13^th ANNUAL TKFGS IMPORTED FISH SALE and SEMINARS

March 31 - April 1, 2007

Featuring special selection of baby koi bred and selected by Hijime Sakuma.

Megumi Yoshida will be returning with a very special guest koi breeder, Mr. Hijime Sakuma, a 2nd generation koi breeder from Isawa, Japan. The Sakuma family are some of the nicest and happiest people you could ever meet. Kanichiro Sakuma started breeding koi in 1965. Hajime, began running the family koi business with his brother Hitoshi when his father retired in 1990. Hijame has focused his breeding programs on Gosanki, Shiro Utsuri, and Gin Rin varieties. They have about 25 mud ponds ranging from 100 square meters to 1,000 square meters in size with most in the Niigata area. Some were damaged in the 2004 earthquakes but they had just completed their fall harvest a few days before and all their koi were saved from the disaster that affected many other koi breeders in the Niigata area. 

Shown left to Right Hitoshi, Hijame, Kanichiro, Ray & Martha Jordan and Kiyoko Sakuma 

Sakuma koi have won numerous top awards including Grand Champions at local and district shows in Japan and also at other top koi shows held all around the world. His parent koi are a mixture of Dianichi, Matsunoske, and Omosaka bloodlines, and also Sakuma 2^nd generation bred koi. 

Mr Sakuma will be selecting and reserving about one hundred of his best one year old baby koi to bring to Texas, March 31 - April 1, 200y. This is a very unique special opportunity to select the koi of your dreams directly from their Japanese koi breeder. More important this is a opportunity to talk about potential koi development with the person that knows best what to expect – the breeder himself.

Mr. Sakuma & Mr. Yoshida will be giving koi seminars both days along with other speakers covering the gamut of selecting and growing koi.  In addition Mr. Yoshida will be bringing hundreds of additional show and pond quality koi of all types and varieties. From many of Japan’s top breeders. Prices for pond quality baby koi start at $20 and show quality koi begin at $100 for 1 year old koi.  

As usual there will be a koi judging contest on Saturday afternoon along with the annual koi growing contest. The annual Yoshida Koi Growing contest as become a koi photo contest. Please click on this link for more information about the growing contest for 2007 or go to www.texaskoi.com and click on the link for the 2007 fish sale/seminars.  http://www.texaskoi.com/2006fishsale/yoshida_growing_contest_rules_fo.htm

SPECIAL KOI RAFFLES: We will raffle two very special high quality koi donated by Mr. Sakuma and Mr. Yoshida. 

Mr. Yoshida is bringing a specially selected three year old Hiroi bred female Gin Rin Goshiki. This koi 48 cm (19in) in length and valued at $2,000. This koi will be raffled at 1:00pm on Sunday (Ticket holder must be present to win)

Mr. Sakuma is bringing a very special two year old Sakuma bred female Showa. This  is an extra special koi with great potential and strong body conformation and deep colors with a excellent kuhaku pattern. This koi is already 55cm in length (22in) and valued at $3,000. This koi will be raffled at 3:00pm on Saturday (Ticket holder must be present to win)

    Hiroi GR Goshiki                    Sakuma Showa

LONG FIN KOI: Also featuring local long fin koi breeder Vance Schultze selling some of his best baby and older long fin koi. Vance breeds longfins some of the finest longfins found in the U.S. from the original Japanese breeder brood stock of A. Suda to produce Kohaku, Sanke, Showa, Utsuri, Kujaku, Ogon, Hawiwaki, Asagi, Hajiro's and a few others. Vance will most likely be bringing mostly baby long fins costing about $35. He is also planning to bring some larger and better show quality long fins starting at about $100 and higher. Vance will also be donating $50 worth of long fin koi in both Saturday & Sunday raffles. Must be present to win fish raffles.

GOLDFISH: Also Mike Christenson who owns a fish farm in Louisiana will be selling a mixture of goldfish that he breds and imports.  All imports will be quarantined for at least 6 weeks and probably for longer than that.  A brief list of some of the varieties that will likely be available are: Orandas; purple, blue, red, red caps, maybe some calico, and possibly a few panda Ranchus; at least a few calico, Lionheads, Possibly some assorted bubble eyes or dragon eyes and Pearlscales. The majority of the fish will be babies in the 2-3" range and will likely be priced at $7.50 each or 4 for $25.  He will also have a few larger fish at 4-5" or so that will probably be in the $15-30 range. Mike will also be donating $50 worth of gold fish in both Saturday & Sunday raffles. Must be present to win fish raffles.