Who was or still is your mentor in the hobby?

[Bill D]

Brett... interesting, I've heard from Pam that you had spent time with Bob. We should try someday and meet to share a beer (my treat)!


Dick... Yes, the hobby surely misses Mr. Spindola. I know I do! Pam is still very active, and heads the AKCA KHV funding efforts out here on the west coast.

We've also had the pleasure of meeting with Kentaro Sakai. He and his uncle were kind enough to do a weekend seminar at our facility some years ago. Here is a picture of Kentaro and Shawn at the SFF facility, with the All Japan Show GC from 2001.

Kind Regards,
Bill

[shir]

My mentor will always be Kevin. It was a twist of fate that we met since we live so far away. For me a mentor must be a teacher to share knowledge but upmost must be a friend. Friends are always there for each other and also willing to help. Because of him our world of koi became bigger. Because of him we met "very" special friends like Joe and Tony....who joined Kevin and became like family. The experiences in the koi hobby always expands.......always learning and meeting new people.

shir

[Tim C]

My first mentor would have to be Stephen in that he was the who gave me the "bug" inviting me to his home by seeing quality koi for the first time.

Once we started Koiphen, KeoKoi took me under his wing and spent hours quizing me and for that I am grateful.

After a huge fight on the other board, Steve Childers took me on and has continually hammering me on koi appreciation.

With him, Stephen, and Art I am continuing my journey with much zeal. I am just starting and have many years to get where I am going.

[JanT]

All have inspired me in one way or another - something they did, something they shared, something they wrote, something they helped me with in koi...along the path:
. Bob Winkler
. Art Lembke
. JR - Jim Reilly
. Scott Thompson
. Thom Blischok
. Steve Childers
. Peter & Tim Waddington
. Taro Kodama
. Jeff Thompson (no relation, just a dedicated Colorado koi farmer who loves animals)

[jnorth]

Mine are listed on my website but here goes in not any particular order :

REC from Koivet: I met him one day while standing in line at Lowes or Home Depot. I was buying something for my pond and we got to talking ponds and Koi and he said well if you ever have a problem with your Koi give me a call. I did have a problem and called him and have called him many times since. He is a good friend and a standup guy. Everyone should be as lucky as I am to have someone nearby that really knows koi health.

Keokoi from right here at KB: I've only known Joe since April but in that time he has taught me more about Koi appreciation then I had learned in 5 years I had been keeping koi before that. He has taught me so much my brain hurts.

Bill D owner of Mystic Koi: Bill and I met because we have a mutual interest in Chevelles (an American Muscle Car). We have spent many hours talking Koi, Koi ponds and cars. He has helped me immensely to understand the hows and whys of various filtration systems. He has a great family that welcomed my family and I with open arms when we went to the Mystic Koi Fest last spring.

I can't say enough good things about Bill, Keokoi and REC but if you get the chance to talk to them one on one listen to what they have to say, its worth it...

[keokoi]

Kenneth Horimoto, for being just damn helluva dude. Ken Helped me buy my first koi in Japan.. I was 1k poorer from that moment on.

Kevin, for letting me figure it out on my own but keeping me in track if I got out of line.

Can't say enough stuff.

I have a silent mentor in this hobby and has passed away.. It would be a koi I killed with my own stupidity. I vowed to that koi and its experience's that I would try so hard to know as much as I could to take care of many other koi.

Joe

[gelldu]

Mine is Grant Fujita who is always willing to teach /share and guide me along. Then now there is also Kevin of Genki Nishikigoi who is always willing to share his knowledge of koi with me. Guess I am blessed and very lucky.
It was Grant Fujita who when he was a dealer invited Mr.Kuroki, Mr.Kato and Jinbei to stay with him, we all got to meet and "talked" koi with these great koi persons.Really fortunate and blessed.

[shiromujigirl]

JR is my guru, that is no secret. He cuts to the chase, realistic, scientific, and has a large esthetical and mystical side. The thing is, he's not selling anything and sees right through the cr@p And he likes to teach and write.

[Tom C]

JR all the way!!!

I also have to give Steve Childers and Tom Lansing credit. If it wasn't for these three people I would have been lost.

Tom

[Jay]

My first mentor was my father, then Ogata-San teached me a lot about koi.

He had teached me to see the quality of koi and to select Tategoi from the smallest tosai to the real Jumbo's.

A few years later I met Kentaro Sakai who has teached me a lot about koi and explained me many things about the bloodlines he uses.

After this it was all selfstudy. I'm always looking for new ways to learn and I'm open for everything