(pronounced He - a - nen - seh)
Grizzle cock
Grizzle cock
07 Blue Bar hen
Blue Bar hen
06 Blue Bar cock #1000
07 Blue Bar hen
Among the primordial races of Spanish Croppers were the Paloma de Casta Azul, admired for their conquering instinct, blue feathering, and refined head shape . They were, to the Gorguero and Jiennense, what the Colitejo was to the Marchenero and Jerezano-their antecedent. These, blended with a posture pigeon variously known as colavuelta, colguero, or olguero, descended from the Quebrado Murciano, gave rise to a pouter extremely popular on La Mesa of the Iberian peninsula, Castile and Madrid, known as the Gorguero. In many ways the Gorguero represented the archetypal pouter in its region, as did the Valenciano in Catalonia and perhaps the Rafeņo in Andalusia.
Today in Jaen can be found the Jiennense. They fly well and often with tails curved upwards with a slow, deliberate wing-beat lifting them above the rooftops and cathedral towers. Their colors have a great deal of intensity and clarity, their plumage strong, almond shaped heads and a crop which is never too deep, lacking a distinct crease, and always hanging over the shoulders like a collar.
Standard
General Aspect: The Jiennense combines
the features of many races today from various areas where they are
popular. This breed is the result of various crossings, achieving a pigeon
with well defined characteristics, derived from the Valenciano, Orguero,
Gorguero, Rafeņo and Murciano. We don't know why so many races were
involved in the make-up so it is impossible to say which, if any, had
greatest influence. They are of medium size, alert, long, strong, slightly
arched neck, slim with a wide chest and strong powerful wings for flight,
without exceeding the length of the tail, and held apart in courting. The
Crop is never long enough to be dragged on the ground, rather it is
graceful, which gives a harmonious appearance.
Head: Strong, not very wide at
the top but almond shaped, forming a smooth, unbroken, elliptical line
from behind the wattles to the beginning of the neck.
Eye: Always bright and intense
red in the darker colors, orange in the lighter colors, never pearl or
greenish.
Eye Cere: An important
characteristic of this race, they must be dark gray in blues and shiny in
blacks, flesh colored in the lighter plumage. The cere must be fine,
though a little pronounced at the front, both developing with maturity.
Beak: Juveniles give the
impression of a longer beak but as they mature and the wattles fill out
the beak appears shorter. The beak is strong and blunt, without a hook at
the tip. Older birds tend to show chin wattles.
Wattles: Long, smooth and
triangular, developing with maturity.
Legs: Proportionate to the bird,
never too short or long, always clean-legged, mulberry red color, covered
in scales.
Crop: Pear-shaped, not large but
pendulous, never dragging when cooing, maintaining a good balance for
flight. Never inflated or held high. The Jiennense has a 'tirilla' but the
crop is not creased.
Plumage: Close to the body,
strong, in good flying condition. All colors accepted.
Tail: Medium length, strong and
wide, twelve feathers.
Flight: The Jiennense holds its' head up and forms a 'morrillo' with the feathers at the base of the neck. A hanging pear-shaped crop in flight, as in courting. When they meet another bird in flight they will tremble slightly. The wings have a slow, rhythmic motion and the tail is usually curved upwards.