It may be true to say that a measure of strength in any nation, culture or construction is displayed in the quality of its foundations and the talents of its architects. This applies equally to the pioneers of our fancy pigeon organisations and the firm foundations they laid, in some cases well over one hundred years ago.
A look at the British Jacobin fancy of the 1800s suggests a very 'tribal' collection of supporters, split into factions, each group pursuing differing objectives and ideals. Arguments prevailed at exhibitions and continued at length through the columns of the various fancy publications of the day. Amongst many others, common subjects of debate were: Objections made to the crossing by some breeders to the ancient breed of the 'Ruff', to effect increased feather length and volume, resulting in the new property of the 'Mane' as one of the primary features of the Jacobin. These breeders were described as the 'feather' supporters, and were not at all popular with the old school, who were firm advocates of quality, smallness and carriage and had no time for the new 'Hog Maned' type that was, according to their complaints 'evolving into a larger coarser bird'.
'Wild Card' judges were the order of the day, often self-appointed experts, who in reality were nothing else but professional pigeon dealers who made their livings from markets and bird shops in the larger cities of London, Manchester and Liverpool, at times certain results were to reflect their commercial interests. The Crystal Palace exhibition of 1883 provided a total of 2,459 birds in 260 breed classes that were sorted by a total of only seven judges, although by that year they consisted of mainly true breeders and creditable exhibitors. The day of the specialist judge had not yet arrived and was a cause of constant complaint. Towards the end of the century many heated words were exchanged on the subjects of over trimming, faking and the use of heated flat irons to extend a dampened hood forward and obtain more curl to the chain. Attitudes differed, with no official breed standard or club rules to guide them - who was to say what was right and what was wrong.
