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Extract from Peter Waddington article - Supreme Champion Koi - June 2008 - Copyright Peter Waddington - (Written exclusively for Tategoi-Koi global rights owner tategoi-Koi)
2008 – Kohaku owned by Bill Oakley from Wolverhampton.
Won by same Koi that took Supreme in 2007 – this is the 8th. time that Bill has taken the coveted award!
This Kohaku was ‘discovered’ by Dennis and myself in Isawa in 1993. Bill was due to come over in a few days and had commissioned us to look for VERY special Koi. We scoured the mountains of Yamakoshi for weeks but failed to find even one special Koi that could compete for Supreme  Champion at a BKKS National show. We then decided to make the arduous journey from Nagaoka to Isawa by road to inspect the Koi owned by Toshio Sakai. On arrival Toshio greeted us and welcomed us to look at all the Koi he hd for sale. After inspecting all the ponds the Kohaku in question jumped out at us immediately – the only problem was that she was only 72cms – not yet big enough for a BKKS National. However, when we finally showed her to Bill he bought her immediately and the Koi was delivered to Bill’s pond in 2004. This Kohaku is a prime example of a true tategoi and, despite her winning two BKKS shows still remains tategoi of the highest order. By the time she tok Supreme Champion at Koi 2007 she had been grown in Bill’s pond for three years – that reflects the care and keeping skills of Bill Oakley.
To my count this results in seventeen BKKS National winners to Peter Waddington or Peter Waddington and Dennis Wordsworth since 1982 which is an incredible achievement in itself.
Over the years I have seen or heard of other UK collectors who have visited Japan to find special Koi and money is no object at all, however I know of none of these enthusiasts who have yet to become successful in buying Koi good enough to become BKKS National champions. Finding and selecting Koi such as these does not revolve around the fact that money is no problem (although it helps) instead it is being aware of the competition of other high class Koi already owned by collectors in the UK and special Koi available in Japan. Believe me, there are not so many Koi available in Japan to come up to the required standards of Koi competing for Supreme Champion at a BKKS National. Size now is VERY important as is volume, skin quality and another requirement is a unique pattern. It is also well-worth pointing out that the larger the Koi is – the more risks there are in transit to the UK from Japan – please remember, there is no insurance to compensate in the very unlikely event that the Koi dies or damages itself during the packing and shipping process but it is always worth pointing out potential risks.
Finally, I am still, after many years trying to locate in Japan, another ‘Doris’ but all my searching comes to a dead end – that’s how good she was!
Commissioned by Tategoi-koi (Global rights owner) and written by Peter Waddington, June 2008. Written exclusively for Tategoi-Koi © 2008
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