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UK koi organizations: BKKS, the National Koi Show Association and Koi Judges UK

By the koi.wiki editorial team · Updated

Key facts: The UK koi hobby is currently organized around the National Koi Show Association, which runs the National Koi Show, and Koi Judges UK, formerly the BKKS Judging Sub-Committee, which now operates independently and supplies judges to UK shows[1][2]. The long-standing British Koi-Keepers Society (BKKS) has closed after 50 years[3].
For decades the British Koi-Keepers Society (BKKS) supported UK koi clubs and show judging, but its home page states that the Society “has now closed,” thanking members for their support over 50 years and for their support of the National Koi Show[3]. The BKKS said it was not currently inviting new memberships, though membership might reopen later in 2025[3].Following this, two bodies have continued UK show activity: the National Koi Show Association, which publishes a constitution and exhibitor terms for the National Koi Show[1], and Koi Judges UK, described on its own site as “the former BKKS JSC,” now operating independently of the BKKS from 2026[2][4].

British Koi-Keepers Society (BKKS)

The BKKS’s own website states that the Society has closed after 50 years of operation, thanking its members and clubs for their support[3]. The site also thanks members for their support of the National Koi Show and welcomes them as “Show Patrons,” indicating a direct relationship between the former BKKS and the successor show organization[3]. According to the same notice, a National Koi Show website was expected to launch, and new BKKS memberships were not being accepted at that time[3].Historically, the BKKS judging structure supplied judges beyond the UK: a secondary source describes the BKKS, through its East Pennine Section, supporting the first Holland Koi Show with judges, knowledge and competition vats[9].

National Koi Show Association

The National Koi Show Association publishes a constitution (dated 2026) and separate exhibitor terms and conditions for the National Koi Show[1]. The show itself is described as presenting a Grand Champion award alongside Life Stage, Special and Best in Class awards, as well as a Shinkokai Award judged on quality alone by UK Shinkokai members, intended to reflect competitiveness at a Japanese level[5].The event, described on its site as the 47th National Koi Show, is held at the Heart of England Conference & Event Centre in Fillongley, Coventry, with listed admission prices and a schedule of benching, show days and an awards presentation[5]. For the 2026 edition, the site lists a Grand Champion identified as a Sanke measuring 82 cm, bred by Taniguchi Koi Farm, aged 4, sold through Yume Koi Japan and owned by Andy “Chip” Kawalsingh, according to the National Koi Show’s own results page[5].

Koi Judges UK (formerly BKKS JSC)

Koi Judges UK describes itself as “the former BKKS JSC” (Judging Sub-Committee) and lists officers including a Chairman & National Show Liaison, General Secretary, Treasurer, Training Officer and Allocations Officer[4]. The organization maintains a judges list and offers a “Book your Judges” feature for shows[4][7].According to a Koi Judges UK news post, 2026 marks “a new chapter” for the organization and for UK koi shows, as it now operates independently of the BKKS, aiming to protect and promote the hobby through volunteer-run shows held from June through October across the country[2]. The same post notes these shows are supported by parts of the koi trade selling fish, food and dry goods[2].Koi Judges UK members have also been deployed internationally; the organization reports deploying members at the Belgian ZNA Koi Show, the European Koi Show in the Netherlands, and at a Friendship Award presented at the SAKKS National Koi Show in Durban, South Africa, won by a Doitsu Goshiki owned by a first-time exhibitor from the ZNA Gauteng Chapter[7][8].

UK koi shows supported by these organizations

Koi Judges UK lists a schedule of UK shows at which its members are deployed, including the National Koi Show at Fillongley, the Great British Koi Show at Newark Showground, the Scottish Koi Show, the North of England Koi Show, the Mid Staffs Koi Show, and the All England Koi Show at the Kent County Showground, among others[7].The Great British Koi Show began as an initiative of the Yorkshire Section of the BKKS, which had previously held a closed show before organizing the first Great British Koi Show on 27–28 August 2022 at Newark Showground, opening the event to koi keepers from across the UK[10]. A report on that inaugural event states that 219 koi were entered and that the show was chaired by James Colley, who secured sponsorship and dealer attendance[6].Individual UK koi clubs, such as the Yorkshire Section Koi Club, continue to meet regularly, hosting guest speakers in autumn and winter and pond-side social gatherings from May to September, and also arrange exchange visits with other clubs[10].Koi Judges UK recounts that the Grand Champion of the 50th Anniversary Shinkokai Show in 2019 was a Kohaku named S Legend, purchased for a Chinese customer at the Sakai auction, with the purchase facilitated by an agent described as the managing director of the Sing Chang koi farm in Taiwan[11]. The anecdote illustrates the connections between UK judging circles and major Japanese auctions and championship shows[11].Separately, a secondary source on butterfly koi states that the UK Koi Judges Association excludes these fish from competition, similarly to Japan’s Zen Nippon Airinkai, while noting that the American Associated Koi Clubs of America reportedly created standards for judging butterfly koi at its own shows[12].

