Wynette, when I look at these outlines tho, it appears that the back is very nearly level and only very slightly sloped. But what I get in real life, at least in some birds is a back that looks like a ski slope. Like the TX boy I showed before.Don, it's great to have varying opinions, to be sure! You know that I respect your opinion!! Also, everyone has their "thing" - for me, if I had to choose ONE type issue that bugs me to the point of no end, it's the awful toplines that I see. The shank feathering, so long as they have it, isn't a deal breaker for me, except when I think it's FAR too heavy or plain clean.
Topline: should run DOWNHILL from base of neck to base of tail. Not drastically, and the male more than the female. But, I see more Marans (expecially the female) that have the exact opposite topline - it drives me nuts.
But I also understand (now, after asking here because it wasn't clear to me from reading the standard) that it should be downhill from shoulder to tail. not UPhill towards the tail.