Club Participation in Koi Shows

by Lucia Rose

The Northern California Koi Club Second Koi Show was held in Sacramento October 27-29, 2000. This was my first Koi show in which I competed and volunteered for the full period of the show. It was a terrific and enriching experience on both counts, and I am hoping to encourage more club members to join us March 23 -24, 2001 when we produce a Koi show as part of the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show. I started out volunteering to head the raffle and Koi auction efforts. That role brought me into close contact with club members Janet Freer, Charmagne Nogué, and Kathleen Krudwig. This terrific group did a tremendous amount of work, and we produced a wonderful array of raffle prizes through the generosity of our many suppliers, particularly both dealer and individual club members. It was fun and comforting to work with people who were willing to work, take responsibility and communicate frequently. Then, due to the generosity of our really fine local Koi dealers, including Champion Koi, Genki Nishikigoi, Simon's Koi Farm, Cherry Hill Koi, PSKoi and Tse's Nishikigoi, we had an exceptional selection of Koi for the silent auction, which produced $800 to help defray the expense of putting on the show. I had the lovely perk of talking to these very knowledgeable and generous dealers. It was fun. I would particularly like to thank Mike Vierra of the Santa Clara Club who willingly went to three dealers in San Jose and picked up their fish to bring to Sacramento. He solved a very big problem for us.

In addition to making gratifying contacts with Koi dealers and club members, I had the wonderful experience of getting to know some of the fine and knowledgeable people from the Camellia (Sacramento) Koi Club. To top it off I got to meet and really talk to the Finnegans who were up there judging. I learned a lot about the AKCA, the art of Koi keeping and some of the finer point of Koi judging. This will prove to be a big help in preparing for our March show.

Finally my little kohaku, which I got at Kevin Pham's in his in-house show, won Best Baby. I didn't even plan to enter, but with the help of the Little's I was able to bring up two fish, Club members who received awards for their Koi included Eddie Cheung (Grand Champion), Janet and Ron Freer, and Ray Laval. Janet & Ron received among other awards, The Arizona Friendship Award and The Tategoi Friendship Cup. No small achievement.

Rich and Jeanne Little, Phred and Elaine Jackson, Charmagne and Lee Nogué, Janet and Ron Freer, Darla Granzow and Margie Hamilton, Sheila Jackson, Brenda Bonner, Ray Laval, Harley Carothers and Dolores & Jerry Connors from our club all turned out to help. It was a big effort to go up to Sacramento, but it was a rewarding experience, I hope for all of us. We will need many more of you in March to be involved. If you would like to get to know more club members, other club's members, other Koi people, judges, etc., to learn more about Koi and Koi keeping, and if you would like to support your club, don't wait to be asked. Volunteer. You can call me at (510) 540-6540, or eMail me.