The much under rated male Koi

I wish I had 1000yen for every time I've been asked, 'is it female?', over the years.

At the 2008 ZNA All Japan Show, the Koi below came 3rd in the Grand Champion voting.  It is a male Koi of over 85cm.

At the time I thought that it's coming so close to the GC title, it was in fact may favourite, was potentially a unique achievement.

Whilst at Maruju Koi Farm the other day I was flicking through some old magazines, one was, I think, from 1996 and included winners of that years All Japan Koi Show.  I spotted a Sanke which I was sure I recognised as an All Japan GC but in the magazine it was listed as Superior Male Champion.  I presumed I was mistaken.

Sitting at my desk yesterday evening I glanced at the posted of the past 40 All Japan GC's hanging on my wall - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/329.

Sure enough, the Sanke I'd seen the previous day was in the bottom right hand corner, the 1999 GC, bred by Takeda Koi Farm, and a male Koi.

Looking at the other GC's the 1988 GC, also bred by Takeda Koi Farm, was also a male Koi, as was the 1981 GC bred by Ryuji Nagashima of Niigata.

Looking at the earlier champions some may also have been male, I don't know when the male class was introduced, their sex is not stated.

The fact that a male Koi has taken GC at the All Japan Show as recent as 10 years ago was something I really was unaware of and took me by complete surprise.

Whilst I realise that these male Koi are somewhat of an exception it still beats me why so many hobbyists are insistent on wanting female Koi when male Koi offer a number of advantages.

This will be the subject of an article to be continued in Niigata-Nishikigoi Digest in the coming months.

The last 3 images are from Gekkan Nishikigoi published by Kinsai Publishing.