MKPC-SE - Koi Show Events
Sept 2-4, 2011 - IKONA Koi Show
IKONA KOI SHOW 2012
Over the Labor Day weekend the Alexander’s and Kardynski’s had the pleasure of attending and participating in the Second Annual Internet Koi Of North America (IKONA) Koi Show. The IKONA club was formed in 2007 with the purpose of linking hobbyists together through the modern technology of the internet. This club is able to reach out to individuals that do not have the benefit of a local Koi club. Currently the club attracts members from coast to coast and meets via the use of SKYPE over the internet. One of the goals of IKONA is making the public aware of the hobby of Koi keeping. To accomplish this goal they held their first of two annual Koi shows in Olmsted, Kentucky on a farm owned by Koi/Water Garden business owner Kenny Coleman of Country Koi. This show is a very casual event that gives local hobbyists the chance to observe or even enter their Koi in competition and be judged by AKCA Certified Judges. One very unique event was “You Be the Judge” where anyone, for a nominal fee would get an entry form to select what they feel is the top Koi in the various categories. The winner received a $500 gift certificate to Purdin Koi Farm. The outdoor Saturday evening banquet was very casual with a hickory smoked pig pick’n feast, door prizes and a very unique paddle raffle. Ray presented LouAnn Norman the MKPC Friendship award for her Goshiki. The serious part of the evening was the slide presentation of the winning Koi along with the judge’s explanation of what made these Koi the best in their class. Many attendees questioned the judge’s selection of Steve & Cheryl Childers Grand Champion Kuhaku because of the large shimmy on the side of the Koi. The last laugh was on us as one of the judges chassed away the bug that seemed attractive to the vibrate color of the Kuhaku. The evening ended with the announcement that the 2012 IKONA Koi Show will be held in Michigan on Labor Day Weekend and co-hosted with the MKPC. On Sunday the judges went from tank to tank pointing out the strengths of each Koi and explained how they determined the winners and answered any questions.
As participants left the show you could find the committee along with the Alexander’s and Kardynski’s breaking down, cleaning up and folding up 16 show tanks, support equipment and finally packing the trailer and heading back to Michigan preparing for next years show.
