Re: [Killietalk] RE: The way it was?? One more time on Convention fish...

[Gary Elson or Mary frauley <fraulels at videotron_ca>]

Thanks to Dave Koran for that excellent post.

I  have attended 2 conventions in my 12 years in the AKA - not a great 
record, but realistic as the long weekend in the USA isn't a long 
weekend in Canada, and that's a busy time for me at my job. In every one 
of those conventions, I have spent a lot of time in the show room. I 
have a tendency to plunk myself down in the usually  nearly empty room, 
with a cold beer and open eyes. The fish I have seen there have been 
amazing., and getting to watch their colours and activity from various 
angles is a rare treat for a killiekeeper who isn't in a large affiliate 
club. I doubt I will ever be bored in an AKA showroom, because the range 
of species I have always gotten to see when I've gone to one.

I don't like the competitive aspect of it, as like many members whose 
main link to the AKA is killietalk, I love talking fish at conventions. 
I know the breeder's name can't be out there to influence judging, but 
it is frustrating to admire a "new to you" Aphyosemion, wonder who keeps 
it and later discover that the guy you met in the corridor with the 
funny hat was the one who brought the fish and you didn't know til you 
got the convention JAKA.

I "get" judging in guppies or Betta splendens or other intentionally 
human modified fish or animal shows. I don't get it in killies, where we 
admire each other's attempts to keep our fish looking as much like their 
ancestors did in nature as possible. The show fish are always good 
specimens, and excellent representatives of their species. Judging them 
seems a "no-win" situation to me. I'm also aware people like to win, so 
it is a way of enticing people to show. I still think most people show 
fish for the "honour" of it, and maybe a creative way (not just giving 
75 points) of  recognizing that might revitalize the shows.

After each of my rare convention visits, I've wanted to thank the people 
who brought fish for the show, as to me, it has always been a key 
element in my education about killifish.

Gary Elson (AKA, KIlli-Quebec - Montreal)

>  


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