ORIGINS OF THE BELGIAN HARE
The Belgian
Hare can be traced back to the "leporine"
developed in the early part of the 18th century in the
Flanders area of eastern Europe by the selective breeding
of domestic and wild European rabbits.
Leporines were imported from Belgium and Germany to England in the
1870s by Mr. W. Lumb and his brother-in-law Mr. B. Greaves,
importers of small stock from continental Europe. Wilkins (1896) wrote
that after their introdiction into England ..."they (were) bred
continuosly, but with two and distinct objects - in the one, for size,
and the other, ostensibly to develop a rabbit of the form, color and
fur of the wild hare. The larger race has been called the 'Patagonian',
but is now recognized as the 'Flemish Giant', the other has been named
'Belgian Hare' rabbit." It was explained that the redder
colored Leporines resembled the common wild hare of
England (lepus Timidus), and a
number of adventuresome rabbit aficionados and natural scientists
undertook the task of employing selective breeding to make the Leporine
look more like lepus Timidus.
These early breeders included Mr. Lumb, Dr, Barham, and Dr.J
Salter a Physian, Fellow of the Royal Society, Fellow of the
Zoological Socity. Fellow of the Linnaean Societ, an friend of Charles
Darwin. Their rabbits were called the "Belgian Hare"-- "Belgian"
(to recognize their
origin) and "Hare" (to recognize their resemblance to Lepus Timidus
which was a true hare).
Breeders of
the Belgian Hare began to compete in small livestock
shows and standards
were first written in 1882. The breed was further refined to make
the Belgian Hare appear even more like the English wild hare (lepus Timidus), i.e., more racy
in shape than the breeders were then producing. This new, more racy,
Belgian
Hare was described in a 1889 revision of the standard. In
addition
to the more racy shape, the new standard called for ticking more like
the
wild hare (more distributed in waves), a bold eye, greater length of
limb,
and no ticking on the front limbs, ears, or hind feet (however, a small
amount of ticking was allowed on the front feet).
In 1888, E.M. Hughes of Albany, N.Y. brought the first Belgian Hare
to America. Mr. Hughs along with Mr. W.N Richardson of Troy, NY and Mr.
G.W. Fenton of Barr, MA promoted and exhibited the Belgian Hare at
small
stock shows acoss the US and should be given credit for the early
popularization of the breed in this country.
Shortly after Mr. Hughes importation of the Belgian Hare from the
UK,
The breeders in this country formed the "American Belgian Hare
Association".
Mr W.N. Richardson of Troy, N.Y was named Secretary. However this
association
lasted not much more than one year. Mr. Crabtree wrote, "Although
started in a liberal Spirit, and with the best of intentions, it became
disorganized on account of the wide scattering of the membership making
it difficult to obtain a quorum at meetings". A second attempt to
organize
was made in 1897. The "National Belgian Hare Club of America"
was formed, with headquarters in Denver, CO and Mr. P.E. Crabtree as
secretary.
Twelve years after the formation of the National Belgian Hare Club of
America
and as additional breeds were introduced in the US, a new "all-breed"
club,
the " National Pet Stock Association" was formed. After several
name
changes, the National Pet Stock Association became the American Rabbit
Breeders Association. As the years past, the National Belgian Hare club
of America also passed from existance. In the June of 1972, a group of
Belgian Hare breeders gathered together to apply for a specialty club
charter
from the American Rabbit Breeders Association to replace the defunct
National
Belgian Hare Club of America. In July of 1972 the charter was
granted
and our present club, the "American Belgian Hare Club" was
established.
After intoduction into the United States in 1888, the Belgian Hare
enjoyed
much popularity, and large rabbitries were built for their production.
Large numbers of rabbits were imported at fabulous prices. It is
recorded
that Hares fetched prices of $500 to $1000 each (in pre-1900 Dollars!).
This was called "the Belgian Hare boom." Remember, this was at a time
when
labor earned 10 to 15 cents per hour.
Mr. C. H. Lane reported that a center of
Belgian Hare popularity existed in Los Angeles area where the weather
was
particularly advantageous to the propagation of the hare. In 1898,
there
were no less than 600 rabbitries there carrying from 75 to more than a
1000 head of stock each. He further stated that in 1900, over 60,000
Belgian
Hares were being raised in Southern California alone and numbers were
on
the increase!
In
1900, the National Belgian Hare Club of America held its
first
Exposition, which was reputedly the first and certainly the largest
exposition seen up to that time confined to only one breed of
rabbit.
The National Belgian Hare of America club promulgated
Standards
of Excellence for TWO varieties , one for the "Standard"
(fancy)
Belgian Hare and one for the "Heavy Weight" (commercial) Belgian Hare.
Today, the American Rabbit Breeders Association recognizes only a
"fancy"
variety in their "Standards of Perfection."
The End of the Boom
Inevidably, supply caught up with demand and the Belgian Hare Boom was
over. James Blyth in his article "King of the Fancy" in the October,
1973
issue of Countryside & Small Stock Magagine, had some addional
insight
into the end of the "boom". He wrote, "Until about 1917 Belgians led in
entries. When the Hares were judged, the show was about over. The Hares
were hurt when they came out with a standard for the heavyweight
Belgian,
Trying to make a meat rabbit out of this fine racy animal certainly was
not for the good of the race horse of the rabbit family. At this time
the
Hare began to lose its place in popularity. Each breed has its
place,
and when you strive for meat-type in a fancy rabbit, you have lost much
of that alert and fine, clean-cut appearance."
Today, Belgian Hare continues to be one of the less popular rabbits
in America, because, in part, they are difficult to breed
successfully.
Three centuries of various degrees of line breeding have diminished
their
hybrid vigor, and, today, too few breeders pursuing too few bloodlines
have further exacerbated the situation. Raising Belgian Hares involves
a lot of hard work, expert animal husbandry practices, and a lot of
luck!
WHY, THEN, BELGIAN HARES?
If
Belgian
Hares
are difficult to raise, why do people try to do so? For some, of
course,
it is the challenge of the difficult task. However, for me, it is the
beauty
of its dark rich chestnut red color, the grace of its form and the
gracefulness
of its motion. A good Belgian Hare is almost always in motion,
especially
when you are around. It will prance around its cage, leaping over the
water
and feed crocks in a fashion that can only be described as an animal
ballet,
not a flat footed rabbit hop. Then it will suddenly freeze in its
characteristic
pose on its front toes, body stretched to full length, its ears erect,
and with a wild look in its eyes. This is the moment a Belgian Hare
raiser
lives for! It make all of the problems and disappointment of raising
this
breed worth while.
NEXT Raising Belgian Hares
(Revised 7/16/2005)
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