This is a subject which has come to the forefront in recent years, and is what makes our “modern” show-type Jacobin the elegant, eye-catching bird that it is. It has been my observation that many jacobin enthusiasts do not exactly understand just what refinement can do for a Jacobin.
In years gone by, it was quite acceptable for Jacobins to be rather coarse. By this, I mean short and cobby in the body, with heavy prominent wing butts and short necks, as long as the bird showed itself and had good feather structure. Today these Jacobins just don’t cut it. The standard clearly states, in regards to body-”long and slender, stressing slimness.”
A truly refined Jacobin is of medium size and has a long, smooth, slender body. His wing butts should blend in with this smooth, long outline and cover in front with plumage to give that streamlined, contoured appearance from every angle. There should be no shoulder visible from any angle, and the breast, waist and back should be narrow and long. The neck must continue this pattern and be as long as possible, to give that extra reach to the entire head formation and to allow for the best whip-in possible.
The whip-in is to be the narrowest point of the Jacobin, in profile, at the base of the neck from where the feathers of the head formation radiate upwards and outwards. This is why the shoulders and body should not be wider than this narrowest point, so as not to break that streamlined outline.
To allow the Jacobin to carry itself properly and to be as tall as possible, the legs must be set directly below the centre of the rose when viewed from the side. Again we want a reasonably long leg and thigh. When the body, leg and neck structure is correct, the Jacobin should be able to gently push up on its toes with ease, holding its body in a very upright position, and the back will appear slightly hollow or concave. The extra length to the neck will give the bird that desired narrow neckline in the whip-in region, and will help to enhance the extension of the feather across the eyeline in profile which in contrast, should be the widest point of the entire formation.
The Jacobin breeders of today are now taking another step forward by adding refinement and elegance to an already beautiful breed.
Written by Clint Robertson <barj@mts.net>
