GC of UK vs US

[mynamy1]

Eating turkey and cruising the net for the last few days or so, this is my observation: GCs from UK koi shows resemble their homeland relatives. I notice the imposing body and great skin.

The GCs, in US, resemble a garden koi. For example, the current 05 AKCA KoiUSA's Champion of Champions is a chisel head, limpy tail and smallish Ginrin showa. Red and shiro are good but head sumi is so so. Just don't mean to insult the owner but I must critic the fish to learn. It seems like in the previous years, many GCs look quite imposing until 2005. MA Le

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by mynamy1 Eating turkey and cruising the net for the last few days or so, this is my observation: GCs from UK koi shows resemble their homeland relatives. I notice the imposing body and great skin. The GCs, in US, resemble a garden koi. For example, the current 05 AKCA KoiUSA's Champion of Champions is a chisel head, limpy tail and smallish Ginrin showa. Red and shiro are good but head sumi is so so. Just don't mean to insult the owner but I must critic the fish to learn. It seems like in the previous years, many GCs look quite imposing until 2005. MA Le

The Gin Rin Showa you talk of is ok, not great but okay. I have watched that fish at one of the dealers until it was bought. We were at a surprise that this fish took GC at the San Diego Show. It was under size for a GC and considering it won tells me the level of competition.

Back to the question, the level of hobby between here and the UK is different. Maybe they take the hobby alittle more serious compared to here or maybe we are a couple of years behind in the learning. But it is up to the higher end hobbyist to bring out something to compete. There are hobbyist in the Bay Area that spend tens of thousands of dollars that dont compete....

[mynamy1]

So we, in US, are shy to show our great fish? Is the KHV scare a strong contributing factor?

My notice that Dr. Gene Ewy has a great collection and could win easily if he decides to show? MA Le

ps. Aquitori, what dealer is the GR showa come from? Typical smallish head of Ogata as you mentioned in the other thread?

[jnorth]

Quote: Originally Posted by mynamy1 So we, in US, are shy to show our great fish? Is the KHV scare a strong contributing factor?

I don't think KHV has much to do with. I think the fast paced lifestyle here in the US has more to do with it then anything. It's very hard to find the time to show.

[dick benbow]

I can confirm for americans that the brit's have been longer at this hobby than we have, and the level of competence (overall) is much greater.(BTW the same is true with bonsai, The U.S. has no National show/competition as the europeans do!)


We certainly have koi kichii's here in the states that would match the best in the UK...but not as an overall group. And i do know of several U.S. exhibitors who did not show at all this year because of the concern over cross contamination.

But for both sides of the pond....the hobby, like the tide.... ebbs and flows and for whatever reason competitors drop out and new ones are added and any one show can find a highly contested year followed by one not even close.

I quess what i'm trying to say is don't worry about the slim years, for whatever reason good koi here in the states are present....just waiting for whatever it takes to get them out of the backyard and into competition.

[aquitori]

So we, in US, are shy to show our great fish? Is the KHV scare a strong contributing factor?

Diease is always a strong factor for anyone showing, not just KHV. It's the amount of money invested in ones fish that plays a deciding factor in showing.

My notice that Dr. Gene Ewy has a great collection and could win easily if he decides to show? MA Le

Dr. Ewy could probably win at an show if he decides to come out and show again. I guess we will leave it up to him, like some of the fore mentioned in the past thread these hobbyist have gone into private hobbyist mode for awhile.

ps. Aquitori, what dealer is the GR showa come from? Typical smallish head of Ogata as you mentioned in the other thread?

The Gin Rin Showa is from Ogata, if you notice on the majority of the fish he produce the have a small head and large hump. Some say the hump is a sign that the fish will grow big...but I have yet to see it.

[luke frisbee]

after attending the CFKS, BKKS, and Koi America in the past year I can assure you that Britain is not a couple of years ahead of the US...they are MANY years ahead of the US.
At the BKKS i saw 20 fish that would have taken GC over the CFKS fish or the Koi America GC. If you ever get a chance Do NOT go to the BKKS show, you won't get excited about the American Koi Shows if you do.
I really don't know how many years they are ahead of us, but they are several levels above us. But Money could make up the distance very fast.

And as to the US Hobbyist being shy...Why do you think the style of show now practiced worldwide is referred to as the "British-style"?
And there have to be an equal population of "shy" hobbyists in GB because of it.

[Brutuscz]

I'm thinking of juicing my Sakai Kohaku with steroids to make it the size of a killer whale..Then we'll see who has the better koi..lol!!! USA..USA..USA!!!

[Brutuscz]

This is my kumonryu...now how you brits gonna deal with that?!?!

[jbolding]

That was funny, but I would have to agree from all that I have read and seen that the average British koi hobbyist is pretty far ahead of the average US hobbyist. And of course the British are behind the Japanese. I believe that hobby is an evolutionary process and the British by virtue of time and propinquity to one another have an upper hand at the moment. But in the long run I doesn't really so much care what the British have in their ponds. I care about what is in my pond and how the improve. If you can focus on that not much else matters.