Over the last 110 years, early studbooks and AKC Gazette year-end statistics show only 949 Harriers registered with AKC through the end of 1994. Registrations have remained fairly constant at ~30 each year for the past 3 decades. They have always ranked at or near the bottom of the list in popularity. 182 Harriers have become AKC Champions of Record, a very high percentage probably unmatched in any other breed.
Harriers, although never popular, have been part of the American Kennel Club as long as any other Hound. A Harrier couple from Baltimore Md, was entered at the first Westminister Show in 1877. Four Harriers from New York were entered at the 2nd Westminister show in 1878. The first hounds, Harriers, Beagles, Bassets, Dachshunds, and Bloodhounds were published in Vol II of the National American Kennel Club stud book in 1885. This and the first volume of 1878 were latter adopted by the AKC as their foundation. Harriers, based on order of appearance in these stud books, are the 13th breed recognized by the AKC and the 4th Hound breed. The first Harrier was number 3236 "Jolly" owned by James Conlisk of Buffalo New York and bred in England. This single Harrier listed in the Stud Book is the reason Harriers are recognized by AKC.! No Harriers appeared at AKC shows until 1905 when a single Harrier was entered at Duquese KC in Pittsburg. It was not until 1908-1913 that a few other Harriers were registered in the stud book.
After a lapse of 20 years, a few more Harriers were registered and shown in the mid 1930's. Mr Reynal's Monarch became the first Champion of Record and also became the first Harrier to earn Best in Show with an impressive win at Morris & Essex in 1936 over an entry of 3751 dogs. Monarch was owned by the Monmouth County Hunt and bred from fresh English imports. From 1940 to 1958 no Harriers appear in AKC stud books, although some were registered with the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America (MFAA). Historically most Harriers in the US have belonged to hunting packs and were never registered with the AKC. What happened to them is unknown, but most were probably bred into Foxhound packs or many other US hound breeds. The cross-bred entries in the MFAA stud books sometimes show Harriers. Roughly 10% of our current Harrier bloodlines can be traced to these US packs of the 30's-50's. Everything else is from more recent imports.
In the early 1960's a few Harriers began to appear again at AKC shows. In 1965 an impressive entry of Harriers appeared at the Bryn Mawr Hound show although in 1966 there were not enough present for an entry. Also in 1965, Breezewood Chop Chop became the 2nd AKC Champion after a gap of thirty years. Competition was hard to find and most Harriers had to win the Hound Group to earn points. At least two Harriers won Groups but never earned enough point for championships. Breezewood Rairity was shown at least 7 years before completing her championship.
In 1969, Naabeehos Harvey won Best in Show at Superstition KC, and earned 5 points the hard way. 1970 saw two more Best in Show winners with Lady Elizabeth of Byron Mewes and Johnson's Pretty Boy Floyd. In 1978 Brentcliffe Jill repeated Harvey's trick earning 5 points with Best in Show at Janesville-Belloit KC. She went on to become the all time winning Harrier with 17 Best in Show and 52 Hound Group wins. Show activity, in small numbers, has continued consistently ever since, mostly in California where it now requires larger entries for Championship points.