Discus champions in Greece

It is in the month of October 2014 that the champions discus of Greek Discus Show welcomed in the megalopolis ofAthens in Greece. This was the second edition of this contest also called the East Mediterranean Discus Competition.

The huge exhibition center of Metropolitan allowed to welcome one hundred of discus. The ideal setting to promote the hobby of discus to a wide audience.

Indeed, Metropolitan Expo is the largest exhibition centre in Greece. Not so far from the airport, It attracted this weekend, thousands of people at the festival "Pets in Action..

Aquarists, reptile lovers and other lovers of dogs, cats, birds were gather together in Athens for a very nice event.

The Discus Club of Greece and Nidal Rezeq were responsible of the Organization of this event over time become a real success!

The huge Metropolitan Expo…

 

Event and warm atmosphere

I had the pleasure to participate in the judgment of the future Champions discus. I was accompanied for the occasion by 4 well-known judges such as Antonello Greco, Carmelo Arico all two Italians ; but also Andrew Soh of Singapore and Cüneyt Birol (Turkey).

My arrival in Athens

The members of Discus Club of Greece had reserved us a very warm welcome upon our arrival at the airport ofAthens.
It was then the beginning of an extraordinary weekend…

Friday morning all the jury met to evaluate the discus. This, will take us about 4 hours of work...

The ceremony designating the champions discus in their class was held Saturday during a memorable ceremony...

I have no remembrance to have known such awarding trophies presentation ! A real feast celebrating the winners of contest.

It took somewhat calm the enthusiasm of some very noisy members of the Greek association coming with foghorn and whistles !!! Too stressful for our feline and canine neighbors sharing the huge hall of the Park of the exhibitions and also come to compete.

Judges:

On Left, Cüneyt Birol (Turkey) on right Carmelo Arico (Italy)

On Left Andrew Soh (Singapore) on right Antonello Greco (Italy)

Yann Hoiret (France) 😉

A top organization

One of the lectures of the weekend (Here Carmelo Arico)

Participants were be able to Acclimate their fishes in good conditions. Only 2 or 3 discus responded less well to transport and acclimatization. Despite all, those won't have to my knowledge a lot of problem to rely.

The members of the jury, had benefited of ideal conditions to judge the discus presented.

The distribution of the categories was in line with the standards of great contest ; with appreciable thing, a different rating system according to the types of fishes with pattern or not .

A voting system was also proposed for the election of discus Grand Champion. The judges designating 3 fishes for the final podium winners of each category.

9 categories have been proposed to the participants and all had recorded their fishes in the right one ! (Something rather rare).

Inspired by what they had known in France at the France Discus Show 2014, organizers have even created a category reserved for amateur members of Discus Club Greek. A good number of discus were also presented.

A very important sign addressed to hobbyist to encourage them to also register their fishes. Michael Pikis had helped many by his wise advice.

As always, certain classifications will be discussed. But it should be recalled that the judging criteria also include notes impossible to understand without seeing the fish directly in his aquarium !

Speech of the judges before the award of the prize

 

Gala dinner which took place in a restaurant inAthens reunited a good number of fans who had feted at the same time the 2 years of Discus Club of Greece !

The 2nd East mediterranean Discus Competition Gala dinner

 

Wild discus

Always very difficult to appreciate in competition, the category dedicated to the Wild discus had gather an interesting range of animals.

The fishes from the Amazon are successful in attracting a number of enthusiasts. Observe the Wild discus in competition is a pleasure, prepare such animals is a real challenge!

Very subject to stress, We must allow them time to show us their most beautiful colors. The three discus below had one thing in common: A remarkable behavior a sign of a good acclimatization!

 

Here the Discus by Stergios Dafos (Greece) winner in wild

 

Left the second from the store Abyssos (Greece) Right the discus from Chen's Discus (United Kingdom) who will be third

 

Stavros Tsipas rewarded for his second place

 

Les discus pigeon blood

The category dedicated to the pigeon blood discus was in my opinion the weakest of all those presented.

Obviously, the fishes were of good quality, but it will have missed to all these pigeon blood exposed some features to get closer to fishes of exception.

They had more difficulties to showcase, remaining a long time shy. This also makes them lose a few points…

Detailing the fishes, You can observe a general lack of intensity in the Orange base color; not so homogeneous patterns, correct body shapes without being exceptional…

On the other hand, the eyes of these discus are of good quality: round, red and relatively well proportionate. I draw your attention to the fish coming second… The eye could be smaller, but its red is interesting.

