From Guáraque to Caracas
Carlos Quintero was born on 12 May 1962 in Guáraque, in the state of Mérida, Venezuela. He began karate in 1975, at thirteen. In 1979 he moved to Caracas and continued under master Shoko Sato, and it was there that his competitive career took shape.
He became national champion of Venezuela six times. That record carried him into the international arena, representing his country at the Pan-American Games on several occasions and at four World Karate Championship tournaments.
A second career in the United States
In 1988 he moved to the United States. After considerable difficulty he opened his own dojo, which was affiliated before long with the Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Karate-Do organization. He rose quickly, going undefeated at state and regional level and taking three consecutive USA National Championship titles in 1992, 1993 and 1994.
In 2004 he coached the Florida Kumite Team to the gold medal at the USA-NKF National Championships. He remains head coach of the Kobushi Florida Karate Competition Team, whose record at local, state, regional and national events is what the school is best known for outside Doral.
Choosing a master
Until 2005 the Kobushi Dojos Organization belonged to Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Kai, headquartered in Osaka. When grandmaster Teruo Hayashi died, that organization passed into new management, and rather than simply inherit it, Kyoshi Quintero went looking for a teacher.
In 2006, after several personal interviews with Soke Yoshimi Inoue, he was granted permission to join the newly formed Inoue-Ha Shito-Ryu Keishin-Kai. He travelled regularly to Tottori to train directly with Soke Inoue, and brought him to South Florida to teach Pan-American seminars. He went on to serve as USA Director of the Inoue-Ha Shito-Ryu organization.
On 25 October 2025 he was installed as the first Kyoshi of Karate-Do Shito-Ryu Keishin Kyokai, the association carrying Soke Inoue’s teaching forward. He holds 8th Dan, sits on the USA Karate Federation Referee Committee, and presides over rank promotions and advanced instructor training in South Florida.
Career
Born in Guáraque, Mérida, Venezuela, on 12 May.
Begins Karate-Do at thirteen.
Moves to Caracas and trains under master Shoko Sato.
Six-time national champion of Venezuela. Represents Venezuela at the Pan-American Games and at four World Karate Championships.
Moves to the United States and opens his own dojo, affiliated with Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu.
Three consecutive USA National Championship titles.
Founds Kobushi Dojo Doral.
Coaches the Florida Kumite Team to gold at the USA-NKF National Championships.
Hayashi-Ha affiliation ends following the death of Soke Teruo Hayashi.
Joins Inoue-Ha Shito-Ryu Keishin-Kai after meeting Soke Yoshimi Inoue in Tottori.
Installed as the first Kyoshi of Karate-Do Shito-Ryu Keishin Kyokai.
Teaching
He has taught at training camps across Florida, Venezuela and Peru. Keeping the standard of his schools high has been the consistent thread of his career — the reason he sought out Soke Inoue rather than settling, and the reason rank testing at Kobushi is done in front of him.