07/05/2024
One of Roo’s ancestors. He carries the bloodlines of several well known Percherons, including this handsome guy, Valley Vista Knighttime.
ASHDA Friday flashback. A look into the past and the origins of the breed that would one day become a vital part of the foundation of the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft Horse.
Anyone who knows the history behind the development of this breed knows that Mr. Smith set out to breed the best quality bloodlines. Many of the Percherons he used, can trace back to names in the Percheron world such as Charlie Degas, Justamere Showtime, Valley Vista Knighttime, Dragano, Monet, and many others.
While we all know the originating history of the Percheron is found in France, some believe they are descendants of the original horses found in the Ice Age, while others believe that the Percheron is closely related to the horses used in the Roman invasion of Brittany. Others believe they are part of the horses used by the invading Moors at the battle of Poitiers, which were divided among the victorious French forces. While there are many various thoughts on their ancestery, historians believe the Percheron originated in the area of La Perche, a district of Normandy, one of the oldest horse breeding regions in the world.
In the 8th century, Arabian and other oriental horses were bred with the heavy native horses and cob stock, producing the first of the Percheron horses. During the Middle Ages, Spanish blood was introduced by the Comte de Perche, then later the Comte de Rotrou, imported Andalusian stallions, which were crossed on to Percheron mares. In the early 1800's, two gray Arabian stallions were imported into the Le Perche area and used extensively on the existing stock. It is from these two stallions, that the present day gray color found in Percherons can be traced to. In 1823, a stallion named Jean Le Blanc was foaled in Le Perche, and all of today’s Percheron bloodlines trace directly to this horse.
Percherons were first imported to the United States in 1839, by Edward Harris of Moorestown, New Jersey. Years later, two stallions, Normandy and Louis Napoleon, were imported to Ohio in 1851.
It is interesting to know that the very first two Percheron stallions imported into America, came to Ohio, and that the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft, which owes a great deal of it's heritage to the Percheron breed, was founded in Ohio. There is so much history that is involved with this breed and it's ancestors. We hope our fans enjoy learning about it, as much as we do.
Pictured is Valley Vista Knighttime, sire to ASHDA Hall of Fame mare, Sugarbush Felina Del Noche, one of the founding mares owned by Mr. Smith and the dam of the iconic ASHDA stallion, Sugarbush Harley Quinne. Many of our E-Designation horses can trace back to her.
