(From Chp. 1 ~ 1966, titled "Foundation Work," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)
Another priority that summer and fall of 1966 was to organize the group of local investors who had responded to Travers' enthusiasm as he described what he envisioned the Simmental breed could do to increase productivity, performance, and profitability in their livestock operations. By August 1966, seven men had committed to help Travers finance this venture that had so captured Travers' focus. On August 30, six of the eight initial contributors of capital met to determine the type of organization they would establish to transact the future business of the contributing group. Those present at the meeting were:
B. Travers Smith; Dr. Orson T. Bingham; Harold Watson; Guy Bowlby; H.J. Blackmore; B.Y. Williams
Those absent were: Dr. S. B. Williams; Franklin Smith
Each contributor's investment was $500.00 in cash with a further $500.00 guarantee to the bank for a $4,000.00 loan.
The name of the company was determined to be Simmental Breeders Limited,1 and direction was given for its incorporation which took place on September 26, 1966.
Chairman: B. Travers Smith
Secretary; B.Y. Williams
Dr. Orson T. Bingham was a Cardston dentist who ran cattle on the side.
Harold Watson was a rancher with some farming interests who lived at Mt. View and was brother-in-law to Travers Smith.
Guy Bowlby was a rancher living at Twin Butte, AB.H.J. Blackmore was a cattle rancher based in Mountain View
B.Y. Williams was secretary of the Cardston Credit Union and rancher.
Dr. S.B. Williams was a Cardston dentist, with cattle interests on the side.
Frank Smith was a cattle rancher at Mt. View, AB, and brother to Travers.
There were others that Travers invited to join the venture, but who, for various reasons, were not ready, willing, or able to take the risks that certainly attended such an investment. This new breed of cattle was essentially unheard of in North America. For some, the performance facts of Simmental seemed to-good-to-be-true. If the Simmental were so good, why hadn't someone found a way to get them in long ago? The fact they were not in North America when their reputation for quality and performance were so widely and anciently recognized throughout the rest of the world was amazing to Travers, too. It seemed impossible that no one had found a way to get them here.
The first SBL logo was adopted about 1970.
(Phone and address are not longer valid as company no longer exists.)
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1. On 25 July 1969 the company's name was changed to Simmental Breeders Cardston Limited, but it would always be known as SBL. (Ref.: Alberta corporate registry search).
