There have been one foreigner that I know of that have won titles at the AJRS, Mr.Johnson, I think. From my discussions with Mr.Kashino and Mr.Oishi, I have been informed by them that it is not difficult to become members. Any one can go to the show and register at the Show to become member. Mr. Oishi promised us that we will be able to register during our next visit to the Show this year in Osaka. (Mr.Oishi is the President of the Ashigara Ranchu Kai.) We will let you know how this goes towards the end of the year. You will probably needed the recommendation of the local Kai members to successfully join, but this is not too difficult any more. Furthermore, I have been informed that you could also start your own organization and adhere to the same standards as set by the Nichiran Organization, and through their supports or supports of their members you can have a joint associations and possibly create a link to send Champions from your show to participate in the Show in Japan.
We are in the process of setting up our own organization which will carry out similar works as those ranchu organization in Japan. We will utilize qualified judges from Japan to carry out all of our competitions, so that we can ensure that we will retain only the highest possible standards of ranchu for all our competitions. The winners then will be qualified to participate in the Show in Japan through the help of our supporting members in Japan. Our colleagues in Japan such as Mr.Kashino will then enter the fish on our behalf in the Show in Japan. With the ever increasing number of fish participating from Thailand in the future, we should be able to be qualified for the Chubu Show (regional show) and the AJRS show in due course. Thus far I have already received the invitation from the Ashigara Ranchu Kai to participate in the Show next year. The Ashigara Ranchu Kai is also another high level ranchu organization from Japan next to the big three (AJRS, Kangyo Kai and Kinran Kai).
The Japanese Judges visitting Thailand annually will also be carrying out a Ranchu Academy in Thailand which will help to train and develop Thai judges for the future. The judges will be educated properly with the Nichiran Standards and tested in the same manners as those in Japan. Japanese judges will be solely responsible for carrying out all the training, and the testing of all the prospect Thai judges. With more qualified judges registered locally, we will then be able to have many more local competitions, which will in turn help to support all the breeders all over Thailand, even in the rural provinces.
This has already been done successfully with Koi enthusiasts in Thailand, through the Sakai Fish Farm. Thus far, there have been three Champions at the All Japan Nishigi Koi Show in the past three years from Thailand. These three Champions have endowed great honour to the Thai Ornamental Fish Society. Soon we hope that we will be able to do similar things with ranchu too. With such goals in sight, I believe that it will help spurred all the leading breeders in Thailand to work even harder to produce quality ranchu for this annual event. If and when our Thai fish brings us honour from the highest stage, then and only then can we proudly say that we are also a leading ranchu breeding nation, as well.
Just a comment to show members that with hard work, anything is possible. Sawasdee krap.
