What's it worth

[Birdman]

Just curious, the Showa that just won the All Japan Combined Show, if it went up for auction, what do you think it would bring?

[Akinosan]

I think it would bring poverty to the new owner!

[joe bauer]

isn't a gc a koi at its zenith? don't koi go downhill after being a gc? won't the value of this fish be far less in a couple of years?

why would someone buy a fish that had already won gc when it is only going to deteriorate in both looks and value?

[Akinosan]

For the same reason they would buy a Rolls, because they can! It would be nice to have a Grand Champion in your pond, even if its just for a while.

[koiczar]

While in Japan for the show, we took a trip to Isawa. We visited Maruyama. We saw poster size pictures of the showa that took GC last year. The pictures were developmental over the previous two years and when it took GC. There was a very small white window on the beni on the right shoulder two years prior, the sumi was there but still developing. The next picture (from the year prior to the show) showed the beni filled in and the sumi improving dramatically. The picture from the show showed the same window had come back in the beni and the sumi had settled nicely and was very thick and uniform. This fish is no way on it's way down. You can still see that the sumi could improve further and that this fish could still continue to grow. I think you're looking at a fish that would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000 US with no problem. That's if Maruyama would part with it - but I seriously doubt it.

Also, it's interesting to note that according to Torazo and Maruyama, windows of this nature within beni patterns are of no concern in Japan. When we asked Maruyama he said, "No problem", and Russ asked again to make sure he understood. He again stated, "No problem at all". When you have fish of this size and overall quality I can see that small things can be overlooked when judging the fish on the whole. We here in the US have been taught by a different school of learning based on negative rather than positive. When you think about business, doesn't most things come down to what's wrong rather than what was done right? That seems to be the American way. Why then should koi judging here be any different. We need to stop nitpicking and appreciate the overall beauty. There hasn't been a perfect animal ever breed in any venue or species. Why are we always trying to compare small flaws. What are we really comparing against. If we look at each fish in a competition and compare one against the other and look at the positive qualities then truly the best fish will show why it is better than the others - not why it "didn't" win.

[Regenmeneer]

Showa???

It's the same everywhere. If someone or some animal wins, the value rises instantly. People want a winner! And this is the only 100% sure way to do it.

The reason why they want a gc or other winning koi might be several. They might just want a winner purely to have a winner, have fallen in love with it or want to use it for publicity or use it in a breeding program.
Regenmeneer

[KoiCop]

the koi that won the recent Shinkokai All Japan Combined Show was a 37" kohaku named "Jessica Rose" (after her famous mother "Rose Queen").

If, as rumored, the koi's breeder -- Sakai of Hiroshima -- purchases her back as breeding stock, the cost could well exceed $100,000.

Not too shabby for a "cut flower," eh?

[MikeM]

Superb for a cut flower, but that price is for the fry not yet produced!... A high risk, but potentially high rewards if the Beni is passed on to future generations. That's how a "name" gets created among breeders.

How would you like the responsibility of selecting the males to use? Pick the wrong males and her worth as a parent fish may never be known.

[maryland_ponder]

Thats why i wonder why the males aren't given a more equal value.

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM Superb for a cut flower, but that price is for the fry not yet produced!... A high risk, but potentially high rewards if the Beni is passed on to future generations. That's how a "name" gets created among breeders. How would you like the responsibility of selecting the males to use? Pick the wrong males and her worth as a parent fish may never be known.

[schildkoi]

First off, she would definitely be in the 6 figures and the $250,000 may be in the ball park. Keep in mind that the Japanese are very good at getting every cent possible.

Also keep in mind, just because a Koi makes GC does NOT mean it will produce GC, or even anything near the same level as itself. There may be some "marketing value", but realistically as a long term high quality breeder, it would be a "long short". "Proven" Breeders (Oyagoi)are worth their wieght in gold. This is a far cry from an "unknown GC.

Steve