A Billy is a large scenthound originating from central western France. The Billy remains a rare breed, although there are several packs in its native France used to hunt the Roebuck, and two packs to hunt Wild boar.
History
The Billy was created by Monsieur Gaston Hublot de Rivault in the 19th century, and was named after his home the Château de Billy, in Poitou. Billys we created by combining the three original strains of the Poitevin, the Montemboeuf, Ceris and Larrye. Whereas the modern Poitevin more closely resembles and the original Tri-coloured Larrye line, Rivault was more drawn to the paler colours associated with the Montemboeuf and Ceris lines, and colouration was a major determinant when selecting foundation stock. The pack was dispersed in 1927 and the breed almost faced extinction, only two hounds survived World War II, however de Rivault's son, Anthony, set about reviving the breed by judicious use of the Poitevin, the Porcelaine and the Harrier.
The Billy was one of the foundation breeds used in the development of the Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Orange in the late 19th century.
