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KJUKO is proud to provide the Head Bencher and Judging Panel for the UK National Show. For many years, our judges have delivered consistent, impartial decisions that have helped build the show’s reputation as the finest hobbyist koi show outside Japan. While judges are highly visible during the show, we know that the real foundation of every event is the hard work of the Show Committees and volunteers. Many of our judges have served in those roles themselves, and we…

Every year, the European Koi Show takes place in Oldenzaal, Netherlands, usually in late May or early June. It draws enthusiasts and dealers from all over Northern Europe. Judges are invited from all over the world to judge what has become one of Europe’s biggest koi shows. This year was no different, with over one hundred vats and nearly eight hundred koi. The judging team of twelve full judges and four trainees came from America, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Belgium, France,…

Our vice-chairman Gary Pritchard received a message from one of his judging team from the KCN European Koi Show held last weekend.It reads “Hello Yamabuki Koi Boy – it was an honour to participate in this event with you, and we a had a very enjoyable and fun time completing our work.  I was delighted that you were able to discuss many koi-related issues with me, which are topics that true koi enthusiasts would care about!. I was honoured to…

A strong KJUKO crew went to the European Koi Show presented by the Koi Club Nederland (KCN) at the end of May. Our crew – Kieron Burns, Gary Hazely, Gary Hillier, Stefan Malm and Gary Pritchard were a part of the international judging team and trainee Laurence Harvey assisted in benching as well as being our official photographer and Facebook reporter. Gary Pritchard had the honour of being the Chief Judge. Pictured above with Ying Ying Cheung the famous broker…

The day after our inaugural meeting (23rd Feb) a few of us had a day out at Perfect Aquatics to remind us what our hobby is all about. During the visit we got into a conversation with proprietor Anthony Day aka Krafty about the possibility of holding a seminar there sometime in the future. Over the next few months Krafty and Allan Tait exchanged ideas and put together a plan. On the 26th April that plan came into fruition. Allan,…

At the 2026 Belgian Koi Show (18/19th April) our invited judging team of Carol McCall, Gary Hazely, Gary Pritchard and Tony Sheffield selected this size 5 Goshiki-Showa as the recipient of our first Friendship Trophy given under our new name Koi Judges UK Organisation. The koi, exhibited by owner Kevin Langendries was first purchased in 2022 at nisai and was a long way from the koi it has become today see right. The photo above shows the koi as it…

At the 2026 Belgian Koi Show a group of hobbyists from the Great British Koi Club selected a koi exhibited by 13year old Bowy Cools a first time exhibitor and first time show volunteer who was ever present throughout the centre ring. Unfortunately the GBKS Crew couldn’t stay for the prize-giving and asked our Carol McCall to make the presentation. She made a point about Bowy’s contribution. Bowy appears in the center of the photo, surrounded by L – R…

Devised by Crouch Valley Chairman Steve Rollins after seeing similar events in Japan, along with the collaboration of Amir Ayman of Koi Water Barn, a judging competition and seminar took place on the 12th April. Amir had selected 6 fish as case studies and Steve produced all the necessary paperwork. Judges Keith Bertie, Bernie Wollands and trainee Laurence Harvey were roped in to provide the results and to explain how they arrived at them and answer questions from the participants.…

5 candidates attended the 2026 Trainee Seminar and all five passed the exams. The candidates comprised of stalwarts David Edge 2yrs, Laurence Harvey and Aaron Eden 1yr and two new kids on the block Nikki and Sven Griesemann. Congratulations to all. Here’s a pic of our newcomers. The 2026 UK koi season awaits them all. Below: Nikki & Sven (pretty in pink) doing preliminary research in September 2025.

March 18th. A collaboration between Club Chairman Steve Rollins and KJUKO Judge Bernie Woollands presented the club with a talk about Benching and Judging. The club has a very stable benching team already in place so the talk was aimed at de-mystifying the subject to the other members of the club. The second part, judging; involved some audience participation where they were shown a selection of slides for them to rank the koi in order, after an earlier explanation of…