The power of
PR
Perhaps the very best story to illustrate this point is the 26th All Japan Champion. an 85 bu sanke, bred by The Great One- Toshio Sakai, sold to Kaizuka koi center and grown in a giant wild pond, sold by a broker/dealer Kodama and finally fine tuned by a new rising star grower- Maeda.
All that happened over 16 years.
The best words I have ever heard on this subject were uttered by a high end breeder--
A koi's development in the first two years of life is directly from its surroundings. But at four and five, the innate characteristics of the individual begin to appear - Toshio Sakai
The best of the parent koi and the breeder's vision come through in the show winner. This takes time and is more about the overall 'presence' of a koi than about its length in inches. the pendulum will swing center again soon.
JR