Editing Percheron (section)

==== In the United States and Great Britain ====
Percherons were first imported into the United States in 1839 by [[Edward Harris (ornithologist)|Edward Harris II]] of [[Moorestown, New Jersey]].  Only one of the initial four horses survived the ocean trip. Soon after, two [[stallion]]s and two [[mare]]s were imported; one mare died shortly after arrival and one stallion went blind and was retired within a year. Although the first importations of Percherons were less than successful, the remaining stallion owned by Edward Harris II, named Diligence, was credited with siring almost 400 foals. In 1851, three stallions were imported: {{nowrap|Normandy 351}}, Louis {{nowrap|Napoleon 281}} and Gray Billy. Throughout their stud careers, each had significant influence on American draft horse stock.<ref>Mischka, ''The Percheron Horse in America'', pp. 34–35</ref> In the mid-19th century in the United States, Percheron stallions were crossed with homebred mares to improve the local stock, resulting in thousands of [[crossbred]] horses.<ref name=Rowena>McDermott, ''The Working Horse Manual'', pp. 22–23</ref> After the [[American Civil War]] in the 1860s greatly reduced the number of horses, there was a significant need for large draft horses, especially in growing cities and in the expanding West.<ref name=History /> Large numbers of Percherons were imported to the United States beginning in the early 1870s, and they became popular with draft horse breeders and owners.{{r|hendricks}} In the 1880s, approximately 7,500 horses were exported to the United States.<ref name=Edwards /> This extensive importation lasted until 1893, when the US experienced a [[Panic of 1893|financial panic]], and virtually no Percheron imports occurred between 1894 and 1898. In addition, many existing horses were lost as people were too poor to purchase or care for large draft horses. In 1898, importations began again as abruptly as they had ceased, with an average of 700 horses a year imported between 1898 and 1905. In 1906 alone, over 13,000 horses were imported to the United States from France.<ref name=History /> In the American [[traveling circus]]es of the late 19th century and early 20th century, the Percheron was the most frequently seen draft horse. Drivers appreciated the breed's agility, stamina and quick-footed [[horse gait|gait]].<ref>Fox, ''Circus Baggage Stock'', pp. 3–4</ref>

In 1876, the Norman-Percheron Association was formed by a group of Percheron breeders in Chicago, and at the same time the stud book was begun. The Norman-Percheron Association was the United States' first [[purebred]] livestock association. In 1877, the word "Norman" was dropped from the name.<ref name=About>{{cite web |url= http://www.percheronhorse.org/about/default.html |title= About Us |publisher= Percheron Horse Association of America |access-date= 7 October 2009 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://archive.today/20150210045037/http://www.percheronhorse.org/about/default.html |archive-date= 10 February 2015 |df= dmy-all }}</ref> Later, in the panic of 1893, the Percheron Association went bankrupt and ceased to function.<ref name=History /> In 1905, also in Chicago, Percheron breeders met again to reform as the Percheron Society of America. Since 1934, the group has been known as the Percheron Horse Association of America.<ref name=About /> At its height, the organization was the largest draft horse association in the world, in the early 20th century registering over 10,000 horses annually.<ref name=History /><ref name=IMH>{{cite web |url= http://imh.org/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&cid=192:breeds-of-the-world-by-continent&id=2183:percheron&Itemid=193 |title= Percheron |work= Breeds of the World |publisher= International Museum of the Horse |access-date= 29 January 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130524021908/http://imh.org/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&cid=192:breeds-of-the-world-by-continent&id=2183:percheron&Itemid=193 |archive-date= 24 May 2013 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all }}</ref>

In the late 19th century, Percherons also began to be exported from the United States to Great Britain, where they were used to pull horse-drawn buses in large cities. The first Percherons imported to Britain included some of the thousands of crossbreds from the United States. In Britain, many of the horses, once they finished their bus-pulling career, were sold to farmers. Other imported horses were sold to the British Army, and in 1900, 325 horses were shipped to South Africa for use in the [[Boer War]].<ref name=Rowena />