Koi

The moment has finally arrived – for Koi to crown the winners of its awards as voted for by you, the readers. Thanks to all of you who had a say by putting forward your favourite Koi products, websites, and services, and relaying your customer service experiences over the past year.

May is the time of year when Koi forum members tear themselves away from their computers and head on down to Cuttlebrook Koi farm for a day filled with superb UK-bred Koi, quizzes, a barbecue and to catch up with old and new friends. 

One Koi enthusiast will be tracking his travels around the UK this spring and summer, bringing us the latest from the shows, dealers and keepers... 

Saturday 19th February 2011

It's a cool Saturday morning (7.30am) to be precise and I am on my way to pick up fellow Koi enthusiast, Kyle, for our first ever Koi show – the EMKC.

Because there has been more snow than usual in Japan this year, preparation of the mud ponds and breeding have been delayed by about two weeks. It was still chilly in April and breeders were worried about the weather in summer, but in fact we’ve found that it’s been hotter than last year.

I was privileged this year to have full access to the setting up of this year's BKKS National Koi Show at Stafford. I was surprised at how few people were actively involved in setting up the Show and this little blog is dedicated to this group of people who give up many days of their valuable time to create and run the shows that we love to attend.

Koi magazine in Japan
Last week I was lucky enough to have the pleasure of visiting the Niigata region of Japan on a Koi buying trip. I was taken out there by Hanney Aquatics, a Koi company based in Oxfordshire. Allan Kahl, Manager of the company, had been out a week earlier with the owners of Cotswold Koi as well as his son, Darren, and a customer, Nick. The following week Cotswold Koi and Darren returned to the UK and were replaced by myself and Marion Carter, owner of Hanney Aquatics.

Anyone that visits any of the UK-based Koi-related forums will have seen the reactions to the inaugural EMKC Winter Show held last weekend (20–21 February 2010). If you’re bored of hearing praise heaped onto the Club and the Show, then stop reading now because you are going to get more of the same. I absolutely loved it.

As well as being a dedicated Koi nut I am a keen (but not very good) photographer. The two go hand in hand quite well sometimes and over the course of 2009 I have taken literally thousands of photographs. It’s that time of year when we look back and think about the places we have been and the things we have seen. The selected photographs are not always technically the best, but remind me most of the key points of my personal Koi year.

• Expert's blog
• Login or register to post comments
• Read more

After a long Christmas break we've finally hit the start of a new decade. And who knows what might happen in the Koi world, and to your Koi pond, over the next 10 years?

It's only my first day back after New Year, and I've already received word of a newly designed Nexus to be released by Evolution Aqua. According to EA, the Nexus 310 and 210 have new-and-improved overflows and bypass systems, along with a simplified cleaning process and a redesigned Eazy. It's sure to be a talking point throughout 2010.