OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 119 



A HORSEMAN WHO RODE IN FLANDERS FIELDS 



42. One of the pioneer supporters of purebred livestock in 

 Indiana and perhaps her most important promoter of draft 

 horses, is James Crouch of Lafayette, Indiana. Mr. Crouch 

 is of English birth, and came to this country with his parents 

 in childhood. They early settled in the state of Indiana and 

 Mr. Crouch became identified with the group of breeders of 

 purebred livestock that centered around the little town of Lafay- 

 ette. In 1888 he made his first importation of Belgian horses, 

 but his sales were small for several years. The stallions were 

 mated to the rather gangling first cross Percheron mares that 

 occurred so frequently in his vicinity, with very excellent effect 

 on the conformation and draftiness of the resulting colts. The 

 efforts of the Belgian government about this time to subsidize 

 draft breeding and to build up their native stock, forced Mr. 

 Crouch to pay higher prices than the demand for the breed in 

 America had hitherto warranted. This seriously hampered his 

 work for a number of years, but he never faltered in his sup- 

 port of the breed of his choice. In the showyards of the 90's 

 his exhibits made considerable headway in winning popularity 

 for this type of horse. When his son George became a partner 

 in the business, Percherons and German Coachers were added, 

 and later other stock, but the elder Mr. Crouch has always 

 maintained his loyalty to the breed he originally chose. 



Practically all the Belgian championships of the International 

 in the early years were won by this firm and such animals as 

 Richelieu and Mon Gros have wielded a broad and substantial 

 influence in breed betterment. In 1912, 1913 and 1916 he 

 showed a six horse team in which Belgians shared the honors 

 with Percherons, and first prize on this hitch was received in 

 1912 and 1916. About 1912 he and his son extended their 

 interests to Herefords and their herd has been prominent at the 

 Ohio Valley shows and the International. Many of the best 



