Finding it hard to get to breeders this week due to the international junior koi show , for some reason this show has really taken off this year in popularity , drawing entries from all over Japan . Most of the breeders are involved in setting up or running the show , so today I had already resigned to not seeing many koi . So a cup of coffee and a chat to plan out the day was interrupted by a call from a breeder we havnt been to for a while named Takano , this guy breeds superb goromo and has now started gin rin goromo . On arrival I got bowling koi straight away , only a few breeders breed budo goromo , and I soon had a few nice examples , the pond next door had some sansai , with an interesting 50cm male goshiki , it was just striking and just had to have it , along with a sansai gin rin budo goromo , some nice unusual varietys . After here we visited Marudo koi farm , and a pond was netted and we selected some nice sanke and showa jumbo tosai around 30-35cm . Lunch at 7-11 then found us driving down to the international koi show in Ojiya . We had entered four koi in all , four from Tanaka Maruju , and one stunning kikisui from Yamamatsu koi farm . The kikisui was our hope to win a gold and then may be best entry form the UK which we had already one twice in a row. We found the best 24cm and it wasn’t the kikisui , we found the vat it was in and it had one silver , really surprised as everyone had commented on how good it was , but beaten it was so that was that . As we walked around the show I walked down the row looking for my goromo , and there it was , Tanaka Maruju had done it again , gold with a little budo gormoo , three times in a row , a real credit to the breeder . We were looking at the vat , when up went another sign , best entry from the UK . That was it , I was delighted , three times in a row , best entry from the UK , all with a Tanaka Maruju koi . To say I was delighted was an understatement , a gold and silver award , best entry from the UK , with that and the success of our customers in the last year , it’s a great way to kick of the season ! We had a look round the show and was asked to go to the show party , drink and eat as much as you like ,oh go on then lol ! The time was nearing 4 pm , so as the party started at 6.30 we made our way back to the hotel . 6 pics todays purchases . next six are koi from the show , 3 koi in breeders section , aigoromo , showa and sanke were on diplay , not ours! Last pic is our four nisai from Takano , two budo goromo ,gin rin sanke and gin rin goshiki