Spain, Paul Jefferey

The study combines horse riding and fighting skills with the weaponry of the old horse tribes of Asia, the Central Steppes, Eastern and Western Europe.

The most notable horse tribes in history were the Huns (Magyars) followed later by the Mongols.

The significance of both these peoples is noted in their use of the horse as a tactical weapon rather than just as a means of transport more typical of earlier horseback warriors.

The development of the stirrup is attributed to the Hun warriors in the period 0 – 300AD and its introduction changed the ability of the rider to balance and manoeuvre while fighting. The Huns developed the use of lighter weight bows that could be shot faster with very rapid arrow reloading techniques.

Writers of the era described the Hun horseback warriors as a “lightning fast whirlwind of attack, with devastating firepower. . .”

Their skills in horsemanship were renowned across Eastern and Western Europe and exist today in the schools of Kassai Lajos across the world and from the “Valley” training center in Kaposvar, Hungary where he lives. (see menu Kassai Lajos)

In the time of Chinggis Khan and the following Mongolian Empire the greatest horseback armies the world has ever known conquered and controlled the vast territories from the Eastern coasts of China through to the lands of Austria and Poland.

History records that after the great battle with the Huns in the Carpathian basin there were no substantial armies left in western Europe to oppose their advance.

It was only the death of Ogedai Khan, the son and successor to Chinggis Kahn, that called all the armies back to Karakaroum to elect a new Khan that stopped the ambitions of Tsubodai and Batu, the great generals, from reaching the Atlantic ocean.

Mongol scouts had already reported back on the defenses of the last countries in the west of Europe, the order of Teutonic Knights had been destroyed in the battle at Sajo river, and the best horse warriors of the day had been defeated.

The Mongolian campaign across the Asian, Russian and European continent was a horseback campaign stretching more than 9,000 miles. When one puts aside the brutal aspects of the common historical writings of the Mongol armies and focuses on the horseback warrior skills we find tremendous qualities of endurance, strategy, and great weaponry skills.

Dragon Riders utilise the Chinggis philosophy of taking the “best of everything in progression . . .” This allows us to blend the skills from the two greatest horseback tribes, the Huns and the Mongols.

Taking another step in warrior evolution Dragon Riders train in BJ-MMA, the combat fighting system of the modern day legendary martial artist, Bob Jones of Australia.

This video of a recent BJ-MMA training seminar at WAIMA the Western Australia Institute of Martial Arts gives a very good prelude of the mixed fighting skills that are taught within Dragon Riders and BJ-MMA schools and the wide range of ages and people that train.

Dragon Riders are official representatives of Kassai Horseback Archery the Horseback ArcheryWorld Association and BJ-MMA in Australia and Spain. However, like all horseback warriors they have a nomadic streak and can be found in many countries.

A Dragon Rider, when asked where he was from answered . . . ”Where my feet touch the ground is where I stand, where I stand is my home . . .”

 

PAUL JEFFEREY

7TH DEGREE BLACK BELT, ZEN DO KAI

8TH DEGREE BLACK BELT, TARA MILIATA

Head Instructor BJ-MMA Australia -1984

• Paul stepped into the world of Bushido at age 13 and began to study Karate.
• At 24 he earned 1st degree Black Belt in Zen Do Kai Freestyle Karate
• He entered the 2nd degree “League of Blood” at age 27 fighting 30 x 2minute rounds of physical contact
• At age 33 he passed a 4th degree weapons grading using Katana, Kenjitsu and Bo (short staff)
• Over 43 years of training he has familiarised himself with many weapons, nunchaku, sai, naganita, archery, Kendo, modern firearms and the formidable Mongolian recurve bow.
• He has performed duties as personal bodyguard to Boy George of Culture Club and Elvis Costello
• For 14 years Paul worked professionally as a Karate Instructor including 2 years teaching as the Head Instructor for BJMA in Melbourne, Australia
• At the height of his Karate teaching he governed 70 dojo’s (clubs) throughout New Zealand with more than 150 Black Belt students
• Now he is a specialist instructor within the Dragon Riders teaching horse skills, mounted weaponry and unarmed combat.