| Hi Bern,
Always good to hear from you. I have gotten quite a few interesting tidbits like yours about some of the more famous and also less famous ZNA AJS GC koi. I really appreciate the assistance. It will be nice to be able to contribute back to ZNA and Shinkokai a list that might help others. I thought by now I would be finished with the ZNA GC shows and be working on the Shinkokai AJS Grand Champions. Of course several of these are the same koi that won both shows.
It is too bad that we don't know the breeders of all of the earlier champions. I just discovered another one yesterday so I still hope to learn more. It is interesting to hear about the GC koi that were bred by hobbyist in the early years of these shows. I also am amazed to see in chart form the tremendous increase in size of the GC's from less than 60cm to more than 90 cmm in a few decades. That is a 50% increase that does not seem to be peaked yet.
Also studying the photos are additional lessons. Seems to go in cycles earily on Sanke was more popular then Kohaku emerged with a few wins by Showa along the way. WIth each increase in size body seems to improve first, then skin and color, and finally pattern. I am expecting some really good improvements in patterns on GC koi the next several years. If the past is any predictor of the future trends in GC koi Sankes are due for another surge. |