 

The winner from Michael Pikis/Vasilis born in Tony Tan

 

On Left, the second from the same breeding of the winner. Right the pigeon blood of good size presented by Francis Hu (Chen's Discus)

 

The winners of the category solid blue

The champions discus of this category were closer to each one of the other. The first three places were played on 3 points of difference!

A Cobalt discus will even fly in second place in the ranking.

 

Discus winner of the category from Michael Pikis

I think this discus is a golden blue diamond, or as "golden" genes are present in the line. Michael Pikis which took the fish to the size of 5 CM has done a good job!

The color of this fish was special. It might even be considered as pearly; which is hardly appreciable in the photo. The back of the body should be more selected.

It loose some points because of yellow streaks on the rear of the dorsal and anal fins as well as on the caudal peduncle.

But all his qualities will make it pass in front of the two fishes below…

 

Left the second, a Cobalt discus of Michael Pikis /Vasilis ; Right the third from Francis Hu born in Na Discus

 

The Cobalt discus from Michael Pikis was of Nice quality, with few stripes on the opercula. Its size and its behaviour were remarkable. The third with a very beautiful shape was less well noted on its color, (less intense) and the color of its eyes. It lack few things to make a very nice discus.

 

The discus champions in solid red

The solid red category winner will be unanimous! It will leave its competitors more of 7 points behind him.

Even if this discus is a more modest size; proper shape, its bright red color, its beautiful red eyes and fins in perfect condition made the difference…

 

Champion discus in the red category Francis Hu Chens Discus (United Kingdom)

 

Left the second from Giannis Grispos Greece On right a nice white red from Michael Pikis/Vasilis Greece

Another fish could get on the podium. I learned later that it was the champion discus in France during the France Discus Show 2014 in Arvert.

 

This discus Red melon not rewarded lacked of preparation. A little lack of colour intensity, a less uniform color distribution, a small black pigmentation on the anal and caudal fins will cost him the podium…

 

The open discus category in the Greek Discus Show

Here also, the podium was very tight! The first three places were played in 0.9 point…

The champion discus in the open category ahead the second with only 0.5 point! This gives us a very nice podium dominated by a discus White butterfly followed by a solid albino and a snakeskin.

Most judges would have liked a white butterfly more "white" (Blanc in french). But this fish had a large number of qualities.

Exemplary behaviour in aquarium, a beautiful shape, well proportioned and red eyes, and beautiful fins in good condition. The stripes on the body of the fish could be improved; but we have here a beautiful winner.

 

Discus White butterfly by Michael pikis/Vasilis Garoufalidis from the Tony Tan Discus farm.

 

Left the second, right the third both presented by Francis Hu

 

I especially enjoyed the solid albino that Francis called "Albino Pearl Diamond". A really elegant discus.

 

I still wonder how Francis Hu has bring back his trophies to the United Kingdom!

 

Discus presented by members of the Discus Club Greece

For the second edition of the Mediterranean Discus Competition 2014, the organizers had planned a category dedicated to fish raised by hobbyist members of Discus Club Greece.

Like what happened in France for the Discus Show 2014, the association Greek has wanted to encourage hobbyist breeder registration.

Fans will have had the chance to compete for three trophies. It only remains to wish that these initiatives continue to grow! When a Grand champion hobbyist breeder ?!?! 😉

 

Discus leopard first in hobbyist from Babis Mitrogeorgos

 

The second on the left from Giannis Grispos Right the third from Fares Fares

 

The discus leopard first was very difficult to take in picture. I apologize also for the low quality of this shot. This fish, a female only thought to look at the bottom of the aquarium glass, ready to lay her eggs!

What a pleasure to see the smile of Babis Mitrogeorgos After the award ceremony! He could not stop smiling for a long time!!! See the joy of the fans win a trophy is a true pleasure for me. So long, attention brought to their fish rewarded; Bravo !!!

Turquoise were in honored by hobbyist . The turquoise arrived in second place is very nice quality. Very nice work for Giannis Grispos. I enjoyed this discus.

It seems turquoise striated return to fashion…

Fares Fares third in the amateur category will win another trophy; This time in the middle of professional participants. But we'll see this a little more away…

 

From left to right, Fares Fares and Babis Mitrogeorgos Greek hobbyist breeders

 

Turquoise striped seen in Greece

As I said above, It seems that the striated discus become more fashionable!

The nice amount of discus turquoise has even allowed the organizers to separate them into 2 categories: Striated patterns and coarse pattern such as the checkerboard, the pearls etc.…

The winner in the striped turquoise was presented by Francis Hu (United Kingdom). The shape of this discus was very interesting, just like its coloration pattern. I think with a little more time, its colors were most beautiful.

