The Lionhead is thought to have originated in Belgium, from a crossbreeding of the Belgian Dwarf and the Swiss Fox, a mutation is said to have occured thus causing the mane on what we know today as the Lionhead. Other crosses to a smaller wool breed could also have been included in this crossbreeding, sources say most likely the European Dwarf Angora (Which is basically a Jersey Wooly). The breed was later imported over to England, where many more crossbreedings to smaller dwarf rabbits and wool breed rabbits were done, thus causing the current "European Lionhead Rabbits" . The Lionhead is the first gene mutation since the 1930's.
Lionheads were imported to the U.S in 2000, by the late JoAnne Statler. Soon after, more breeders such as; Bob Whitman, Theresa Mueller and Cheryl Rafoth, Tom Coats & Toni Tubbs, also imported Lionhead's into the U.S. These first imports were the founding lionheads of what we have to day, with a lot of hard work, and hybridizing, these people helped to create the breed as we know it today.
The first lionheads brought over to the U.S were a compilation of different colors; siamese sable, harliquin, chestnut, black sport, and a steel. These breeders then started to hybridize the lionheads to other breeds in order to broaden the gene pool. The first lionheads were bred to a couple different breeds such as the Netherland Dwarf, Britannia Petite, Polish, Florida White, and Holland Lops, in order to bring down size, and to help create a smaller more upright animal.
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Current COV Holders;
1. LEE A. NEVILLS- Chocolate/ Presents 2014 - Passed 1st Presentation 2014
2. JOE HORACEK & NITA SHANNON- Seal and Siamese Sable/ Presents 2014 - Seal Passed 1st Presentation 2014 - Siamese Sable Failed
3. Koelyn Hooper- Sable Point (held with Lydia West, Joe Horacek & Nita Shannon) Passed 1st Presentation 2014
4. Deb Bergs and Tim Thompson - Blue Eyed White - 1st Presentation in 2016
5. Chance Floyd -Smoke Pearl, Blue Point - also backup for Siamese Sable, Sable Point - Failed 1st Presentation 2014
Current Breed Varieties - Tortoise Shell in all 3 varieties (Tort Black, Tort Blue and Tort Chocolate)
Current Working COV Colors: Blue Eyed White, Chocolate, Sable Point, Seal, Siamese Sable, Smoke Pearl, and Smoke Pearl Point
Source: http://www.lionhead.us/aboutlionheads/index.htm