Now, Maurice, you've BEEN THERE. You've seen the Koi-Bito #6 DVD. But from the outside I can see how somebody could think there are only a few kohaku parent sets. Even Mike's articles on the 80cm quest talk about fish in relation to one of the famous champions.
To my mind a breeder should have a vision of the end results desired. For instance, Brady's concept of a perfect kohaku could be different from Maeda's. 90% agreement but different in terms of the exact hue of beni, exact shape of head, exact shoulder shape, etc.
And that's what makes artists (breeders) different and why different advanced hobbyists (customers!) will have different favorite breeders.