[Lee]

Dear Jan,

I have no doubt whatsoever that your forthcoming show will be a great success.

Inviting as many hobbyists to enter and participate provides a proper and welcoming venue for all koi shows...is obviously the only way to have a koi show.

I, however, must decline your generous invitation as your show conflicts with the first Cayman Island Koi Show.

Regardless, of what is right and what is clearly wrong...our show is going to be limited to only the residents of this island and our nearby sister Cayman Islands; and, whilst these restrictive rules (or suggestions) will no doubt allow our show committee to pretty much pre-determine whom the awards will go to...before the show - they are now in the process of pre-ordering all the trophies at this time!

Jan, don't you agree having the trophies pre-ordered, as well as, pre-engraved will save everyone at the banquet all that wasted time in handing them out...and, provide us all with more time to drink, dance and party?

And, whilst I cannot make your koi show the evidence of your seeking to broaden your show's entrants and increase it's partipants is clearly recognised as a positive and liberal step forward in doing what is right and correct in expanding our hobby to every hobbyist possible.

I am certain you will agree that is so much nicer than openng the door to the very few as is being tendered here in Grand Cayman - where the committee members shall most probably only open their show doors to those few entrants who are from Grand Cayman and our sister islands, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.

Jan, I can only hope that all koi shows are going to be recognised as a place of welcome where koi hobbyists of like mind, like spirit and opened warm hearts are encouraged in order that we may all similarly share our beloved fish with as many people as is possible. And, not just a very few -

I am certain you will agree that if our hobby is to grow and more hobbyists are encouraged to enter koi shows it will require encouraging more entrants, more participants - rather than seeking to discourage anyone outside of our own beloved state, or nearby state(s); as only by welcoming 'everyone' can the growth of our beloved hobby continue to expand - and, our koi shows be a in-gathering of our distant koi family.

I am certain you also agree, otherwise, you would not have invited me to attend your show. Correct?

Indeed, to be a true koi hobbyist and a believer in the spirt of an open koi show - is to include more and more into our hobby.

Thus, I hope you will make every possible effort to let everyone in our hobby know (in advance and often, again) of your forthcoming koi show in Colorado; and, that you will find the narrow obsolete minded show regulations as has been set forth here in Grand Cayman by our own koi club show committee as abhorrent as I.

Respectfully,

Lee Aronfeld
Grand Cayman