Decades-long wait pays off for Australian koi fish champion breeder

Sydeny, 17 May : Measuring 63cm and with brightly coloured white and orange porcelain skin, Australia’s grand champion koi fish for 2015 is a scale of beauty and elegance. “It’s been a long wait but it’s very rewarding and I’m very happy,” said owner and first time winner Agus Djafar.Mr Djarfar said he has been trying to win the annual Koi Society competition for the past 23 years and spends much of his time maintaining his koi fish to ensure they are in “tip-top condition”.President of the Koi Society of Australia Gerard McDonald, said the judges brought over from Japan and Holland this year look for skin quality, body shape and pattern in the fish. While some of the koi on display at Fairfield showground on Sunday measured as long as 80cm, Mr McDonald said size was given small consideration as the larger the fish the harder it was to maintain.According to Mr McDonald, the grand champion’s mother-of-pearl scales and unusual ginrin breed made it stand out.The national title for winning is more about prestige than prize money which can be valued in the tens of thousands of dollars in Japan.”They win bugger all here,” said Mr McDonald. “You get a trophy and a slap on the back. It’s for the love of fish.”