Let me share with all my one and only experience with ranchu competition. I started the TVR some 16 months ago and was hoping for a competition. The only one that I knew was the Ozeki one held every year on the 1st of January. It is however it is not open to public.

Being a newbie, I had difficulty telling a genuine Japanese ranchu from other breed. As with most of us, the only affordable option was a Thai import. Almost every weekend is spent ranchu hunting all over Singapore. One day, I saw 5 ranchus that was left from a brood of about 100 ranchus that were snapped up over the last 2 months or so ago. I saw this particular piece that was long body with no funtan development and with a double hump camels back. The only thing that strikes me then was its beautiful scales and full yellow body. That was in November 2004. Lets call this ranchu A.

When announcements of the Yuhua CC Ranchu competition 2005 was announced, I got excited and started to look for competition ranchus to enter. Japan was out of the question because of price and winter. So the other options was Thai ranchu. Through a LFS, I bought 6 pieces of competition grade Junior Tosai. This was one week before the All Thailand Ranchu Show (ATRS) in February 2005. Three of the ranchus were entered for the competition and they won 4th, 7th, and 9th positions. Immediately after the competition, the ranchus were sent over to Singapore and I received it on a Tuesday, 5 days before the Yuhua competition.

All the 6 pieces were entered for the Yuhua competition including ranchu A. When the results were announced, one of my Junior Tosai got 3rd (not any of the winners from the ATRS) and my ranchu A got 5th position.

The greatest happiness for me was ranchu A and not the one with 3rd placing. The thrill of winning with someone else's effort did not give me satisfaction.

I am now looking forward to entering one of the offspring from ranchu A for the next competition.

Competition will sharpen our grooming skills and meeting with fellow "kakis" will also help us keep the interest in this hobby going. I am looking forward to meeting the masters in this hobby particularly Master Kashino whom I have admire since I started this hobby. It is what you make out of this hobby that counts.

P/s: Ranchu A is the one you see in my avatar.