[l113892]

Jim Reilly was probably the first person I heard break breeders down into two categories- the innovator and the immitator. The innovator sounds a whole lot more glamorous but I have to believe that innovators can go broke faster than immitators. I also see that the immitators serve a very important role and make up 95% plus of the koi breeders that exist today.

Brady- sounds like you see yourself as an innovator. I see there would be no baseline for a innovator as the koi you picture does not exist yet. Are you attempting to be a innovator on all Gosanke varieties? I could also see where koi produced by an innovator could struggle in koi shows- a koi judge could be looking at a "new" trait in a koi that has not been seen before.

I think in Mat McCann's case, he is an immitator that is learning from a innovator(Mr. Sakai). Again, a very interesting subject to me.

Happy Holidays to all-