"PLADDA PERFECTION"
A British Phenonomon. from John Postill
N.P.A -1934-6542. Hatched Spring of "34" in the plain and simple Jacobin lofts standing in the garden of "Pladda Cottage" on the outskirts of the Scottish town of Girvan, among the rolling green hills of that most prolific of Scottish Jacobin counties Ayreshire, where the Caladonion legends John Reid and James Purdon had ruled the roost for decades, but it was not one of these long established inbred families that was to produce The" Pladda ", that honour fell to a fancier of only a couple of years standing, just starting to feel his way in the well supported and competitive Novice classes of that time, His name was Mr M. Mcgill, a name new to many of his peers, but one that remains to this day engraved on the most important silverware of both the English and Scottish Jacobin societies, honours denied to many after lifetimes of competition.
The parents of the "Pladda" were said to be nothing special, but they almost certainly contained the bloodlines of the sensational blacks bred by Mr Willie Russell of Douglas, Lanarkshire, famed for such great champions as "Black Queen" and "Wonder" who were, in the words of Mr Herbert Smith (of Trumpeter fame) and I quote "Two great ones, both very compact and finished with a sheen like a solid mass of black Marble. Both great winners and the latter the sire of the famous "DREADNOUGHT". A trace of that Russell blood could be found in the majority of the U.K studs of that time, traced back in all colours, especially the Reds of the late H.A Cobbe of Ipswich..Russell also exported hundreds of pounds worth of stock, a fortune in those days, among others the late great Frank Gorse,of Needham Heights, Boston, Mass. was to take many across to North America to help in the production of his "modern type".
One can only guess at the level of satisfaction and anticipation McGill must have felt during that summer of "34", waiting for the completion of the first moult and the string of Classic competitions in front of his ( as yet) uncrowned champion, one thing is for sure, he knew he had something special on his hands, for his entries in that seasons campaign were no longer made in the Novice section, but in the heat of open competition, against the likes of Dr Elliott, Reid, Purdon, Raeside Bro's and Frank Gorse.
The opening Classic show of the "Pladdas" career was the spectacular "Crystal Palace" exhibition in London, taking first in young black cocks, silver spoon best young black, and best young Jacobin overall. A very satisfactory start. Then it was on to the English club show, held at the massive "Olympia" small livestock show, against the Cream of the English fancy. Once again the Scottish raiders won the day, taking best young black and Brothers memorial trophy best young Jacobin overall. This must have been a memorable victory for the Novice from Girvan.The final, and perhaps most difficult task, was to be the Scottish Club Show, held on New Years Day 1935 in the famous textile town of Paisley. The Scottish fancy of the day was very keen, but many refused to send their birds over the Border, being content with competition in the homeland, here also prominant Irish fanciers would gather. The recent victorys in England in no way guarenteed the "Pladda" success, for now he was to face the challenge of the Willie Russell team of blacks.The Judge was the Reverend Harkness, a man of the cloth, but also a great Scottish Jacobin fancier, He gave the Adult black cock class to Willie Russell,The old hens fell to Dr Elliott. How would the "Pladda" fare on his Home debute ? you may have guessed, for Class always tells. Once again he took best young bird etc, but more importantly he now had the Classic Hatrick! under three differing judges, H.A Cobbe, Jimmy Mundell and Rev Harkness respectivley.
1935 was to be no different, Victories at Both English and Scottish Club Shows, with top spot at the Dairy and the Crystal Palace. And so it went on for several seasons, in turn winning both the English and Scottish Waters trophies for Best of breed at the Club Shows, he was undoubtably the "Peoples Champion" and admired by all. He was described as bearing an amazing elegance when in the walking pen, correctly Slender, and the darkest of solid Black throughout. My Grandfathers comments on his feather properties still linger in my memory, being so very thick and broad in a solid main, his hood arched up and forwards in a most noble way to meet the curved mass of eye feather sweeping inwards, his chain curved in thickly and met in perfect alignment.When properly posed his head was never visible but hidden beneath a near perfect globe of wide, high gloss feather, providing that sturdy bouncy swing when on parade.
There is no doubt that the "Pladda" entered the British Jacobin fancy of that time like a thunder clap, being far and away superior to the general type of the era, but on reflection and with the benifit of hindsight I feel he gave far more to the breed than he ever took out, his reign was during a time of great National depression between the Wars, in fact a period when so many of the Jacobin Societys members owed money to the club, the officials had to wipe the slate clean, and start afresh the following year with a much reduced subscription.This combined with the effect of the loss of so many aspiring young fanciers when serving with British and Commonwealth troops in the Great War. It seems that the "Pladda" provided a "LIFT" to the Jacobin fancy and issued a common objective, a stimulus to ambitions that would promote the popularity of the breed. Almost a fairy tale, bred by a raw Novice from conservative ( but well bred ) stock, then shooting to National fame. The new benchmark was in place, who could produce one as good, if not better than the "Pladda".
Over the years that have passed since the time of McGill and the "Pladda" his image has been used many times on documents of importance, prize cards and awards, his profile used in castings for Plaques and Trophies and even appeared on the front cover of the 1956 Diamond Jubilee Year Book of the English Jacobin Society, when one considers the open rivalry between the two clubs over many years, to find a Scottish bred bird in such a prominent position was a sincere tribute indeed, and marked the respect held even twenty years later for one of the all time greats of the British Jacobin Fancy the "PLADDA PERFECTION".
