45th ZNA Koi Show 2009
Koibito Japan headed to Shimane Prefecture to take a look around the ZNA (Zen Nippon Airinkai) Koi Show, and bring back photos of the winners for you to check out...
The 2009 ZNA Koi Show was held in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture. Many of you who have been to Japan buying koi with us, will have been to Shimane Prefecture before to visit Matsue Nishikigoi Center, and also Yamatoya Koi Farm. The show itself was held at Izumo Dome, around 3 hours drive from Okayama.
The biggest news from the show this year, was the clean sweep of the top 3 koi for Momotaro Koi Farm. With the 3 koi nominated for Grand Champion all coming from Momotaro and all being owned by the same person, Mr. Nobuo Takigawa, current President of the Japan Airinkai (Hobbyist Association). All three of these koi then went on to take the top three slots in the show, Grand Champion, Superior Champion and Over 85bu Champion. Interestingly, the Grand Champion Sanke was officially entered into the show as 104 cm, but Daisuke Maeda of Momotaro Koi Farm confirmed with Koibito Japan that this measurement was a mistake, and it actually was measured at 107 cm just before the show!!!
Other wins for Momotaro were the 80bu Overall Champion, again a koi owned by Mr. Nobuo Takigawa and the 'Shibetsu Nihon Ichi' (Overall best in variety) for Showa, this time owned by a Malaysian customer of Momotaro. Our congratualtions go out of course to Momotaro Koi Farm, but especially to Mr. Nobuo Takigawa for the clean sweep of the top 3 prizes in the 2009 ZNA Koi Show, and also for organising such a wonderful location for this year's ZNA show to be held.
Here is the run down of the main prize winners in this year's show:
Grand Champion - Sanke 107 cm, Momotaro Koi Farm, Mr. Nobuo Takigawa. (Listed in the show as 104 cm).
Superior Champion - Sanke 94 cm, Momotaro Koi Farm, Mr. Nobuo Takigawa.
Over 85bu Champion - Sanke 101cm, Momotaro Koi Farm, Mr. Nobuo Takigawa.
Mature Champion - Kohaku, Sakai Fish Farm, Indonesian customer.
Jumbo Champion, 1st Division - Kohaku 95 cm, Miyoshi Koi Farm, Japanese customer.
Jumbo Champion, 2nd Division - Doitsu Chagoi, Mr. Nobuo Takigawa
Adult Champion - Kohaku, Sutou San
Young Champion - Kohaku, Oishi Koi Farm, Kitamura San
Baby Champion - Kohaku, Oishi Koi Farm, Kato San
85bu Overall Champion - Kohaku, Odakan Koi Farm, Odawara San
80bu Overall Champion - Sanke, Momotaro Koi Farm, Mr. Nobuo Takigawa
75bu Overall Champion - Showa
70bu Overall Champion - Sanke, Murou Koi Farm, Ichinomiya San
65bu Overall Champion - Sanke, Sakai Fish Farm, Nakanishi San
60bu Overall Champion - Kohaku, Arita Koi Farm
In total Mr. Takigawa was awarded 5 of the top prizes in the show, 4 of which were won with koi bought from Momotaro Koi Farm.
Finally, we would also like to congratulate Miyoshi Koi Farm on their win in the Jumbo Champion - 1st Division. We have been working with Miyoshi Koi Farm for over a year now, and it is really wonderful to see one of their koi make a good impact in a major koi show in Japan yet again. Koibito Japan was actually at their farm when the 95 cm Sandan Kohaku was sold to a Japanese koi lover from Kochi City, Shikoku Island. We wish Miyoshi Koi Farm all the best for the future, and congratulate their winning customer, known only the us as 'Shacho' (meaning "The Boss" in Japanese!).
We hope you all enjoy the photos posted below...
