The Kung Fu instructor’s name was Master Barry Richardson. Curtis was in awe of Master Richardson’s Kung Fu skills. In the first five minutes of Master Richardson’s Kung Fu class, Curtis had learned more about fighting than he had learned during his entire martial arts career. Finally, he had found a real martial arts Master.
The name of the Kung Fu style Master Richardson was teaching was called Bak Hsing Choy Lee Fut. This was what Curtis had been searching for all these years. This first meeting with Master Richardson is when Curtis’ martial arts career began in earnest.
Master Richardson had been teaching in Regina for 2 years when Curtis joined his school. There were several students that had been with Master Richardson from the time he opened his school. These were his senior students. It took Curtis only two years to be in the senior student group and be competitive with the other senior students.
Three times during his tenure with Master Richardson, Curtis had the opportunity to meet Master Richardson’s Kung Fu instructor, Grand Master Raymond Leung. During the first meeting, Grand Master Leung inquired about how long Curtis had been training Kung Fu with Master Richardson and about how many of the fist patterns Curtis knew. At first, Grand Master Leung was not impressed with how many fist patterns Master Richardson had taught Curtis in such a short period of time. Master Richardson had Curtis demonstrate the fist patterns for Grand Master Leung. Grand Master Leung said nothing, just nodded his head up and down a few times, and then smiled. Grand Master Leung knew that Curtis took his Kung Fu training very seriously.
The last time they met, Grand Master Leung proposed that Curtis move to Vancouver. Grand Master Leung offered to open a Kung Fu School where he would appoint Curtis the instructor. The other part of the deal was that Curtis would receive private instruction in the Bak Hsing Choy Lee Fut system from Grand Master Leung. It was a very tempting offer but Curtis was very close to Master Richardson and chose to continue his Kung Fu training with him in Regina.
While training Kung Fu with Master Richardson, Curtis attended many martial arts tournaments. Curtis was a very fierce competitor and has a fair collection of trophies. At one particular martial arts tournament, Curtis was watching the competitors in the black belt division fight, and one competitor caught his attention. During this fight, this competitor ducked under a punch, did a somersault, and was lying on his back. His opponent turned around to see him lying on his back and came rushing in with a punch, and got caught with a kick to the stomach from the ground. Unbelievable! This was the kind of stuff you see in the movies! And here it was. Someone who was able to do that kind of stuff! For real! After the fight was over, Curtis went over to meet this fighter. His name was Master Neil McRitchie.
Sifu Curtis > Master Richardson > Master McRitchie >>