Domestic Rabbits & Their Histories. Breeds of the World by Bob D. Whitman
Palomino
Palominos are an American creation, developed by Mark Young of CouleeDam in Washington state, during the 1940s and early 1950s. We willnever know what breeds flow through the blood of the Palomino rabbit;in fact, Mark Young didn't know himself. Young began raising rabbits in1910, and always had the vision and a desire to create a new breed ofrabbit. For many years he purchased meat rabbits. These were mostlyfrom non 4-H or Future Farmers of America children, and according toYoung, the rabbits were typically black or brown ones. Mark Youngselected what appeared to be sport rabbits from some of these livefryers, and would mate them together, and on occasion he would obtainin some of the litters buckskin skin or light yellow-brown youngsters.These off yellow-brown rabbits were all saved and interbred, with theintroduction of blood from other sources. Mark Young wrote in March1965, "It was a great day in my life when I got a 100% litter of thesenew colored rabbits. Future generations from then on would run 100% ornearly so. By this stage, their coloring had developed into what onewould call a beige, and in 1952, I was listed in our Inland EmpireRabbit Breeders Association as the raiser of a new breed of rabbitcalled 'The American Beige.' This color was actually the Lynx Palominowe know today. Future generations would produce a fawn or goldencolored rabbit."
Mark Young and his wife, Mabel showed the new breed for the first timeat the 1952 ARBA Convention and Show at Portland Oregon, and dubbed thebreed 'Washingtonian'; however, not overly pleased with their choice ofa name for the new breed, a coffee can was placed next to the cagesholding the rabbits, as a suggestion box for naming the breed. Thewinning suggestion was Palomino.
Palominos were presented at the 1953 Amarillo, Texas ARBA Convention,and at the York 1954, Pennsylvania Convention the Fawn color wasintroduced to the rabbit world. The Fawn variety was changed to Lynx,at the suggestion of the Standards Committee in Columbus, Ohio at the1955 Convention. At the St. Paul, Minnesota Convention in 1956, theStandards Committee did not approve the breed, as they felt it neededfurther improvement. Little Rock, Arkansas Convention in 1957 would seethe Palomino recognized as a new breed in America, with one variety,the Lynx. The most popular color of the breed is the Golden, whichreceived final approval in 1958 at the Springfield, Illinois Conventionand Show.
Mark Young's Palominos are an outstanding addition to the breeds ofAmerica, with outstanding hardiness, excellent production and growth.It is a fine breed for either meat production or the show table. Thebreed has been introduced into Europe and even South Africa, and at onetime was accepted in the 1972 French standards, yet are no longerfound. Adult weights are 8-11 lbs or 3.6 to 5 kg.
Palominos are sponsored by the Palomino Rabbit Co-Breeders' Association which was founded in 1958.
At least it said onthat second link gypsy gave you that they are great house rabbits.Maybe they will catch on as pets? I hope so they look gorgeous!