A small fault however on his eyes level that should be much more red. But no matter, This fish won first place and some votes for the title of Grand Champion (More beautiful Discus in contest)

 

First striped discus from Francis Hu Chen's Discus

 

Left the second from Michael Pikis /Vasilis Garoufalidis born in Tony Tan. Right fish from Fares Fares (Greece)

 

The fish that complete the podium are beautiful fishes. I let you appreciate the Red of the eyes of the fish from Fares Fares (on right). You will understand much better my comments in relation to those of the earlier winner.

Fares here also won a third place in the middle of professional competitors. Of course smaller size, This young fish lets consider a bright future to its owner!

With a touch of selection his lineage should evolve very well .

 

Spotted discus

One of the Queen categories in discus contests reserved us some surprises…

The winner was first of all a pleasant fish to observe . The second was Meanwhile a beautiful meeting because it was the winner that I had the pleasure to judge in France (2014).

The third, a surprise because its owner was none other than Babis Mitrogeorgos, an amateur breeder Greek! Yes, a hobbyist, quite rare to be highlight in this so difficult category and generally dominated by professionals!

 

Champion discus in spotted from Michael Pikis /Vasilis Garoufalidis from IP Discus (Tony Tan)

What i appreciate in this fish was the clarity and brightness of its colors. You will also notice the beautiful contrasts of his pattern.

Generally, the color of the eyes of these varieties is not their strong point… Out here, We do not achieve perfection, but the result is honourable.

The shape is correct, the pattern could be better (More uniform and more regular points). But… Here you have a very elegant fish!

 

Left the second from Michael Pikis/Vasilis Garoufalidis, right the third of Babis Mitrogeorgos

 

The discus second in Greece and who won in its category in the France Discus Show 2014 was somewhat aged, It will be left the way for younger than him! Nevertheless he obtained a second place…

On the third place, We find just for once a beautiful leopard discus. As Fares, Babis Mitrogeogos came to compete with professionals. He will win a third place in front of renowned breeders. Bravo to him!

You will observe in passing the difference between the boss "spotted" from snakeskin (fine patterns) and this leopard (large spots patterns).

 

Coarse turquoise

I have not really found an appropriate French translation of the English word "Coarse pattern" . I called him "boss off" in French…

It includes here the discus turquoise says "Chekerboard", 'pearl '., or even "tiger" who are different striated with turquoise stripes should be horizontal.

The pattern is therefore not necessarily horizontal, but must be whatever homogeneous on the body of the fish.

And you'll understand, This category has hosted the Discus Grand Champion of Greece 2014…

A very nice "Galaxy Turquoise", (commercial name given by Tony Tan to this discus chekerboard) won the supreme title.

Exemplary behaviour, a large size, fins in perfect condition, a uniform pattern, a beautiful color, correct eyes.

It only remains you to appreciate this fish in image…

 

Discus Champion in turquoise coarse category and Grand Champion of the contest

Michael Pikis/Vasilis Garoufalidis with this fish from the farm of Tony Tan

 

The second and third place of Michael Pikis / Vasilis Garoufalidis

 

You understood, Michael Pikis who collaborates with Tony Tan won three first place in this category. His first two fishes is are quickly singled out from others. We will find no doubt this line in future competitions.

 

The Grand champion Finally designated!

 

A little girl who can be proud of the work of his dad !!!

 

This story comes to the end, I take this opportunity to thank very warmly the Discus Club of Greece and all its members for their hospitality and kindness.

I thank them for the confidence they gave me inviting me as judge. Evaluate these beautiful discus with international judges was also a great pleasure! So much good times spent in you friends!

I also thank Georges and Michael for their visit guided of Acropolis, I did not know Greece and these few days spent here delighted me!

Thank you Vasilis for the gastronomic discoveries Greek!

Thank you Babis Tsokas (President of the Greek club) for your beautiful pictures, Stergios for your help. Bravo Fares, Babis (There were several!) for your results as hobbyist; your joy was pleased to see!

This event also allowed me to meet many fans such as Nick, Bülent, Peris, Nathan, Monogios and many others!

 

Fun in Greece !!!!!

 

With my Turkish friend Cüneyt Birol Discus Globe-trotter

 

Dear readers, If you liked this article, it'll just share or "liker" on your social networks!

Go to the page Fanatik-Discus Facebook to discover some unpublished pictures…

 

See you soon,

Yann Hoiret

Fanatik-Discus.com