International context

UK judges and show organizers operate within a wider international landscape of koi associations. Zen Nippon Airinkai (ZNA), based in Beppu, Japan, describes itself as having chapters in multiple countries including the United Kingdom, and states it was the first koi fancier association to hold major koi shows, beginning in Japan in 1966[13].In the United States, judging is organized separately through bodies such as the American Koi Judges Association (AKJA), established in 2012, and the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association (also referenced via its US arm, Shinkokai USA), which runs its own show calendar[14][15]. These provide points of comparison for how UK organizations structure judging and shows; see US koi organizations for further detail[16].

Common questions

Is the BKKS still active?
According to the BKKS’s own website, the British Koi-Keepers Society “has now closed” after 50 years, and it was not inviting new memberships at that time, though membership might reopen later in 2025[3].
What replaced the BKKS for UK shows?
The National Koi Show Association now publishes the constitution and exhibitor terms for the National Koi Show[1], while Koi Judges UK, describing itself as the former BKKS Judging Sub-Committee, now supplies judges to UK shows independently of the BKKS[4][2].
What is Koi Judges UK?
Koi Judges UK is an organization of koi show judges, formerly the BKKS Judging Sub-Committee, that maintains a judges list, allows shows to book judges, and as of 2026 operates independently of the BKKS[4][2].
What awards are given at the National Koi Show?
The National Koi Show presents a Grand Champion award, Life Stage, Special and Best in Class awards, and a Shinkokai Award judged on quality alone by UK Shinkokai members[5].
Which UK shows do these organizations support?
Koi Judges UK lists deployments at UK shows including the National Koi Show, the Great British Koi Show, the Scottish Koi Show, the North of England Koi Show and the All England Koi Show, among others[7].

References

  1. ^ Rules & Constitutions | The National Koi Show. National Koi Show. nationalkoishow.co.uk/rules-and-constitutions/. Retrieved November 2026.
  2. ^ Happy New Year – 2026. – Koi Judges UK | The former BKKS JSC. Koi Judges UK. koijudges.uk/happy-new-year-2026/. Retrieved November 2026.
  3. ^ British Koi-Keepers Society (home page notice). bkks.co.uk. bkks.co.uk/. Retrieved November 2026.
  4. ^ Koi Judges UK | The former BKKS JSC. Koi Judges UK. koijudges.uk/. Retrieved November 2026.
  5. ^ The National Koi Show | Where the UK's Finest Koi Compete. National Koi Show. nationalkoishow.co.uk/. Retrieved November 2026.
  6. ^ The Great British Koi Show 2022 (Koi Net, issue 63). koinet.co.uk. koinet.co.uk/koi-net/issue-63/files/basic-html/page10.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  7. ^ Koi Shows – Koi Judges UK | The former BKKS JSC. Koi Judges UK. koijudges.uk/koi-shows/. Retrieved November 2026.
  8. ^ Friendship award SAKKS NATIONAL. – Koi Judges UK | The former BKKS JSC. Koi Judges UK. koijudges.uk/friendship-award-sakks-national/. Retrieved November 2026.
  9. ^ The first Holland Koi show - number 1 best - Mantifang. mantifang.com. mantifang.com/en/the-first-holland-koi-show/. Retrieved November 2026.
  10. ^ Yorkshire Section Koi Club (Koi Net, issue 63). koinet.co.uk. koinet.co.uk/koi-net/issue-63/files/basic-html/page90.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  11. ^ S Legend – Koi Judges UK | The former BKKS JSC. Koi Judges UK. koijudges.uk/s-legend/. Retrieved November 2026.
  12. ^ Butterfly koi (Wikipedia). Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_koi. Retrieved November 2026.
  13. ^ About. Zen Nippon Airinkai America — znaamerica.com. znaamerica.com/about. Retrieved November 2026.
  14. ^ American Koi Judges Association (AKJA). American Koi Judges Association. akjajudges.com/. Retrieved November 2026.
  15. ^ Koi Shows - Shinkokai USA Official Website. Shinkokai USA (JNPA). shinkokaiusa.com/koi-shows. Retrieved November 2026.
  16. ^ AKJA Classifications – American Koi Judges Association (AKJA). American Koi Judges Association. akjajudges.com/akja_classifications/. Retrieved November 2026.