What parameters should be used to decide what koi should be in a grow out contest?

[luke frisbee]

The variables....
first establish the point of the contest....
One of the best contests could be to determine whether a certain domestic breeder's fish are as good as Japanese fish.
now how could that be even slightly decided through a grow out contest....

A dealer could ask three Japanese and three American breeders to send him 25 of their best $40 "tategoi in the 5-7 inch range.
Take pics and give them random ID numbers. And post the pics without anyone aware of which is what.
All the participants pic from the list... Some will get all domestic and others will get all japanese... ya Plays your money and you take your chances..
at the end of it all some renowned koi judges could filter through what volume of information is created and they could offer their humble opinions as to which koi appear to be the best....and then later be asked to pick the japanese out if they want to.
And after that is done the dealer could post the source (breeder/country) of each koi.
Not scientific but it would generate some insight.

[luke frisbee]

the current contest has the goal of?
winning a prize?
proving you can pick a winner...or raise one?
being able to better look in a crystal SU ball?

Having fun and learning are intrinsic to grow out contests so don't place any emphasis on them above any other contest.
yes create rules that increase the fun and the knowledge gathered, but what knowledge.

[jnorth]

Originally Posted by luke frisbee

The variables....
first establish the point of the contest....
One of the best contests could be to determine whether a certain domestic breeder's fish are as good as Japanese fish.
now how could that be even slightly decided through a grow out contest....

A dealer could ask three Japanese and three American breeders to send him 25 of their best $40 "tategoi in the 5-7 inch range.
Take pics and give them random ID numbers. And post the pics without anyone aware of which is what.
All the participants pic from the list... Some will get all domestic and others will get all japanese... ya Plays your money and you take your chances..
at the end of it all some renowned koi judges could filter through what volume of information is created and they could offer their humble opinions as to which koi appear to be the best....and then later be asked to pick the japanese out if they want to.
And after that is done the dealer could post the source (breeder/country) of each koi.
Not scientific but it would generate some insight.

I like that idea but the problem is the price difference between the same quality grade import vs domestic. To get the same price the import koi would likely be of a lesser quality because you have to factor in the cost of shipping from Japan. Not saying it can't be done but the dealer putting up the koi for the contest would have to either take a hit on the imports or make a real nice profit off the domestics.

[jnorth]

Originally Posted by luke frisbee

the current contest has the goal of?
winning a prize?
proving you can pick a winner...or raise one?
being able to better look in a crystal SU ball?

Having fun and learning are intrinsic to grow out contests so don't place any emphasis on them above any other contest.
yes create rules that increase the fun and the knowledge gathered, but what knowledge.

The goal is all of the above. Prove you can pick a winner and then raise it. If you can do that then you win a prize and you might have some fun and learn something along the way as well.

[luke frisbee]

Yeah Jnorth,
I thought of that too

How 'bout the same quality of tategoi are gotten from both, and an average price is what the participants pay?

[luke frisbee]

Originally Posted by jnorth

The goal is all of the above. Prove you can pick a winner and then raise it. If you can do that then you win a prize and you might have some fun and learn something along the way as well.

yes but other contests could be to....
finish the fish the soonest....help understand how to finish a koi and what actually does finish a koi too soon
prove you can pick the sex of a koi by its shape...body? fins? luster? what?(ogons used)

[jnorth]

Originally Posted by luke frisbee

Yeah Jnorth,
I thought of that too

How 'bout the same quality of tategoi are gotten from both, and an average price is what the participants pay?

That would work a 50/50 mix of domestic/import all coming from the same dealer. So that problem is solved .

[luke frisbee]

yep..
think of the buzz it would create...knowing that Purdin, brady, and Matt were up against three of the "-sans".

alot of us wouldn't be able to tell squat, but some of us would be able to tell a brady kohaku at first glance...not me though...
Sure show me a vat of brady Kohakus and I could give a decent guess...but mix his 25 in with five other breeders 25 and ask me to pick out the ones that are his...

[koiczar]

Originally Posted by luke frisbee

yep..
think of the buzz it would create...knowing that Purdin, brady, and Matt were up against three of the "-sans".

alot of us wouldn't be able to tell squat, but some of us would be able to tell a brady kohaku at first glance...not me though...
Sure show me a vat of brady Kohakus and I could give a decent guess...but mix his 25 in with five other breeders 25 and ask me to pick out the ones that are his...

Don't forget Rich Rombold at San Joaquin Koi.

Luke, btw, what really makes you think you're gonna be able to get $40 fish that are TATEGOI - not from Japan anyway - there's no such thing!?LOL

Mike

[carolyn swanson]

If I were one of the breeders, to make sure my fish won and I got the recognition/publicity, my best fish would suddenly cost $40.