after 1957 discontinued the use of other breeds and bred American La Manchas to American La Manchas. The first American La Manchas were registered in January, 1958.

In 1954, I purchased 36 head of American La Manchas from the late Ira D. Peel. He had obtained them at a sale. I culled this herd to just a few and kept only one of the seven bucks. There were some real good animals in this group.

I made it a point to always select the best purebreds and grades to breed into my American La Mancha herd. Many herd names are represented, some of which are mentioned here. Oakwood, Del-Norte, Chikaming, Wasatch, Delta, Rio Linda, Silver Pine, MacAlpine, Silvergate, Hurricane Acres, Decor’OChevonshire, and I am sure quite a few others not mentioned here.

To the breeders of these fine animals I owe a great deal. To them I am very grateful.

The goal that I aimed at in breeding American La Manchas was a breed that was able to produce 3-1/2 to six quarts of fine-flavored milk with 3.5% or more butterfat over a period of one to four years between freshenings. They should have the w-way wedge body, strong legs well-placed, udders well-attached, both front and back, good barrel, short sleek hair, any color or combination of colors, horned or hornless, and head

size of Toggenburgs.

 the A dream that American La Manchas would some day become a recognized and registered breed has come true.

Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Soens are the first to own registered La Manchas east of the Rocky Mountains, and are also the first to have them on test.

Epilogue

At the annual banquet of the American Milk Goat Record Association in Springfield, Illinois, October 15, 1960, the Mary L. Farley Award was given to Mrs. Eula Fay Frey in recognition of her years of work in developing the La Mancha breed.

Mrs. Frey died in 1968.

¹ “Three herd names dominated the list of approximately 235 goats which were destined to become BASIC La Manchas. The Fay candidates were inspected and registered in 1958 with Midolane and Blue Diamond soon added to their prefixes to the herdbooks. Other breeders included R. W. Soens (Bomar), Then ANGRA Secretary, the late Hazel Pike (Lucky Leaf), and the late Ed Coulter (Coulter R).
The term BASIC refers to those short-eared goats which were inspected for type, and presumably quality, by a committee of experienced AMGRA members. Several of the first 225, or so, are progeny of other BASICs. Were they also inspected? For the purpose of this article, all numbers up to and including number 225 are considered BASIC.”
“The Short Ear Phenomenon,” Barbara Backus, Dairy Goat Journal, Jan. 1981

² “The Murciana is a Spanish breed of dairy goat having been developed in the province of Murcia. This area is in the southeast of Spain along the Mediterranean. The ancient kingdom of Murcia was first settled by the Romans and reconquered by the Moors in the 13th Century. The Murciana goat is not earless. It carries its short ears almost horizontally, but the shape of its ear is like that of the Swiss breeds. This breed may have actually originated in Africa as some suspect.”
“As I see the American La Mancha,” S. Tachera, Dairy Goat Journal, Jan. 1975

³ The Murciana goat was clearly in the United States by 1920, as display advertisements in The Goat World of the period attest. In these ads, this breed was referred to as the “Royal Murciana,” although Dr. C. P. DeLangle, in his article “The Murcien Goat” printed in the August 1921 issue of The Goat World says, “The only Royalty attached to it, is in the fancy of its admirers, but, let it be said, that the true Murcien goat is one, if not, the handsomest goat known.” He also wrote of the Murcien: “It is a made-up breed like most all important goats.”

By 1936 the Murcianas must have been a bit scarce. Printed in the Murciana breed column of the January 1936 issue of the Dairy Goat Journal, was an offer to help reestablish the breed. The column indicated that “…at present, it is doubtful if there is a pure-bred buck of this breed in America. As far as is known Mrs. Katherine Kadel has the only purebred does.” It goes on to say that while Mrs. Kadel had tried to arrange for further importations from Spain, regulations made this prohibitive. “However, the Journal has scouted around and believes it has found a reliable source of supply in Mexico, from a herd of Murcianas (it also contains Granadas should anyone be interested), imported several years ago from Apain. Prices range from $30 to $100 each.”