This last Saturday, the club’s annual koi auction took place at San Diego Pond and Garden in Poway. As our wonderful volunteers were completing the set-up for the event, the koi began to arrive. Julia was right there to check in the fish. There were a total of 43 fish bags. Two of the koi (a Yamabuki and a Karashigoi) were over 36 inches long. Koi Jack, the club’s resident expert on all things koi and the auctioneer for the day, determined that it was safer to leave the koi where they were (in a tank in the back of the seller's truck bed) than to try to move them. We taped a cardboard sign, with the letter “C”, on the side of the truck bed.
At 10 AM the bidding started. As every koi was wheeled down the runway, Koi Jack offered a word or two (or three) about each koi’s merits. The auction’s attendees gained knowledge and learned a thing or two about selecting koi for future shows. Those in attendance leaned in, bidding paddles started waving, and excited voices rang out. After the bid was finalized, the koi were rebagged by the hard-working volunteers. This provides new water, oxygen, and the red ink number of the new owner. The pace at times was quickened by the energy that flowed around the bidding area. At times, Koi Jack entertained the crowd with stories while waiting for the next cart to be pushed down the runway. Around noon, we stopped to enjoy a complimentary meal, provided by the club and served by the club’ president Lenore Wade.
After the lunch break, it was back to bidding, Many Doitsu koi were bid on, as well as the most Sankes that this writer has seen at this auction. Bekkos, Shiro Utsuris, and even Asagi made an appearance for sale. Before long, the koi for sale became the koi sold. The cashiers went to work collecting payment and instructing the buyers what the procedure is to secure their new pond members. Within minutes, koi were loaded into vehicles and soon on their journey to their new homes.
It was a wonderful event to exchange knowledge, money, and koi. I’m looking forward to next year’s event.
