2025–26 Grow-Out Contest · Results

One year
in the pond.
Look at them now.

Last June, 34 tosai from Taniguchi, Beppu and Omosako went home with Mystic Koi customers. On August 15, 2026, 17 of them came back as nisai to be measured, photographed and judged. This page is for the growers — every fish that came back is here.

Growers gathered under the tents at Mystic Koi, looking over the returned koi in their tubs
Judging day, Mystic Koi · August 15, 2026
17Koi returned
57 cmLargest nisai
7Winners
Judged by Tom Lai, Andrew Moo and Devin Swanson · Owners were not shown to the judges.

Winners

Grand Champion
Best in show, chosen by all three judges
T-20 as tosai, June 2025
TosaiJune 2025
T-20 as nisai, August 2026
Nisai53 cm
Zhi Hu with Shawn of Mystic Koi after the results
Zhi with Shawn on results day
Zhi Hu
T-20Taniguchi
Best Taniguchi
T-07 as tosai, June 2025
TosaiJune 2025
T-07 as nisai, August 2026
Nisai51 cm
Tim Pham
T-07Taniguchi
Best Omosako
O-06 as tosai, June 2025
Tosai32 cm
O-06 as nisai, August 2026
Nisai57 cm
Joanne Le
O-06Omosako+25 cm · 78%
Best Beppu
B-07 as tosai, June 2025
TosaiJune 2025
B-07 as nisai, August 2026
Nisai49 cm
Nic Boero
B-07Beppu

Judges’ choice

Tom Lai's Choice
Selected by Tom Lai
T-16 as tosai, June 2025
TosaiJune 2025
T-16 as nisai, August 2026
Nisai52 cm
Son Daig
T-16Taniguchi
Andrew Moo's Choice
Selected by Andrew Moo
T-08 as tosai, June 2025
TosaiJune 2025
T-08 as nisai, August 2026
Nisai57 cm
Andy Woo
T-08Taniguchi
Devin Swanson's Choice
Selected by Devin Swanson
T-23 as tosai, June 2025
TosaiJune 2025
T-23 as nisai, August 2026
Nisai39 cm
Brenton Love
T-23Taniguchi

By the numbers

48cmAverage nisai lengthacross all 17 returned
57cmLargest koi (tie)O-06 · Joanne Le & T-08 · Andy Woo
+25cmMost growthO-06 · Joanne Le · 32→57 cm
19cmAvg Omosako growth4 koi with tosai lengths on file
46cmTaniguchi average9 returned · largest 57 cm
51cmBeppu average4 returned · largest 55 cm
52cmOmosako average4 returned · largest 57 cm