buying a prize

[gregbickal]

I have not attended a banquet, mabye I need to. Mabye there is something I am missing. I have not seen the "education" part of a show. All I see and here is trophy this, award that...

[Newt]

Quote: Originally Posted by James P Every koi is unique, people should be to. JR

I've been called 'unique' before!

[cindy]

Quote: But they are all linked by a fascination for these amazing fish

JR, its amazing to see the quality of these koi but just as amazing are the people behind the fish.
There are very few koi people that I've met that I haven't
felt an instant bond to. You included. Always fun to meet
new koi friends.

[junglegeorge12]

"I want to be respected,"--is the cry of every heart. I think even in the high end of the hobby, the same need exists. I think alot of folks think guys with money feel no need to be respected. In fact, they fear disrespect more as tyhry endure heaps of it daily from people angry that they have no money and you do. Deriving respect by having good fish does not work either. I think this hobby has a part of it that lends itself to respect. I also think respect needs to travel both ways on the financial food chain or it can cause quite a ruckus inside the hobby. That goes right into the issue JR brought up about not legislating but educating. Also, if the poorer man is not welcome, just as in churches and baseball leagues, it will eventually fall on it's face. It is not the lone million dollar purchase that keeps a hobby or industry going, but 5 million $10-$100 purchases.

Really, koi are victims of our selfish desires to be respected in this hobby. Look around. Which one of them has posted a nasty post on here? They just swim around and look at us like 'where's the food' and 'please don't eat me'. After a while they become friends,but it take a year or two of close care for that to really happen.

I remember my first Shiro Utsuri, he jumped out of the pond after we had him for two months. My wife found him while jabbering away on the telephone. Stepped right on his side and felt the squish. I was away and got this mad call from a lunatic asking what to do. I said, "Umm, scoop him up and put him back in the water, I will be right back." When I got home his side was swollen horribly, and he was floating sideways. So we prayed for him and treated him the best we knew how then. A week later he was back to normal. We named him Peter because he jumped out of the boat and lived. After that care he would hand feed. The others watched him do that for some time before following suit.

I do not think he could care less about a show, but he is what this hobby is about. However, JR is right, that shiro utsuri would not have been around for me to buy without the shows motivating breeders to produce quality.