 |
THE PERCHERON
HORSE |
The Percheron Horse originated in the small district of La Perche
in north-western France. Here the Arabian horses abandoned by the
defeated Moors at the Battle of Tours in 732AD were crossed with the
massive Flemish stock, native to the rich, fertile province of Flanders.
From this cross came the Percheron type which has endured for twelve
centuries.
In the early 1800’s the French Government Stud at Le Pin introduced
further Arabian blood into the Percheron breed, by mating selected
mares with two of the outstanding Arabian sires then obtainable in
Europe. All contemporary Percherons share this common heritage, descending
from the small genetic reservoir of foundation stock which thus originated
in La Perche. In the early 1900’s, only horses bred in this
original area were entered into the French Percheron Stud Book.
The Societe Hippique Percheronne (France) was founded in 1883 and
pure bred breeding stock have been exported to Argentina, Australia,
Canada, Japan, the Union of South Africa, the United Kingdom, the
USSR, and the USA. Registered animals in these nations trace directly
to the nucleus of foundation stock originating in La Perche. Today
the Percheron is known throughout the world as the leading breed of
draught horse.
It is said that the first Percherons introduced to Australia were
with a convict shipment from Canada and were in fact the first draught
horses to come to this country, hence the high percentage of Percheron
type horses in use at “Old Sydney Town”. Records from
the RAS Sydney going back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s
show a reasonable number of Percheron horses in led classes. These
Percheron lines probably died out as no records of progeny from these
horses can now be found.
The first definite steps to establish registered Percheron Horses
in Australia were taken by the late Alex J. Melrose, MLA who in 1913
purchased a colt and two fillies in France. They arrived in South
Australia in 1914 to be the nucleus of “Kadlunga”. The
Melrose family have remained active breeders ever since, making further
importations of sires on a regular basis.
In 1922 six mares and a stallion were imported from Canada by the
late F.B.S. Falkiner, “Foxlow”, Bungendore, NSW, and a
further mare, thrice champion at the Royal Winter Fair, Toronto in
1934.
The late J.S. Anderson “Newstead South”, Inverell, made
major purchases from “Foxlow” followed by the complete
acquisition of the NSW Department of Agriculture’s Percherons
in the early 1950’s and sires from “Kadlunga”. After
Mr Anderson’s death, “Newstead” was dispersed in
1975 and following this sale the first positive steps were taken to
form a breed association and register in Australia.
Since 1978 seven stallions (one bred in France) have been imported
from the UK while a stallion and several mares have arrived from Canada:
the first Canadian and French imports in over forty years.
Today in Australia there are close to 1,000 purebred Percheron horses,
with numerous crossbreds.
The South Australian Mounted Police are using part Percherons and
the Victorian Police are using Percheron Drum Horses, with the Commonwealth
Serum Laboratories using Percherons for the production of anti-venine
for the treatment of venomous snake and spider bites.
In its time, the Percheron has undertaken every role from war horse,
coach horse, farm horse, to gun horse and riding horse. Percheron
breeders were able to breed the horse to suit conditions. The Percheron
Horse is essentially a draught horse, massive, deep, short in his
coupling, heavily muscled, strong in this topline, rugged and straight
in his bone, with feet of reasonable size with quality hard blue horn
and legs as clean and free from long hair as possible. He must be
neat in his head and neck and well balanced throughout. There must
be the unmistakeable evidence of quality in general; his action is
strong and bold, with a long free stride.
For further information contact
Percherons
Rod Statham
PO Box 55
Goomeri QLD 4601
(07) 41 687 172
