Taekwondo Championship, set for MGM Grand in Las Vegas in July.
The competition team is led by sixth dan blackbelt Myron Gerber and third dan blackbelt Jack Wimmer. The team competing in Michigan included (from left, first row) Gerber, Quinton Cox, Jessica Beaty, Paxton Salazar, Tommy Bodkin, Houston Edwards and Jewel Edwards; (second row) Andrea Kopanski, Kristen Beaty, Quinn Sisson, Emerson Piercy and Wimmer. (Not pictured: Kasey-Lee Wolfe, Xavier McNeil and Kai McNeil)
The team also will go on to compete in AAU’s Ohio and Indiana’s State Championships this season.
Iron Horse Booster Club is led by a board of volunteers. For more details on upcoming events — including a June 18 community team scavenger hunt using a live interactive app — visit Iron Horse Booster Club on Facebook or ironhorseboosterclub.org.