News & Events
'Updates'
Foals, For Sale and Jennies pages updated
'Vagabond is off to Flicka'
We are delighted that Baudet du Poitou gelding 'Vagabond d'Hamerton' (...
''Mini Mules' anyone'
Miniature Shetland Pony mare 'Kitty' owned by Jacky Pringle and Chelse...
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American Mammoth Jackstock
 The American Mammoth Donkey has a recent
history quite similar to that of the Baudet-du-Poitou in France.
From the founding of the Americas, mules provided transport and
power for agriculture, and there was always a demand for the
largest, strongest donkey jacks for producing the mules. To
improve the native American 'burros' large donkeys were imported
from Europe. As a result the American Mammoth was a blend of
Catalonian, Maltese, Andalusian and Majorcan donkeys. Poitous
were also imported from France, but in much fewer numbers
because they were always rare and expensive. Breeding had
already been happening for over 100 years when the American
Jackstock Registry was founded in 1888. The registry accepted
jacks minimum 14.5hh (58") and jennies minimum 14hh (56"), the
same criteria that are still in place today. In the early days
jacks would be expected to be 15 or even 16hh. |
 As in Europe the introduction of motorized vehicles for
transport and agriculture almost heralded the extinction of the
Mammoth donkey. From around 1918 demand and interest plummeted,
thousands were slaughtered, and whole herds disappeared. Luckily
a few tenacious people kept their stock going, and today the
Mammoth Jackstock is beginning to experience something of a
renaissance. Breeders have developed a large, strong athletic
animal which is now in great demand for riding and the
production of riding mules. |
 At Hamerton we have been lucky enough to import some registered
foundation animals from one of the leading herds in the USA, and
we hope that the spotted Mammoth can be successfully established
in England. |