THAT Momotaro sanke male...

[JasonS]

Dick Benlow, on the NI boards, had this to say: "The one I can't get out of my mental picture is the sanke male of Momotaro's that he is raising to be a breeder!"

I bring the quote over here because it really had little to do with the discussion over there and I've a question that relates to Koi Bito magazine DVD.

I'm pretty sure I heard Brian say, on the DVD, that the Momotaro sanke male we can't get out of our minds was SOLD to a Chinese collector.

Is this correct? What does that mean in relation to Momotaro using it as a breeder? Is it possible that the monster size male will be lost or, *gasp*, shipped to China? :shock:

[aquitori]

Mr. Maeda, would have to get some breeding out of the koi, before it gets shipped out right? Big Male Big Female imagine the Jumbo Tosai from that breeding. Most people probably can't wait for those Tosai to go up for auction.

[Brian]

Hi Folks,


Sorry I've not been online lately. We just moved and my broadband is still not up, so I have to access from "hotspots" when I have the time.

An editors note on that male sanke: I actually made a mistake in saying that a hobbyist from China had bought it...the gentleman was actually from Thailand. As far as I know, it is still at Momotaro, but I'm unaware of any plans to breed with it. It is without a doubt though, the biggest, youngest male that I have ever seen. :shock:

[markgardner]

Daisuke told me in Feb that the owner didn't not want to risk breeding the koi.

Mark

[JasonS]

That is a real shame. I suppose it the fish could be brought back into the breeding program in a few years, when its show days are over? Like aquitori, I was greatly looking forward to seeing the offspring of that male with one of the jumbo females.

[aquitori]

I think if they breed that male they would need two females instead of the other way around. Breed that sucker with the 101cm female that won the All Japan Show....Jumbo tosai in the 24+ inches, that would really be amazing!!!!! We would probably see the first Grand Champion at 3 years old....Wicked!!!!!

[Alex Gibbs]

If only it were that easy...seems to me that the 101 cm sanke is fairly old and that by 6 years old it was only around 82 cm and had basically stopped growing until it was moved to the 1500 ton pond.

[dick benbow]

Many times in my teaching sessions, I use human health as an example.
Many disagree with me saying you can't draw a comparison between mammal and fish. That said...

But for the sake of our discussion here look at a certain chinese basketball star that plays for a texas NBA team in the states. the genetics had to be there to grow big yet maybe the food,conditions etc weren't there in others.

Sakai of Isawa bred a wonderful sanke that Ryo Kamiya purchased that eventually took the 24th ZNA show and was Kogugyo in the 30th All Japan Show. After several years in the grow pond it diddn't get the growth expected so it was almost sold by it's owner. but he was talked into hanging on for a few more years and when the koi was ready it took off after being 7 years of age. this koi was later purchased by Peter Waddington and it went on to share the English National honors with it's pond mate "doris".

I think the lesson we learn here is it takes genetics and it takes the best
conditions BUT you can't be in a hurry to off a koi just because it doesn't
grow WHEN YOU WANT IT TO! So many times in japanese terms the hobbiest has to be totally devoted to his koi. Over time this love and attention will be rewarded. it may be a cultural thing but the concept of moving forward every day toward "the mark" works not only in business but koi as well!

[Mike Snaden]

Sorry to be so late on this one.

The Sanke was sold to a guy from Thailand as Nisai, at 73cm. This was shortly after Momotaro used it as a parent. The Koi sold for an incredible amount of money, and the customer wanted to leave it in Japan in the hope of it growing over 1 metre, and competing in the All Japan. The Koi is now Yonsai (4 years old), and over 90cm. It's an incredible Koi!

Mike.

[markgardner]

I originally posted this back in Feb after our trip there.

Towards the end of the video there is a short clip with Monster Momotaro in it.

http://www.justkoi.co.uk/1500.wmv