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.

This show has been a long time coming and for the last 2½ years some of the Club members had been working on this project and a great credit to them for taking that dream and turning it into a successful Show. It was in January 2009 that the Club agreed to host an Open Show and to hold it in winter. Anyone who doubts what a challenge they had set themselves should try and organise something of this scale from scratch, but they did it, and a massive well done to the Club and the organising committee. This has to be one of the most eagerly awaited events in the Koi calendar during my entire Koi lifetime. To quote Koi guru Peter Waddington: “Simply the very best thing that's happened to UK Koi keeping since the B.A.N.D shows in the late 1980s. Innovation; breaking the mould; enthusiasm; love; getting off your **** and doing something about it - and many other words spring to mind here. You've got my total support and it's going to be a blinder!”

When the word went out that the EMKC were looking for vat sponsors it was with great pleasure that the Northern Koi Club contributed. 

We decided over Christmas that we were going to take a coach down to the show from Manchester. You have to remember that since January 2009 we had been following the planning and preparation for this weekend. Add in that the build up to the Show had been very public with the Show build being broadcast live via a webcam on the EMKC website, so the excitement and anticipation had been building all week. We had arrived – but would the show live up to its billing? Yes, it absolutely did.

The weather was not kind to the Club over the weekend but nonetheless over 800 paying visitors walked through the door. For me, a Koi show is first and foremost about seeing Koi. 34 vats full of fish and many stunning ones. Some very fierce competition was going to be fought out for some of the categories.

A close second is meeting members of my now very extended Koi family. Going to a show is a bit like visiting relatives, so lots of talking and catching up. The Koi did not disappoint nor did the ‘relatives’.

The full show results can be found on the EMKC website (www.emkc.co.uk) but the major awards were:

Mature Champion (1 - AG)                Kohaku                       Size 6                      Paul Ingram

Jumbo Champion  (4 - DG)                Sanke                         Size 7                      Paul Williams

Grand Champion   (2 - DG)                Showa                        Size 6                      Julie Steele

Adult Champion     (3 - DG)                Showa                        Size 5                      Glen Jones & Jackie Porter

Young Champion   (5 - DG)                Showa                        Size 4                     Anthony Grey

Baby Champion (6 -DG)                     Showa                         Size 2                     David Pope

Most Unique Koi    (7 - AG)                 Kawarimono                Size 4                     Anthony Grey

Best Beginner                                      Kohaku                       Size 4                     Phil Hibbard

Best EMKC Beginner                           Kohaku                       Size 3                     Shane Brown

Visitor's Favourite                                 Sanke                        Size 6                     Dave Horton

Best EMKC Gosanke                           Sanke                        Size 5                     Barry Thompson

Best Doitsu    (8 - AG)                          Showa                       Size 4                     Barry Thompson

Best EMKC Non-Gosanke                   Tancho                      Size 5                     Dave Horton

Show Chairman's Choice                      Tancho                     Size 5                     Dave Horton

Best EMKC Young Koi                           Utsurimono              Size 3                     Dave Pope

P Waddington's Favourite                      Kohaku                    Size 5                     Paul Williams

P Waddington's Favourite                      Kohaku                    Size 4                     Dave Pope

P Waddington's Favourite                      Kohaku                    Size 3                     Darren Turner

P Waddington's Favourite                      Showa                     Size 2                     Dave Pope

Koi 2000 Friendship Award(9 - DG)       Koromo                   Size 4                     Julie Steele

N EKC Friendship Award (9 - DG)         Koromo                   Size 4                     Julie Steele

Cambridge Koi Club F’ship (10-IK)         Showa                     Size 4                     Shane Brown

   Some more pictures of some of my personal favourites:

We at the Northern had a great day out, we normally do anyway – we do like to enjoy ourselves. We would like to congratulate the EMKC on their success and also all the exhibitors. Without these dedicated people running or bringing their fish to the shows, the hobby would be sorely weakened – my hat comes off to you all. 

We WILL be back next year and hopefully will need a bigger coach!

Donald Gibbs, forum moderator and hobbyist

See more photos from the show at: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/576806651JBrVOZ

Not yet a club member then look here: http://www.koimag.co.uk/koi-clubs/find-your-local-club 

The photographs were either taken by Anthony Grey (AG),  Donald Gibbs (DG) or Iain Kirkbright (IK) and are reproduced here with permission.