Everything for the 2026 U.S. Taekwondo Festival Open Championship — fees, schedule, poomsae, sparring, breaking, weight divisions and how to register. Saturday, October 10, 2026 · APG Arena, Bel Air, Maryland.
COMPETITOR PACKET · Saturday, October 10, 2026 · APG Arena at Harford Community College, Bel Air, MD
Greetings, Taekwondo Members!
I would like to welcome everyone to the 2026 U.S. Taekwondo Festival Open Championship. This prestigious tournament will mark the beginning of this year’s season with the finest in competition as well as refereeing for the Maryland State Taekwondo Association. This remarkable tournament is one of my favorites of the year since all proceeds go directly to the United States Taekwondo Scholarship Foundation, which supports Taekwondo practitioners.
On behalf of the Maryland State Taekwondo Association, it gives me great honor to announce this year’s competition to mark the 31st Year Anniversary for the proclamation of Taekwondo Day in the City of Baltimore, and the 36th Year Anniversary for this competition. The first recognized Taekwondo Day in the world was on September 4, 1995.
We will have two categories of Black Belt divisions in 10-11, 12-14, 15-17, and 17-32: World Class and Open Sparring. Daedo scoring will be available for Black Belt World Class divisions in 10-11, 12-14, 15-17, and 17-32, and for the Open Sparring division with Daedo Trigger Scoring and all other age categories. Daedo Gen3 socks are required and will be available for purchase on site. We are proud to announce that we will be holding Family, Pairs & Team Forms events, as well!
Remember, Taekwondo competition is an essential part of martial arts training. It allows you to put your individual skills to the test against another of similar experience and level. But keep in mind, it is ultimately a learning experience — and with every experience in life, you gain knowledge, strength, courage, and confidence. Through your experience at the U.S. Taekwondo Festival, you will become a better Taekwondo student overall.
“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” — Vince Lombardi
Hope to see you all on Saturday, October 10th at APG Arena at Harford Community College — Bel Air, Maryland! Keep practicing and good luck!
Saturday, October 10, 2026Registration & weigh-ins from 8:00 AM
Competition begins 9:00 AM (12 & up)
12:30 PM (11 & under)
APG ArenaHarford Community College
401 Thomas Run Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
Online — taekwondofestival.com$130 pre-reg by Sep 30 (2 events)
+$20 each additional event
Spectators $20 cash at the door
Event options: Daedo PSS Sparring · Regular Trigger Sparring · Traditional Poomsae · Sport Poomsae · Family Forms · Pairs Forms · Team Forms · 3-Station Board Breaking.
| Registration | 1–2 events | Each additional |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-registration ONLINE ONLY · by September 30, 2026 | $130 | +$20 |
| After October 1, 2026 · or on-site | $150 | +$20 |
| 8:00 – 8:30 AM | On-site registration & pre-registration pick-up (ages 12 & up) |
| 8:00 – 8:30 AM | Weigh-ins — World Class Black Belt sparring, 12–32 year olds |
| 8:00 AM | Mandatory referee meeting |
| 8:30 AM | Report time — all Daedo World Class Black Belt Sparring & World Class Sport Poomsae competitors |
| 9:00 AM | Report time — all divisions ages 12 & up (all events) |
| 11:00 – 11:30 AM | On-site registration & pick-up (ages 11 & under) |
| 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Lunch & weigh-ins for World Class Black Belt 10-11 year old sparring only |
| 12:00 – 12:30 PM | Opening ceremony & tag team sparring |
| 12:30 PM | Competition begins — Family/Team Forms & all divisions ages 11 & under |
$20 cash at the door. Children 4 & under and seniors 65 & over are free.
$30 pre-registration by September 30; $50 after October 1 or on-site. One free coach pass per 10+ competitors.
Beautiful medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in Forms and Breaking; and 1st, 2nd and two 3rd places in Sparring.
The current modified USAT & modified WT competition rules govern this championship.
All sparring competitors provide their own: white/red/blue helmet (matching chest protector color); red-and-blue reversible chest protector; forearm, shin & instep guards; groin cup; and mouth guard. World Class Black Belt divisions (10-11, 12-14, 15-17 & 17-32) must provide their own Gen3 Daedo socks.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Belcamp — 1326 Policy Drive, Belcamp, MD 21017 · (410) 272-1806. Sponsor: Maryland State Taekwondo Association.
All Taekwondo forms will be allowed in Traditional — Taegeuk, Palgwae, Chang Hon, Pyung Ahn and others.
Open to all ages and ranks. Competitors perform only the poomsae designated for their specific rank, judged head-to-head as a bracket competition (like sparring) on proper order, beauty, grace, rhythm, accuracy, power, technique and attitude.
| Rank (Geup) | 10 – 9 | 8 – 7 | 6 – 5 | 4 – 3 | 2 – 1 | Poom/Dan 1·2·3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belt color | White / Yellow / Orange | Green | Blue / Purple | Red / Brown | Black | |
| Poomsae | Basic Form / Taegeuk / Palgwae 1 or 2 | Taegeuk / Palgwae 3 or 4 | Taegeuk / Palgwae 5 or 6 | Taegeuk / Palgwae 7 or 8 | Koryo, Keumgang, Taebaek … | |
Two or more competitors from the same immediate family (no cousins). Any form may be chosen.
Three or more competitors in the same belt group; co-ed permitted.
One male and one female performing together — co-ed. The pair chooses their own form.
Scored numerically, ranking every competitor by score. New for 2026, open to color belts as well as black belts (ages 10 & up). Competitors eligible for both Sport and Traditional Poomsae choose one — not both.
