Sport
21 December, 2025
Horsham Brazilian Jiu Jitsu celebrates 2025
Horsham Brazilian Jiu Jitsu concluded 2025 with its annual adult grading and seminar event on Saturday November 29.
Twenty-one students were assessed with the assistance of Ballarat Bear Cave head coach Trent ‘Bear’ Rice, who also ran a seminar focusing on de la Riva guard technique flows.
Horsham Brazilian Jiu Jitsu owner and head instructor Jesse Millar said it was great to see numerous students progress, acknowledging the camaraderie and support displayed by gym members in the process.
“Our new blue belts who upgraded were definitely a highlight,” Millar said.
“But what stands out most to me is our students’ community spirit and the way they support each other.
“On a day like our grading day, that support for each other is very evident.
“Everyone is genuinely invested in helping their training partners improve.
"That’s a trademark of our club and something we take a lot of pride in.
“Our school is built on a community-first approach – we should always be our best version of ourselves but while also helping the people around us become their best version as well.”
The grading and seminar allowed the students to utilise expertise from ‘Bear’, a martial arts expert.
“Trent is a third-degree Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Professor John Will and has almost 30 years of martial arts experience,” Millar said.
“He also holds several black belts in other martial arts, including several different karate styles.
“He runs The Ballarat Dojo in Golden Point and is the head coach of Bear Cave Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.”
Millar himself is a brown belt under Rice and has been running Horsham Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2018.
Asked why local residents should consider giving Brazilian jui jitsu a go, Millar said the sport provided physical, mental and social benefits.
“It's loads of fun and has tons of benefits,” Millar said.
“Brazilian jiu jitsu has solid self-defence elements and also a great sporting and community side to it, the benefits of which are far-reaching: fitness, confidence, stress relief, community building, being part of something positive and forming new friendships.
“Most people who start have never done a martial art before.
"Come try a class and see if it’s for you.”
With a full timetable of classes set to return in the new year, Millar said there were classes specific to women and children.
“We normally run adult classes four times a week, a women-only class once a week (women also train in all regular classes with everyone else as well), and a kids' program for ages eight to 15 twice a week."
Anyone interested in signing up or who would like a free trial class can visit https://www.horshambjj.com/ or see the Horsham Brazilian Jiu Jitsu page on Facebook.
