And the 2009 Grand Champion is.....
Posted 30 Jan 2009 - 16:02 by Mark Gardner
Well, before naming it, I'll run through the morning's events.
The judges filed in promptly at 9.30am and assembled in their groups before making there way around the vats in which all likely GC candidates were held. Normally this doesn't take a huge amount of time, today it seemed to take forever.
Finally they assembled to cast their individual votes for Grand Champion. Assuming there is no majority winner from the first ballot the 5 Nishikigoi with the highest number of votes are placed in adjacent vats for a 2nd ballot.
For some reason there was a delay and some discussion taking place after the votes were counted. It transpired that 2 Koi, the 5th and 6th, had tied on votes. Whether the rule book covered such an eventuality I'm not sure. Anyway, in the end the heads of the 12 judging teams, along with Diet Member Nagashima San, would vote between the 2 Koi to decide which was 5th and which was 6th and therefore out of the running.
The 2 Koi there were choosing between were this Kohaku below and the Kohaku that won the 2008 Rinyukai Show. It would be the Kohaku below that would take the 5th vat.
With regards to the other 4, they were the ones that I had put in my top 5. I was quite pleased to have picked 5 of the top 6 placed Koi.
The 2nd ballot saw the Kohaku above, along with Nogami's Nogyosai winner rejected. Normally this round goes down to the final 2 Koi however, on this occasion there were 2 Koi with the 2nd highest number of votes.
The 3rd ballot would either find a winner by gaining majority vote or, the one with least votes would be rejected.
It was to be the Momotaro Sanke that would fall at this hurdle meaning that it was between the Dainichi Kohaku and the Yamatoya Showa.
As the ballot slips were seperated into 2 piles it was pretty clear there was very little between them.
With 44 votes versus 41 votes, the Yamatoya Showa was crowned All Japan Grand Champion 2009.
A note regarding images, if I may. Should you wish to place images from this website on any forum then you are welcome to do so. This is done with one proviso, a link MUST be provided directly to www.niigata-nishikigoi.com.
Hi Mark
I typed a comment on the subject of the amazing Ueno Showa before, but not sure if it got through!
Looks like this Showa is a different league to the GC at the All Japan Show. Would love to meet the owner during my next visit to Japan in first week of November. He seems like a nice guy. Can you pass on my email details?
Best regards
Graham
Hi Graham
I don't have Raymond's contact details.
Raymond, if you want to send me your e-mail address I can pass it to Graham accordingly.
Mark
Hello Mark,
Here is my e-mail address: raymond_hew@hotmail.com
I will be in Japan for the Rinyukai Show. See you guys there.
Best regards,
Raymond Hew
the head pattern, particularly the play of the colors between the eyes... the way the sumi comes down on one side, the hi on the other, the almost shiro in the middle. With extremely sharp lines between them all..
that was was cause enough for it to get just enough of a boost to get by the kohaku.
Ya gotta love a showa's head or you won't like the showa. not there isn't the same play between the colors on the rst of the fish, but the HEAD!
Very well said Luke!!!!
This is exactly how I feel. I don't like the head pattern.
Derrick
What is GC size?
92cm
Thank you for your information
I'm well chuffed the showa won, I was concerned it didn't have enough 'presence', obviously it did, nice one!
Mark,
Overall a very well deserved Champion, I know you saw this Koi a few months ago in a show in Tokyo and you were raving about it then.
Was the body shape as good as the Kohaku, if not it must have been the overall quality that won the day with the judges, a little bit like the Dainichi Showa from two years ago, not as big as the rest, but just shone in quality?
Many thanks for posting so early, cant wait for the rest of the piccies
Martin
Martin
This isn't the Showa that I saw at the Rinyukai Show back in November.
Sadly no sign of that Koi at this show.
The body shapes of the Showa and Kohaku were completely different.
I left the show before any other results were known. Pics of all others will follow tomorrow.
Mark
Mark,
Any chance of posting that very same Showa on this blog as a comparrison please, also a few details ie: breeder, owner, size, age etc.
Cheers
Martin
Martin
Here it is, 85/86cm, 6 years, bred by Ueno Koi Farm.
Hello Mark,
You are right about this Ueno showa. It is now 86cm and it has bulked up a lot compared to last year's Rinyukai Show(2008). You will get to see this showa during the upcoming Rinyukai 2009. The reason why it was not entered for the AJKS 2009 it is mainly because I wanted to give the showa a rest and give it more time to bulk up and improve. This showa is mine and I met you during Malaysia Koi Show 2009. Feel free to check out the video of this showa at www.youtube.com and type Ueno Showa to find the link. Enjoy and I hope to see you during Rinyukai Show.
Regards,
Raymond Hew Tze Wei
Hi Raymond
Thanks for the info on the Showa.
Unfortunately I won't be at the Rinyukai Show as it clashes with the Niigata Nogyosai.
Good luck!
Mark
Mark,
Thanks for posting the info on the Showa, it is just simply stunning!!!!
I would stick my neck on the line and say it was "better" than Sakura!!!
The video footage suggests the Koi is at Sakai fish farm?
If this was sold by Ryuki at Narita, then I thought this would be kept at his secret premises where Yamato was kept, anyway only my thoughts, maybe a centimetre or two could be gained before the AJS, as we say watch this space!!
Martin
Mark,
I do not recall seeing this Koi anywhere before, to me it just epitomises everything that I look for in a traditional Showa, it just breaths quality at the highest level.
Possibly the Koi may need a further one to years to be in the running for GC, do you think Mark that if this Showa had of been at 92cm too that possibly would have pipped the Yamatoya Showa?
Many thanks again for posting, allbeit "slightly off topic", I just think it is good that we can compare quality Koi like this that for some reason was not entered.
What do you other guys think?
Martin
Martin
I would suggest this Showa is better than the GC, personally.
After I originally posted the pic I was contacted by someone who was interested in knowing if it was for sale. Enquiries were made and it transpired that the owner had actually only recently purchased it from Narita.
This weekend it transpired that the Koi is actually at Narita and for sale.
Mark
Mark,
Perhaps Tepsit may be in the running for the Showa, did he win any major awards this year.
One more thing, did the gorgeous Hiroshima Sanke of his (one of your favourites) get entered this year?
Martin
Martin
Mr Tepsit owns the Dainichi Kohaku that was runner up.
If you aren't aware, he is now also a dealer. He supplied the Hoshikin Kohaku that took Adult Champion.
He was originally the owner of the Sakai Sanke that took the Mature Champion, I guess he's sold that on, along with the other Sanke, the one you refer to as being a personal favourite of mine. It wasn't at the show, it wouldn't surprise me if it's now been shipped out of Japan after it's last appearance at the Rinyukai. If it has I shall certainly miss seeing it.
Mark
Great Pics and info Mark, please keep it coming. ;)
Mark-kp