The Grand Sumo Las Vegas Koen was held on October 7-9, 2005 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

 

Please drop by here to see about 100 pictures from the event. 

(I apologize for the poor quality of the photos. My little Canon SD450 was no match for the difficult lighting conditions in the Casino & at the event. Oh, if only I could have used my Nikon D70.)

 

A few SMLers gathered on Thursday night at Giorgio Caffe in the Mandalay Bay Hotel. As you can see, it was a blast!

Back Row L-> R: Jeffrey (Gaijingai) & Beverly Anderson (Gaijingal), Mary Machado (Hennagaijin), Jim Gillogly (Takanorappa)

Front Row L->R -> Lynn Matsuoka, Nobuku & Jack Fetterolf (Shiragaishi)

 

Gaijingai arranged a dinner Saturday evening at Raffles Café.  We had 34 SMLers show up & had a romping good time wining & dining before heading off to watch the event. If you look closely you’ll see several SML luminaries.

Around the table (from front right going counter-clockwise):

Ken Crouch (Kintaro), Suzi Snook (Nekonohana), Lynn Matsuoka, Jeffrey Anderson (Gaijingai),

Beverly Anderson (Gaijingal), Kevin Howat (Akemisamaru), Bruce Rae (Oshirokita), Jay Walker (Takatamale),

Joe Kuroda (Jonosuke), David Miller, Linda Rocker (Linmaru), David Mascaro, Bobbi McLaughlin (Sipasake),

Jack Fetterolf (Shiragaishi), Nobuku Fetterolf, Henry Anderson, Lon Howard (Shomishuu), Itsuko Howard,

Robert Pantsioca, Bob McLaughlin, Ray Jansen (Ouchiyama), Mary Machado (Hennagaijin), Michael Machado,

Jim Bitgood (Chitose-Taikai), Carol Whiteside, Carol Jones (Takedake), David Jones,

Jim Anderson (standing in for Ken Coller J), Bill Mercer, Linda D (Benten!)

 

(For those of you keeping careful count, that’s only 30. That means four didn’t sign my little black book…)

 

Not at the dinner, but definitely in Vegas:

Max (Zenjimoto) & Ana Suchy (Chiisabuke), Barbara Ann Klein (Babaryutaikai), Chuck & Janice Demund

 

 

 

 

    

 

About 11 SMLers met for dinner at Raffles Café Sunday night after the show. Unfortunately, I was out of space on my SD cards, so no pictures L

 

On Sunday Gaijingai pulled off a near miracle, and was able to get a few tickets to a party with the Mongolian rikishi at the MIX Lounge 46 atop THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. The view of the strip was incredible from the 64^th floor, and the view of Asashoyru, Hakuho, Ama & Asasekiryu was even better! J

 

To see the look I had when I met the Yokozuna (or as Kevin Howat put it, “the living god of Sumo”), click here.  It’s priceless.  Here’s a sound snippet of the moment. 

 

As you can see, Gaijingai was instrumental in herding us SML cats.

A huge thanks for everything, Gai! You really helped make Vegas fun!