Designated Poomsae — Black belt · by age division & gender
| Female Individual | Youth10-11 | Cadet12-14 | Junior15-17 | Under 3018-30 | Under 4031-40 | Under 5041-50 | Under 6051-60 | Under 6561-65 | Over 6566+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary | Taegeuk 6 | Koryo | Koryo | Shipjin | Taebaek | Keumgang | Shipjin | Keumgang | Shipjin |
| Semi Final | Taegeuk 5 | Taegeuk 7 | Keumgang | Jitae | Koryo | Koryo | Koryo | Taebaek | Jitae |
| Final | Taegeuk 4 | Taegeuk 6 | Taegeuk 6 | Keumgang | Keumgang | Chonkwon | Chonkwon | Chonkwon | Koryo |
| Keumgang | Taebaek | Taebaek | Taegeuk 7 | Jitae | Shipjin | Jitae | Pyongwon | Pyongwon |
| Male Individual | Youth10-11 | Cadet12-14 | Junior15-17 | Under 3018-30 | Under 4031-40 | Under 5041-50 | Under 6051-60 | Under 6561-65 | Over 6566+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary | Taegeuk 7 | Keumgang | Taegeuk 6 | Taebaek | Shipjin | Jitae | Koryo | Shipjin | Keumgang |
| Semi Final | Taegeuk 5 | Taegeuk 5 | Taebaek | Jitae | Taebaek | Taebaek | Pyongwon | Keumgang | Pyongwon |
| Final | Keumgang | Taegeuk 8 | Koryo | Shipjin | Taegeuk 8 | Taegeuk 8 | Chonkwon | Koryo | Hansu |
| Taegeuk 4 | Taebaek | Taegeuk 7 | Pyongwon | Jitae | Keumgang | Shipjin | Hansu | Shipjin |
Round entry: divisions of 20–69 competitors begin in the Preliminary round · 9–19 begin in the Semi Final · 8 or fewer begin in the Final.
Designated Poomsae — Color belt · by belt level
| Belt | Rank | Preliminary | Semi Final | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | 7th & 8th Geup | Taegeuk 1 | Taegeuk 2 | Taegeuk 1 |
| Green | 5th & 6th Geup | Taegeuk 4 | Taegeuk 3 | Taegeuk 2 |
| Blue | 3rd & 4th Geup | Taegeuk 5 | Taegeuk 5 | Taegeuk 4 |
| Red | 1st & 2nd Geup | Taegeuk 7 | Taegeuk 5 | Taegeuk 8 |
Boards and holders are not included in the entry fee. Bring your own boards, or buy pine boards at the venue.
Board holders are people and you bring your own — tournament officials and referees cannot hold boards.
Only pine boards are allowed. NO bricks, cinder blocks, fruit or anything besides pine boards.
Competitors choose the kind of techniques and number of boards to break.
Maximum of 3 stations, with 1–3 kicking techniques per station.
Maximum set-up time 1 minute; maximum performance time 1 minute; maximum of 2 attempts.
The performance must be done within the regulation ring size.
| Age | Rules |
|---|---|
| 11 & under | USAT / WT modified rules · No head contact for all belts except Black Belts ages 8–11 · Junior Safety rules for Black Belts ages 8–11 |
| 12 – 14 | USAT / WT modified rules · Junior Safety rules for all belts |
| 15 – 17 | USAT / WT modified rules · Junior Safety rules for color belts · Senior rules for black belts |
| 17 & up | USAT / WT modified rules · Senior rules for all belts |
Daedo PSS scoring, in the 10-11, 12-14, 15-17 & 17-32 Black Belt divisions. Gen3 Daedo socks available on site.
Regular Trigger scoring, also used for all other age categories.
If there are fewer than four athletes in a weight division, the organizing committee may combine weight divisions.
Ages 15-17 (sparring only) may compete in their own division or an older age division of their respective weight.
Ages 33 & up (sparring only) have the option to compete in their own division or the 17–32 division for their respective weight.
World Taekwondo weight classes for the Daedo World Class Black Belt sparring divisions. All divisions are subject to change.
| Youth · 10–11 | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| -30 kg | -30 kg | -30 kg |
| 30–35 | 30–35 | 30–35 |
| 35–40 | 35–40 | 35–40 |
| 40+ | 40+ | 40+ |
| Cadet · 12–14 | |
|---|---|
| Male | Female |
| -33 kg | -29 kg |
| 33–37 | 29–33 |
| 37–41 | 33–37 |
| 41–45 | 37–41 |
| 45–49 | 41–44 |
| 49–53 | 44–47 |
| 53–57 | 47–51 |
| 57–61 | 51–55 |
| 61–65 | 55–59 |
| 65+ | 59+ |
| Junior · 15–17 | |
|---|---|
| Male | Female |
| -45 kg | -42 kg |
| 45–48 | 42–44 |
| 48–51 | 44–46 |
| 51–55 | 46–49 |
| 55–59 | 49–52 |
| 59–63 | 52–55 |
| 63–68 | 55–59 |
| 68–73 | 59–63 |
| 73–78 | 63–68 |
| 78+ | 68+ |
| Senior · 17–32 | |
|---|---|
| Male | Female |
| -54 kg | -46 kg |
| 54–58 | 46–49 |
| 58–63 | 49–53 |
| 63–68 | 53–57 |
| 68–74 | 57–62 |
| 74–80 | 62–67 |
| 80–87 | 67–73 |
| 87+ | 73+ |
Color belt and 11-&-under black belt sparring run by age, rank and gender; weight class is determined by the referee at the holding/staging area. Open Sparring is available to all ages.
Registration is online this year — complete every step in a few minutes.
Name, date of birth, rank, weight and dojang.
Select every event you want to compete in.
Review and accept the liability waiver online.
Secure checkout and instant email confirmation.
Or visit taekwondofestival.com — then check back for confirmation.
Questions? [email protected] · (443) 243-4124