I'm late in but Ch in Spanish is Ch just like in English. Spanish is my first language, English is my second. "Shaps" pronunciation is an old time american bastardization of another language (Spanish in this instance) just like McCarty is a bastardization of the Mexican Indian word: Mecate (pronounced correctly Mey- Kaa'- Tey) just like the Mexican beer Tecate.

The English riding "Chaps" are also derived from the Spanish but the brits are infinitely better as a whole at caring about correct pronunciation and not tearing language apart period.

In Ohio, they pronounce Toledo, Tuh-lee-dough and since the original City of Toledo is in Spain I can say with certainty that they don't pronounce it right either- for English purposes the closest phonetics I can come up with is: Toe- lay -tho.

It's ok though, you just have to realize that the country (U.S.: west of the East Coast) wasn't pioneered by refined, educated people for the most part.

And when it isn't too warm out here in the desert, I prefer to wear full chaps too- english or western.

"Keep an open mind so that your thinking can be flexible, but not much that your brains fall out."- self