Maekawa’s Kohaku wins Grand Champion A at Europe’s largest online Koi Show
Even at a Koi Show with as many as 1,000 entrants, only one can ultimately be the most beautiful. That honor this time fell to a breathtaking Kohaku from The Koi Page, owned by Belgian hobbyist Filip Poppe. This female beauty of no less than 86 cm and 6.5 years old, bred by Maekawa and previously sold by The Koi Page, convinced both the jury and the public during the winter edition of the All European Online Koi Show 2025. The prestigious titles? Not only Grand Champion A; First Place, but also the Breeder Award Grand Champion A, First Place. A double crown for this Kohaku champion, with which Filip Poppe once again establishes his name in the European Koi top.
I’m not going to shout that I’m going to win! But they are going to have to pass Magnum and this Kohaku. Whoever is rightfully better then will be the rightful winner. – Filip Poppe (April 2024)
The day after Christmas is a date that many a hobbyist has circled in their calendar. That is when the livestream of the largest online Koi Show in Europe takes place, organized by Koi2000. With over 1000 entered fish it was a true spectacle and a serious challenge for the judges. Head judge Ruud Besems indicated that the differences are often only percent behind the comma. Yet this Kohaku stood out: “The beni is even and intense, and the body is strong over the entire length,” said Besems.
It is striking that Filip usually does not keep his Koi excessively warm; often around 20 degrees Celsius, as Roy van den Bergh explained. Precisely this down-to-earth approach seems to contribute to the exceptional skin quality that gives these Koi such an iconic appearance. By the way, those who paid close attention could admire this fish as early as 2023 at the BKS, where it made its first public entry. So that’s how long the fish has been swimming in the pond at Filip and Els’ home.
Surely she should be able to surpass Miss Magnum
The Koi already had a previous Grand Champion award to her name; earlier this year she won the Koi Cave Koi and Bonsai Show, but this is the first online title for this Koi. Filip said about the fish before; surely she should be able to surpass Miss Magnum; and in length I am convinced, but Miss Magnum did keep getting better over many years of development at home. Will Filip be able to do the same now, and does he manage to surpass himself? A tall order for next year. For now, he shows himself to be the undisputed best hobbyist in Europe.
This victory highlights not only the quality of the Koi, but also the craftsmanship and Filip Poppe’s vision as a dedicated hobbyist. The combination of hereditary potential, controlled care and a keen eye for development once again proves golden.
Behind this Grand Champion is an impressive combination of passion, craftsmanship and international cooperation. The Kohaku was bred by Maekawa, raised and guided in Japan by the renowned Narita Koi Farms; a well-known name in guiding top Koi towards their show career. From Japan, the fish was sold to KoiWish BV / The Koi Page (Siebe van Tilburg), the dealer who made this potential champion available to Belgian enthusiasts Filip & Els Poppe. This chain of professionalism, from breeder to handler to dealer and owner, highlights the international dynamics within the Nishikigoi world and how cooperation across national borders leads to success at the highest level.
Feast of koi performance: figures and highlights from the European Online Koi Show 2025
This year’s All European Online Koi Show 2025 was a true spectacle for the international koi community. With 929 koi entered including as many as 70 size-8 koi, it was one of the largest online competitions ever. The show had an impressive distribution of awards: hobbyists walked away with 148 award titles, dealers collected 65 awards, and a total of 26 majors were awarded – 17 of them to hobbyists and 9 to dealers. A standout personality was Raymond Woerts, who bagged the most majors of all participants with 5 majors. But the big star of the show was undoubtedly Filip Poppe, who managed to capture not one but two Grand Champion titles with his Kohaku, making history in this prestigious online competition.
