AN INSTRUCTOR with a Callington taekwondo club is proving that there is no limits to age for those determined to succeed in their chosen sport. Ron Horner, at the age of 82, has just earned his sixth dan black belt, passing with flying colours after going through an intensive test in front of judges in Southampton.

Ron, who is an instructor at the TT Taekwondo club in Callington, took up the martial art in 1990 and soon started working his way up through the various colour belts.

In 1994 he won a British Championship for poomsae (technical patterns) in his category and the following year gained his first dan black belt. In 2006 Ron, from Trematon, near Saltash, he was selected to represent the UK for an international tournament in Portugal and in 2007 Ron became the Irish Open champion before going on to become Southern area champion for 2011 and 2012.

Over the years Ron has competed in many tournaments around the United Kingdom and internationally and has won many medals .

He has trained with world champion kickboxer Bill Wallace and Kempo master and film star Jeff Speakman.

A highlight for Ron was going to the country where Taekwondo originates, when he visited Seoul , South Korea to attend an international instructors course at the Kukkiwon (the WTF Taekwondo headquarters).

Ron is also a qualified WTF referee.

Dale Trevail, a fourth dan black belt himself, who runs the TT Taekwondo club in Callington, said: 'I've known Ron since 1994 when I started my Taekwondo training and have never met anyone as dedicated as him. What he has achieved in quite incredible for a man of his age .He is an inspiration for the martial art and it's a privilege to have Ron as one of my instructors at my set up by myself and the late Kye Thomas just over a year ago.'

Anyone interested in joining the Callington club call Dale on 01579 382908.°