| I am a candidate judge in the AKCA judging program. These issues only come into play where show rules allow smaller koi ot even be considered for Grand Champion. Show rules in Japan, depending on organization running show, usually specify GC comes from koi over 85 cm or what ever. Not stated int he rules but certainly part of the tradition is GC comes from Gosanke over 85 cm.
In the U.S. many shows do not limit consderation of GC to just the top 1 or 2 sizes. I think it has to do with our wanting to insure every koi gets full consideration. Deciding when a smaller higher quality koi deserves to be ranked over a much larger but somewhat lower quality koi is difficult to explain. When a smaller koi is selected the judges will be critisized. When the larger koi is selected the judges will be critisized. The judges that I respect the most can clearly expain their decsions, be professional, and keep their sense of humor throughout. Not always easy. |