MASTER Ben Vickery

Master Ben Vickery commenced Taekwondo with Sun Bae as a white belt beginner in late 2007 at the Newmarket centre. He achieved Taekwondo Black Belt (1 Dan Bo) in November 2011, completing his full 1st Dan with honours shortly after. At this stage, Master Ben was also already training in Hapkido. He was immediately noted as someone who would undoubtedly become a future Sun Bae instructor and quickly moved up the ranks. 

In 2012, Master Ben was appointed as the Club Instructor (Sabomnim) for Sun Bae Mt. Gravatt, in a temporary caretaker capacity. Later that year, he was permanently appointed to Sun Bae The Gap. His numbers quickly grew, proving to be a popular coach with his students. Under Master Ben's leadership and careful guidance the centre has continued to always host in excess of 50 students.

Sun Bae The Gap has performed outstandingly at the Sun Bae Annual Championships. In 2014, Master Ben lead his centre back onto the leader board for the first time since 2008. It has since appeared regularly on the leader board each year, notably placing runner up consecutively from 2016 onwards (the separation between the podiums sometimes barely a bronze medal). Assisted by Instructor Nicole, the continued domination at the Sun Bae Club Championships (a purely technical event) is hardly a surprise. 

Master Ben has developed his Sun Bae centre into a wonderful local community with many families enjoying his instruction. Black belts trained by him also include his wife Nicole, assisting him since 2016 to become an integral part of his team as a Club Instructor in 2018. It is wonderful to now see many families training with Master Ben, some of whom have now reached their respective blacks belts. 

The Korean martial arts of Sun Bae have been a constant pursuit for Master Ben, who currently holds a 3rd Dan in both Hapkido and Kumdo. He earned his 1st Dan Bo Hapkido Black Belt in 2016 and soon after had the honour of performing his 1st Dan test before 9th Dan Grandmaster Sung Soo Lee — an opportunity he experienced again in 2022 for his 3rd Dan. In 2019, Master Ben successfully completed his Kumdo demonstration test, but due to COVID delays, he wasn’t able to finalise his 1st Dan Bo Kumdo Black Belt until 2021. Most recently, he achieved his 3rd Dan in 2025 and now has his sights set on attaining 4th Dan across all three styles.

• The Gap
• Mt Gravatt

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• Nicole Vickery: Club Instructor The Gap (3rd Dan Taekwondo)
• Andrew Shoebridge (2nd Dan Taekwondo)

• Roman Castiglione (1st Dan Taekwondo)

• Greg Shoebridge (1st Dan Bo Taekwondo)

• Freddy Babbage (1st Dan Taekwondo)*
• Junior Pullini (1st Dan Taekwondo)*
• Murray Jerome (1st Dan Taekwondo)*
• Margaret Wadden (1st Dan Taekwondo)*
• Elizabeth Shoebridge (1st Poom Bo Taekwondo)*
• Jordan Carter (1st Poom Bo Taekwondo)*

• 2012: Black Belt Poosae Champion
• 2014: Team Coach Silver (The Gap)
• 2106: Team Coach Silver (The Gap)
• 2017: Team Coach Silver (The Gap)
• 2018: Team Coach Silver (The Gap)
• 2019: Team Coach Silver (The Gap)
• 2022: Tile Break Silver (7 Tiles)
• 2024: Tile Break Gold (9 Tiles)
• 2025: Tile Break Gold (6 Tiles)

• No competition entries.

• 2012: Completion of Sun Bae Instructor Certification
• 2024: 50th Anniversary of Hapkido Moo Hak Kwan International Seminar - Sydney, Australia
• 2024: International Master Course at Kukkiwon (South Korea)