HISTORY OF THE MODERN GUPPY
In the early 1950’s the wide-tail guppy was being developed and exhibited mainly in the eastern part of the country. In 1957 Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine and other publications published a fabulous offer to all aquarium societies in the United States. The offer, made Larry Konig and Dr. John Rutkowski, was able to give a pair of their strain of show guppies to any aquarium society that would form a guppy group within their society. For the first time excellent breeding stock was distributed throughout the United States. In 1961 a very progressive organization of aquarium societies know as the Northeast Council Aquarium Societies developed the American Guppy Association standards; from there they developed the A.G.A. point system. In a very short time this was the most widely accepted standard and point system for judging guppies in the United States.
In the early 1960’s the exhibiting of fancy guppies centered in the Mid-west, mainly in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. In 1964 a group of hobbyist from these states met in Cincinnati, Ohio to discuss and form an organization to better serve the needs of the mid-west area. The purposes were to further the idea of the American Guppy Association and standardize such things as exhibition bowls, training and qualifying judges, establishing a show schedule, and updating standards.
Ed Hazle of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, served as our first chairman until 1966 when the International Fancy Guppy Association was formed. Dick Eisenmann served as President for two years. Stan Shubel became President in December, 1968, and served until December 1972. Art Hopkins of Cincinnati, Ohio, became President in December, 1972 and served until replaced by John Wolcott in 1975.
In the years since its formation the I.F.G.A. has established a judging standard and has done much to regularize all of the rules of organized guppy-showing while helping to reach new heights of popularity. The I.F.G.A. currently has twelve sanction shows a year, an annual seminar for judging guppies, and an outstanding monthly publication.
Art Hopkins