(Sub)Varieties, Show Classes and Type Designations

In the koi world, you often hear terms like varieties, subvarieties, type designations, and show classes. But what do these terms actually mean?

Variety

A koi variety can be described as "a set of external characteristics of a koi, for which a name has been coined and which is widely accepted by Japanese breeders." A variety is therefore different from a breed. In a breed, all offspring belong to the same breed. The offspring of a pair of herring will all belong to the herring breed. In a variety, the offspring can belong to a different variety. Suppose I cross two Showa. Most of the offspring will also belong to the Showa variety, but if one of them doesn't have a red pattern, it will be given the variety name Shiro Utsuri. A variety is therefore defined by what you see, not by who the parents were! In Japan, new names are coined at every opportunity for koi forms that haven't yet been designated as varieties. These are often coincidences that can't be consistently produced. A fancy name is nice, but for me, no "official" variety until several breeders can reproduce this form and call it the same. Many new “varieties” disappear as quickly as they came.

Subvariety

A subvariety can be described as “a variety, with a unique additional characteristic that is worthy of an additional name.” For example, when you choose from the Kohakuk week If we encounter a specimen where the red pattern manifests only on the head in the form of a dome, we call it a Tancho Kohaku. Although this is a subvariety of Kohaku, Tancho is so important (due to its association with the Japanese flag) that it is placed in a separate Show class. Another example is a Showa with very little white and red instead. This is called a Hi Showa. The prefix therefore provides additional information about the representative of the variety in question.

Type designation

A type designation is also a prefix that provides additional information. A Sandan Kohaku is a Kohaku with three separate patterns ("san" is three and then means "step"). A three-step Kohaku. Another example is a Kuchibeni Sanke, which is a Sanke with red lips ("kuchi" is lip and "beni" is red).

Show class

A Show class involves one or more varieties that compete against each other in a koi competition. The Showa Show class has only one variety, namely the Showa (Sanshoku), while the Show class Bekko The Koi Bekko consists of three varieties: Shiro Bekko, Aka Bekko, and Ki Bekko. A Ki Bekko will therefore never face a Showa at a koi show. There are 17 show classes (depending somewhat on the size of the show).