About Steve Childers

Steve started in the koi hobby like most with small watergarden and a few fish including some “coy” in 1992. Steve’s career had him traveling extensively and it wasn’t long before he started showing up at koi events around the country. Steve’s  3-400 gallon watergarden in Oklahoma City, was expanded multiple times until it was well over 10,000 gallons. Steve has a background in engineering and found his niche in improving pond dynamics. In 1999 Steve joined the AKCA judging program and became a certified judge in 2003. Steve has traveled internationally judging and giving seminars on a multitude of koi related subjects from koi appreciation to koi pond system design

 In 2006, Steve became editor of KOI USA magazine and remained in that voluntary position for 5 years . In 2012 Steve joined the American Koi Judges Association and is currently serving as the Chairperson for this organization. Steve has a unique claim in that he is likely the only person to raise koi in 8 separate geographical locations within the United States. This has added further to his understanding distinct variances in source water, seasonal and other climate differences/changes, indoor koi keeping, and other factors affecting koi keeping.

Steve and his wife Cheryl (originally from San Antonio)now reside in the Tampa Bay, Florida area where they have retired and now enjoy their new 8,500 gallon, “It’s a System” pond that Steve has written extensively about the design attributes over the last 15 years.