.....educating breeders worldwideECBC National Hall of Champions
|
Empress Chinchilla Breeders Cooperative, Inc. .....educating breeders worldwide ECBC National Hall of Champions |
In Memory Of
Mathias Chapman Founder of the Chinchilla Industry  Mathias Chapman collected his original stock from near Potrerillas, Chile, between 1919 and 1923. The small costina type Chinchilla had been trapped out in the lower mountainous regions. Between 14,000 and 18,000 feet, he obtained the larger lanigera type. It was very long and tedious work, but man won over the elements. After many expeditions twelve Chinchillas of varying sizes and conditions were collected.Three females and nine males comprised this first shipment of live animals to the United States. During the trip, one Chinchilla died and two were born. On February 21, 1923, Mathias Chapman imported the first Chinchilla to the United States. His dream of propagating the Chinchilla in captivity had begun. Chapman started his first farm in Los Angeles, California. He incurred many set-backs, including problems with polluted water and the theft of about half of his herd. At times he found it necessary to borrow money to buy the feed to keep his herd alive. Mathias Chapman dedicated the remainder of his life to approximating the conditions of the wild for his animals by experimenting with many different aspects of controlled captivity. His sole aim was establishing the Chinchilla in captivity, leaving the economics of the yet-to-be-born industry to the future ranchers. Mathias Chapman died December 26, 1934, but not before definitely establishing the Chinchilla in this country. He left a legacy which was further developed by early ranchers on the ground work which he had set. Every failure, as well as every success, has been the building block of today’s successful industry. 
MATHIAS CHAPMAN TROPHY
established 1955 awarded at ECBC National shows for Grand Show Champion
Standard Animals (This trophy was retired in 1979)
MATHIAS CHAPMAN TROPHY # 2 established 1979 awarded at ECBC National shows for First Breeder Award Standard Animals
|
Home Mathias F. Chapman Trophy Willard George Trophy M.E. Caraway Memorial Trophy Willis D. Parker Memorial Trophy Robert Gunning Trophy Loyd G. Sullivan Trophy Foreign Rancher Award Master Breeder Award Empress Home Page | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Empress Crest is a Registered Trademark of Empress Chinchilla Breeders Cooperative, Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
