“Heritage” Breeds of Rabbits in the UK

There are 50 recognized breeds listed in the current edition of the Standard of Perfection (SOP), plus Czech Frosty that was added in 2022 after the current 2021-2025 SOP was published.  Many of the breeds were not recognized originally.  To name a few, the very popular Mini Rex, Mini Satin, Jersey Wooly, American Fuzzy Lop, ... even the Giant Angora and Satin Angora were not recognized breeds by the American Rabbit Breeders Association when Betty started showing rabbits in 1981.   

 It is interesting to read that the British Rabbit Council published their "Heritige Breeds", those old breeds that have been there for longer than we have been in this life.   The following photos are published in the BRC Facebook.

This is the intro page.  

The English Lop club may not be the oldest club but the English Lop breed is the oldest breed in the world.  

The Polish or the Pol was brought to the UK in 1860.   This Pol is not the same Polish breed as in the US; this breed is called Britiannia Petite.   The Polish in the US is a different breed from the Polish in the UK. 

Angora was introduced to the UK in the 18th century but no year given.  In the UK, there has been only one kind of Angora, English Angora naturally.   It's interesting to see a chestnut agouti English Angora being used as representation.  In the US, the first Angoras (English and French, no distinction) were white, the REW.  In the 1934-1939 US Standard of Perfection, the color list included white, black, blue and fawn.

Beveren is not a popular breed in the US, it's now considered as a "rare breed", but it is a very old and original breed in the UK.  The breed club founded in 1818, it is oldiest fur club in the UK.

Silver was introduced to UK in 1592 and the club was founded in 1889.  

Dutch was introduced into the UK in 1835 and there was record of the club in 1902.

Belgian Hare breed was introduced into the UK in 1874, one of the popular breeds in the UK but not as popular in the US.   Even at the recent years, many US breeders still import Belgian Hare from the UK.

The first time Tan was shown in the UK was in 1888.  The Tan in the UK and the Tan in the US are almost the same.