ZNA All Japan Show Grand Champion Breeder Data

[RayJordan]

I have been working on putting together a presentation with photos and data for all of the ZNA All Japan Show Grand Champions to date. There has been some interesting and challenging conflicting information but with the help of the ZNA contact in Beppu Japan I have most of it sorted out.

I have the variety, size, nickname when known, and owners name for each of the 40 ZNA AJS Grand Champions to date. What I am missing is the breeders names for 10 of the GC's. Some of this is just missing and other times it is conflicting. If you know the breeder of the ZNA Grand Champion koi for the following years please post to this thread or email me at rjordan8@swbell.net. Thanks in advance for you assistance.

1967 - 2nd show through 1969 4th shows

1971 - 6th show

1973 - 8th show

1975 - 11th show
1976 - 12th show

1978 - 14th show (Crown Sanke)

1980 - 16th show (Twilight Butterfly)

[Clay]

I don't have any info for you Ray, but I was trying to do a search and see pictures of all of the Grand champions over time and was not successful in my web search. I did numerous searches under all Japan Grand Champion and found specific fish for specific recent years, but was disappointed in the information that I found through Google and Yahoo searches.

It's nice to know that someone is compiling the info.

Rick

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan 1988 - 24th show (2nd male to win)

Hobbyist: Masao Kato
Breeder: ?...

let me research the breeder...

[RayJordan]

Thanks guys. I was also a little surprized that someone especially the ZNA main office in Japan did not have this information. Some of it is because it apparently wasn't recorded at the time. Politics being what they were the name of the breeder was not publicized by ZNA. Some of these koi were bought from dealers who bought/traded koi from other dealers. Some could have been bought at auctions and the orginal breeder could have been in doubt even at the time the koi won..

On a different topic. I am looking to add to my collection of old english version rinko koi magazines. If anyone know of some of these old magazines that might be available please let me know.

[aquitori]

12th Show:

Kohaku
Hobbyist: Ryu Kamiya
Breeder: unknown
Handler: Late Heikichi Ogawa of Sasebo

[dcny]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan ... 1974 - 9th show 1975 - 11th show ...

Hi Ray,

What happened to the 10th show? I just wanted to see if that was a typo because I'm trying to do some research the GC topics.

Should everything be pushed up a year before the 11 show. Like this...

1966 - 2nd show through 1970 6th shows

1972 - 8th show
1973 - 9th show

1975 - 11th show

-Dan

[RayJordan]

Hi Dan,
I already have the information on the 10th show in early 1975 it was a kohaku bred by Matsue Nishikigoi center and owned by Tadasuke Shirakawa. THe 11th show was also in 1975 but in the fall. Confusing to say the least.

[dcny]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan Hi Dan, I already have the information on the 10th show in early 1975 it was a kohaku bred by Matsue Nishikigoi center and owned by Tadasuke Shirakawa. THe 11th show was also in 1975 but in the fall. Confusing to say the least.

Thanks Ray. I didn't know there were two in 1975.

[Bern]

Hi Ray,

I can't help with any of the data. But some years ago I was privvy to a discussion about the Koi called "Butterfly at night". There was some question as to whether the name was "Midnight Butterfly". At the time I didn't know to what they were refering. However, the Japanese guy in the discussion, a judge and a teacher by vocation suggested that a more accurate translation of the name would be "Twighlight Butterfly" refering to how a koi's colours are more distinctive at that time of day.

Sorry it's no help in your quest, but it is another piece of trivia to add to the arsenal of knowledge.

rgds to Martha,

Bern

[RayJordan]

Hi Bern,
Always good to hear from you. I have gotten quite a few interesting tidbits like yours about some of the more famous and also less famous ZNA AJS GC koi. I really appreciate the assistance. It will be nice to be able to contribute back to ZNA and Shinkokai a list that might help others. I thought by now I would be finished with the ZNA GC shows and be working on the Shinkokai AJS Grand Champions. Of course several of these are the same koi that won both shows.

It is too bad that we don't know the breeders of all of the earlier champions. I just discovered another one yesterday so I still hope to learn more. It is interesting to hear about the GC koi that were bred by hobbyist in the early years of these shows. I also am amazed to see in chart form the tremendous increase in size of the GC's from less than 60cm to more than 90 cmm in a few decades. That is a 50% increase that does not seem to be peaked yet.

Also studying the photos are additional lessons. Seems to go in cycles earily on Sanke was more popular then Kohaku emerged with a few wins by Showa along the way. WIth each increase in size body seems to improve first, then skin and color, and finally pattern. I am expecting some really good improvements in patterns on GC koi the next several years. If the past is any predictor of the future trends in GC koi Sankes are due for another surge.