The achievement means Reddrop joins a small world-wide elite (five or six globally) of authentic living Shorin Ryu Karate Grand Masters.

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"It's been a long journey and it's been a personal milestone for me to actually make that rank," Reddrop said.

"Only the second person in our 56-year club history to have done that. It has a flow on affect to our club, it gives us the ability now to grade to high ranks within the club and legitimate ranks."

The feat is a rare one, and something that has taken Reddrop 46 years of study to accomplish, more than 40 of those spent with the Ballarat Karate Club.

"It's probably one of those ranks where hardly anyone really would ever get to, it's such a long journey, 46 years," he said.

"Generally you go through your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Dan ranks and a number of them will go through into their 5th and 6th, some 7th.

"But to kind of go to the next one, as I say only two people in 56 years, I guess says how high that rank sits. You've got to be very, very dedicated to get up that high."

The examination was run over three-consecutive Saturdays, culminating on December 4.

It was examined by Grand Master Barry Packham, who is one of only three people globally in the past 100 years to have been promoted to the rank of 9th Dan in the style.

The style is made up of 36 forms (kata), 18 of these are empty hand, the other 18 are with various Okinawan weapons.

Week one Reddrop went through the 18 katas, week two he went through the same process with the various weapons used.

The final week saw Reddrop go through selected kata and fighting applications with a fellow black belt.

Over his 46 years, Reddrop has committed to three sessions per week at the club and three sessions at home to perfect the art.

"It literally does become a way of life," he said.

"That's their philosophy, the Okinawan's, they don't see it as a sport, it's just what you do, you get up, you have breakfast, go to work, come home, you train, practice martial arts.

"Pretty much I've tried to stick to that without being too fanatical about it, you've still go to raise kids and have a family.

"It's been a great journey for me and I still see it continuing on."

Reddrop looks back fondly on his 46 years, which began back in Ararat and Stawell.

"In among that there's been numerous trips back to Okinawa, Japan, trained with the Grand Master," he said.

"A lot of great associations with club members, so it's been a great journey.

"One good thing with the martial arts is it really doesn't have an end date, it's not based just on physical activity."

It's a lifetime commitment, as Reddrop said the higher the rank, the tougher it is to climb to the next one.

Once people hit 6th Dan, they have to wait seven years before they are allowed to go up to 7th.

Once they hit 7th, they have to wait eight years before they can hit 8th, or in Reddrop's case, 12 years.

"It kind of marries in with your age and your experience as well, it's not just the physical sense, so there's a fair bit that comes to it," he said.

"Even though I've achieved certain ranks along the way, I don't see any of those ranks as a finishing point, and 8th Dan's exactly the same, I'll just keep on going."

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