What's in it for you? ECBC suggestions wanted.

[Riven]

Some people who don't tag a lot will have just numerical tags as well.

I have a set that is RVN 1 - RVN 500. They have no year alpha on them.

I wanted to mention this because I think some people think that they are required to put the tag in that matches the animal, such as RVN A1, must have a tag that says RVN A1. Although that's ideal because it is all right there and simple, there's nothing wrong with using say RVN 1, or RVN 44 for that matter, as long as you keep good records.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

I have so few animals born some years (last year only had 5) that numerical tags with no year on them would be the only sensible thing for us.

 

[chinchillalover0927]

i havent joined due to never having shows anywhere close to me..my means of traveling long distances are limited

 

[Riven]

Chinlover, are there other things that would entice you to join? Good information in the magazine? Or any other issues that would help you being a member without being physically active with shows at this time?

 

[chinchillalover0927]

well i actually havent looked into it before because like others i thought it was a large breeder thing... do you have a link to the website so i could go check it out?? what are the magazines about??

 

[mark miller]

I'm rejoining Empress in March. This will be my first time joining as an individual.I have been attending Empress shows, meetings, and get togethers all my life and was always in partnership with my father as Miller Chinchillas. I haven't always agreed with the guidelines and rules and initiatives of the organization. Not taking part in that side of the organization, I could not be that outspoken for change. I really am looking forward to being an active member now. I think Empress has a lot to offer now, but will need to make changes and evolve to continue for the future. What I enjoy most about empress is the people. I have developed life long friendships with people all around the U.S. and Canada and South America that I would have never known if it wasn't for empress. I have used those resources many times when I've had a question, needed advice, or wanted to buy more chins. They've always been willing to share their knowledge and experiences with me on raising chinchillas. Attending shows are a lot of fun. Getting to see and spend some time with my chinchilla breeder friends and competing head to head on the show table with them makes for a great weekend. The seminars at the annual meeting are well worth your time also. They are very informative and even experienced breeders can learn something new every year. The monthly magazine has good informative articles on ranching, breeding, history, show information, breeder directory and good general information. Any member can submit an article to be published in the magazine. These are all good things you get with your membership. I would like to see Empress open itself up to all chinchilla people no matter what their specific interest is. If that means adding pet/baby derbies to the existing shows and offering more meetings/seminars for new members at the shows and get togethers on basic chinchilla care and other topics of interest and being open to new ideas and suggestions for making empress a more complete organization and enticing to all chinchilla people. Increased membership and active participation at all Empress events by the members are the keys to the organization surviving and moving forward into the future. Empress has been around for a long time, it has survived many highs and lows of the chinchilla industry. My hope is that we can change, and work together to continue to improve the organization as a whole for all its members and make it strong again which in return benefits all its members.

 

[Riven]

The current website for Empress is www.empresschinchilla.org

The folks in charge understand it's difficult to navigate and are hoping to get some changes underway for the site. Due to the passing of the long time manager for the office there has been a lot of work in moving the records, sorting, and re-organizing them, as well as transferring paper records to computer files to be able to have easy to update and change files from what I understand. Because the day to day running of the office would need to take precedence I'm sure this is the first goal, followed up updating the site, etc.

 

[brenda]

The MCBA website is www.mutationchinchillas.com. MCBA has a bi-monthly magazine that lists show dates and results as well as informaitive articles.

 

[ppsamm]

I have been around with chins for at least 8year, whether it is for as pets or breeding. I always wondering is the MCBA/ECBC membership benefits me, someone not located in US.

 

[Chin_Pig]

i would just like to say that i have been to a few empress shows over the past couple of years. becoming a member has been great! i was able to go to the meeting in Colorado and learned tons of stuff and there are lots of people! i am somewhat bad with names.... i do know a few people that i have gotten with and talked about chins with and even bought chins from. i know everyone i met was very helpful and nice!

maybe at the ECBC shows we could have name tags? i think it would help me to remember peoples names better. i know some people wear the white coats with their ranch brand on them and i know from being on here that 'this chinchilla ranch brand' is owned by 'so and so'

also i love the magazines! they are very informative. im glad that the GKC group got me to join i am learning lots and even though i did horrible at my first show i learned from it and i bought some new chins (great quality chins, not my overly mutation to mutation bred animals i started with ) i didnt know any better at the time i now have a std. line plus 2 mutation lines. i hope to become a reputable breeder and MAYBE one day get in to pelting..

 

[Riven]

The Empress Breeder mag is always looking for good articles to be submitted as well! Any member can submit and article as long as it's acceptable, just mostly being not full of really, really bad advice, or slanderous to any one person or the organization basically. Empress is kind of like a family, if we work together and help each other out everything runs better. Kathy Clark is in charge of the magazine, she also manages the office, makes sure memberships are paid, and answer questions, etc. She is always glad to get new input, articles, pictures, cartoons, anything chin related that you think others might enjoy are game!

ppsamm, there are actually many members who do not live in the US. Although you may not be able to actively participate in shows and such due to distance you can get the magazine, you can also submit to the magazine, and your membership helps support Empress, which supports chinchilla ownership. By working together be it pet owners, hobby breeders, or big ranchers, we can help protect our rights to own and breed chinchillas, we can find new and better ways to care for our chins, we can share information about medical concerns, health issues, nutrition, and more!

I would like anyone who's seen this thread and decided to join, or has been made aware of Empress ( or MCBA if it's more prevalent in your area ) to be sure to let them know if you join where or how you heard about Empress and why you wanted to join. If you want to let them know that you heard about it from Rivendell Chinchillas on a forum, that's fine. Unfortunately it won't get you any freebies or anything though, lol. This helps the organization know what people are expecting, where they are coming from, what is the best way to help encourage growth of the organization to ensure that Empress will be growing and strong for years to come. With changes in the industry, changes in technology, and changes in the chin world over all I believe that it's important to bring in new ideas and new faces to help learn the traditions of Empress and bring in new ideas as well.

Today's pet owner, maybe tomorrow's National Grand Show breeder...