This week marks the funeral date of Ronald Wilson Reagan, our 40th president. In light of that anniversary, we have included a note from our late president addressed to our Southern California ZNA chapter .

Northern California's  NorCal ZNA announces the dates for it's 2nd Annual ZNA Nishikigoi Show - Nov. 15-16, 2008

   The site will be the Clarion Hotel San Jose Airport
    1355 North Fourth Street
     San Jose, CA  95112

    NorCal is ZNA North American District's newest chapter and also one of it's most active. To celebrate this special event, the chairman of ZNA America, Ron Goforth, will act as head judge for the show. We wish all the greatest success to the NorCal members in this undertaking. Supporting the show will be members from several sister chapters including SoCal ZNA, MAKC ZNA and Moto-kara koikai ZNA. Looking forward to a really great show!

  Contact information :

   Show Chairman :  Donald Dang  Ph 408- 390-1938
                                                      cartoonzz@yahoo.com

   NorCal President: Larry Gill         Ph 510 - 352-7168
                                                      gelldu@sbcglobal.net

 

    Congratulations to Joe White, the newly elected President of SKA! 

  Anyone in the koi hobby who attends koi shows knows Joe White. A tireless volunteer, Joe also serves as an AKCA Judge and is our co-manger of this website, providing comments and back up whenever asked. As current President of SKA and founding member of SKA, we all can rest assured that ZNA's image and presence in the region is well represented. Best of luck, Joe! 

  Additional officers elect for SKA this year are:

  Henry Culpepper - Vice President
  Luane Porter      -  Treasurer
  Karen Hardcastle - Secretary

No one loves the mystique associated with nishikigoi more than I! The myths and poetic names of nishikigoi are really enriching to this once exclusive Japanese hobby. And the many facets of koi color and pattern can take a life time to study, and in that regard, add mystery to things like beni. << MORE >>

ZNA has long set the standards for koi varieties- for 40 years now as a matter of fact. Yet the rules are living documents that change as the fish change, and in some cases- reappear! It is a very big decision to change a standard as without perspective one could be heeding pop trends or become caught up in momentary issues. << MORE >>

 CONGRATULATIONS TO LARRY GILL , elected President of NoCal ZNA !  

    Just wanted to take a minute to congratulate Larry Gill for his win as President of NorCal ZNA. Great bit of news for the new organization. For those who do not know Larry, he has been in the hobby for many years and is a true koi kichi. Very quite about what he knows, Larry is one of the better judges in the country, with Gosanke being his specialty. A certified AKCA judge, larry has judged shows on both coasts and advises hobbyists within both AKCA and ZNA. On top of this, Larry is a great guy and a loyal friend. Best of Luck, Larry!
Erwin Santos, our newest judge trainee was elected VP.
Included in the new slate of officers is:

Donald Dang ( Treasurer)
Karen Turtle ( Secretary)
Steve Eckard ( Membership)

the address to their chapter website is znanorcal.org

 
  shiro utsuri


 RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION

    Utsuri       size 7   owner: Michael Chua      Dealer:               Breeder:           Judges comments - 
                                                                                                                 Motoda " excellent body line and pattern"


     

What makes a koi a good show fish? Many outlets advertise ‘Japanese show koi’ to the buying public. But just what makes a koi a show fish and what makes a koi a pond grade fish? And more importantly, for the consumer, what makes one fish worth hundreds, and even thousands of dollars and others of no monetary value at all? Well generally speaking, Koi, like many other domestic animals, has been selectively bred for specific appearance. And the term show fish is typically reserved for excellent representatives of each breed or variety that selective breeding has created. Pond fish on the other hand, might be siblings of show fish and be recognized as a specific breed, yet they lack levels of accomplishment in key areas of development. To better understand what these areas, or elements, are that define one fish from another ,we need to appreciate what a koi is. A koi is technically, a common carp. Yet through the accumulation of mutations and selective breeding programs, the Japanese koi farmers have produced a surreal version of the drab black carp. And over time this unique race of carp have formed thirteen distinct varieties with scores of pattern and scale variations. The ‘elements’ that separate pond fish from show fish and average show fish from super show fish are : 1) conformation 2) skin quality 3) color 4) pattern << MORE >>

ZNA in America-

   

WINNER'S  BOARD

  GRAND CHAMPION 

    Kohaku     size 7   owner:  David Tran        Dealer:               Breeder:           Judge's comment-

                                                                                                                   Suzuki "Great quality and conformation"

  RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION

    Utsuri       size 7   owner: Michael Chua      Dealer:               Breeder:           Judges comments - 
                                                                                                                 Motoda " excellent body line and pattern"

  MATURE CHAMPION 

    Sanke     size 6    owner: Perry Nguyen      Dealer:                Breeder:     

 YOUNG CHAMPION

   GinRin A   size 4    owner: Jim Smith           Dealer:                Breeder:     

 BABY CHAMPION

   kohaku    size 2    owner: Don Chandler      Dealer:               Breeder:

 BEST BABY

   Ginrin A    size 2    owner: Don Chandler      Dealer:               Breeder:

 
   BEST OF SIZE 7

    kohaku    size 7    owner: Perry Nguyen       Dealer:               Breeder:

   BEST OF SIZE 6

    kohaku   size 6     owner: Carolyn Swanson  Dealer:               Breeder:

   BEST OF SIZE 5

    Showa     size 5     owner: Alan Stein           Dealer:               Breeder:

   BEST OF SIZE 4

    kohaku   size 4      owner: Tony Gallegos     Dealer:               Breeder:

   BEST OF SIZE 3

    kohaku    size 3    owner: Don Chandler       Dealer:               Breeder:

   BEST OF SIZE 2
   
     kohaku   size 2    owner: Khuong Doan        Dealer:              Breeder:

   BEST OF SIZE 1

     kohaku   size 1     owner: Bobby Lee            Dealer:              Breeder: