Thoughts on Splashes

by Clint Robertson

 

                    

The standard states that a splash bird must be 50% white and 50% colour with an even distribution of colour and white throughout the bird. This has nothing to do with markings as they must be white regardless. It is just as easy to assign point value to a splash based on proper colour and distribution as it is to give appropriate point value to a self coloured bird based on quality of colour. There seems to be less interest in breeding splashes in this country. Many breeders do not look at them as a colour they particularly want to breed but rather as a stepping stone to improving other colours through white crosses. It is just convenient that they have a class they can show these bi-products in. Many judges similarly do not give credit to well marked splash birds when judging either, as I have seen white birds with only two or three coloured feathers win a splash class. This is wrong. It has become a bit of a joke at some shows to see certain breeders showing birds in three different classes that are essentially all the same colour. What I mean is a white with a few coloured feathers that could have easily been pulled is shown in the splash class, another one in the A.O.C. class and another one in the white class. The problem is the judges often just go ahead and place them. It has become enough of a problem that some shows no longer have a splash class and when they do they often must form a committee to check over the birds in the show to move them to the proper classes.

When I first started breeding Jacobins I had already been a fairly successful Fantail breeder for many years. Our fantail standard allowed a grand total of 5 points for colour. It has taken me many years to change and give the colour in Jacobins the credit that the standard calls for. I can still remember when my eyes first got opened to appreciate good colour. Drew was judging and I had bred a Black I was really proud of. Drew commented he was a wonderful bird and it was too bad he did not have better colour. Drew was right so I gave it some thought and I went home and started to put more emphasis on colour in my matings. I truly appreciate good colour in Jacobins and I now put much more effort into improving colour but I must caution any breeder that if you put too much emphasis just on colour in the early stages of the development of your line of jacobins you will have trouble becoming competitive. However just like all other features you are striving for you must take colour into consideration as you go and try to make matings that will improve all features.

 Clint Robertson        Email: clint@jacobins.ca
  
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