The importance of pattern

 A few weeks ago I made a post following a conversation with Shigeyoshi Tanaka of Maruju Koi Farm where he'd stated that Koi keepers should buy the Koi that they liked and learn to appreciate other qualities than buying 'show patterns' - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/830

Whilst taking pictures of some of the winning Koi at this weekend's South East Koi Show - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/849 - and stood next to Bernie Woollands an announcement was made that he and Peter Waddington would be discussing the importance of pattern in just 10 minutes time in the show's lecture theatre.  Figuring it might be interesting I abandoned picture taking and headed along.

Bernie opened the light hearted presentation/discussion outlining the role of the Koi judge and detailing the order of priority in which a judge will consider Koi against the 'accepted' rules of judging weighting body shape/structure as most important, followed by skin quality which includes colour depth and quality, finally finishing with the actual pattern of the Koi.

Waddy offered an interesting counter argument which focused on tosai primarily and how pattern was a primary consideration at that stage compared to skin and body which could only be guessed by the breeder in terms of future development.

Whilst I somewhat disagreed with some comments Peter made, for example that at the time that tosai are offered for sale most of the tategoi are menkaburi (hooded) that will have patterns cosmetically cut, I did consider something that I'd not already considered, that being why pattern was perhaps not such a major show criteria.

I have documented culling of fry many times here on Niigata-Nishikigoi.com as well as prior to that on www.yamakoshi.blogspot.com.  The Woolly/Waddy discussion focused on Gosanke, hereafter I'll do the same, specifically using Kohaku as examples, ultimately the Kohaku base pattern forms the base of all Gosanke.  If you've watched Oomo san's Showa selection video - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/843 - you'll know how he talks about sumi being of know concern at this stage.

From the very first culls of Kohaku the primary cosideration, assuming the fry is not deformed, is it's pattern.  At just 15mm or so in size there are elements of the pattern that are identifiable and that dictate which fry are kept.  I have to qualify this statement by saying that I'm now referring to 'serious' breeders, some will produce garden centre mass market Koi that just have to be red and white, arguably that means they have a pattern I guess, but the examples hereafter relate to serious breeders.

The pictures below all show examples of Kohaku patterns which would all be rejected, in my experience, at an early stage, by this I mean within the first 4 months.

The first example would have perhaps survived a couple of culls, but within a couple of months this Koi would likely be rejected, the pattern is far too loose.

There was actually a Koi like this at Momotaro on my earlier visits, a pet of Maeda san, its unique half and half pattern being kept for novelty value.

It doesn't matter how good the pattern is behind the head this Kohaku would be rejected almost immediately because of the bozu (bald) pattern.

As soon as i became apparent that there was no pattern on the left of this Koi, as we look, it would go.

Menkaburi, in my experience, are all rejected at an early stage.  If some white is visible on the head, perhaps around the eye or the nose then it may be kept.

Straight ippon hi with no cuts into the red will always go.  Even at a couple of centimetres the breeders are looking for a discernable pattern, the one below wouldn't be considered one.

By the shear fact that all of the above being rejected by breeders so early on and, with all displaying red and white in some pattern, we have to conclude that pattern is quite important, don't we?

Peter made a point that at the early stage when breeders make pattern decisions they have no idea about body shape or skin quality or at best is a guess.  I'd largely agree with this, for the serious breeder of Kohaku anything conforming to any of the above patterns has been rejected from the 'tategoi' by the time they are settled into the Koi house for winter aged around 4 months or so.

So, this is the point Peter's comments made me consider, by September the breeders have already rejected 10's if not 100's of fry because they do no conform in terms of pattern standards however, at this time body shape and skin are a largely unknown quantity.  The challenge ahead is not about pattern it's about developing the Koi in terms of size and retaining/developing it's quality.

From this point we need to skip forward at least 6 months until which point the best tosai harvested in September have reached 30cm+ and are being sorted for the mud ponds or, alternatively missing the final grade and being offered for sale as tateshita.

At this point in time the breeder is considering the pattern to a lesser degree perhaps, now bone structure, body shape and skin quality are major factors in the breeders decision about how Koi will develop.

Now is perhaps an appropriate point to focus back to the 2010 South East Koi Show Grand Champion, a Koi purchased by Mike Snaden as tosai, raised by him to nisai and then sold by him for a paltry £100!  She's pictured below again.

If there is one thing we can level against this Koi then I guess it's the pattern.  At first glance some may consider this Koi to not be a million miles from the last graphic example above.  However, there is a significant difference, the Kohaku above's pattern exhibits vertical cuts into the beni pattern, this would have got it through the early culls.

Why did the breeder offload it?  I'll bet he considered the pattern insufficiently interesting.  As I type this I regret not asking Mike why he subsequently sold it for such a relatively measly sum a little later.  I will try to find out!

If I understood Bernie correctly at the presentation the above Koi was entered at the 2010 East Midland Koi Club Show where it placed nowhere.  However, the judges deemed it appropriate of a JSC special award acknowledging it's quality.  Sadly I wasn't there but it would be an interesting comparison in how BKKS judges consider quality versus pattern, the suggestion being that this Koi missed out because of it's pattern.

The final point I want to consider relates to hobbyists buying Koi, this is perhaps where the biggest conflict comes with the judging criteria.  A Koi's pattern is unequivocally it's most apparent thing.  Stare into a pond and the first thing that strikes is pattern.  Before considering anything else I fundamentally feel that the pattern has to attract.  It is only thereafter that body and skin come into consideration.  I'd be really interested to hear from anyone who can tell me their initial instinct is to look for the Koi with the best body which, by the judging criteria is the most important.

So, to pull this all back together, how important is pattern....

The breeders have had a massive influence over pattern, many non conforming Koi have been rejected as their prime criteria by the age of 9 months, that's a fact.  Were any red and white coloured Koi marketable as Kohaku then they'd be kept.  Essentially almost anything getting to market of a reasonable grade from a known breeder has a pattern somewhat conforming to standards.

When it comes to judging, given the above I can fully appreciate and accept that by that point body and skin become more significant, the hobbyist/grower has a direct influence on both.

If you are in the market to buy, unless your sole target is show success, simply buy what you like.

For me pattern is underated compared to other criteria.