Travelin’ Travers

With the first crossbred progeny results in for this “new” breed, Travers and SBL began promoting Simmental anywhere they could get an audience. As noted, the reception seemed better in the United States, for many in Cardston and area seemed skeptical—especially the ones that Travers had envisioned would and could profit most from this venture. He had seen so many of them struggle year after year like himself—like their fathers before—and never seemed to get ahead. And so, in the face of their skepticism and sometimes ridicule, Travers turned his attention to those who were more open, hoping for the time when the local people—the “doubting Thomases”—would see the results and be converted for their own good.

Don Jensen said:

“Everywhere Travers went in Canada, he was met with amusement and people laughed at him, but his perseverance carried him on. He was so dedicated and sincere, you couldn’t help but believe in him. / “He spoke anywhere and everywhere he could get an audience with only the meager material he had on hand. At this time, it was pictures he had taken in Europe and the photos of Parisien as a calf and after quarantine. / “There was scanty information and it was just through his dedication and enthusiasm that he got people to use some semen. The Grass Range Hutterite Colony were the first to breed Simmental outside Travers himself and his brother Frank and this came after Travers showed a bunch of slides on the fridge door and gave them a talk. / … “Travers spoke at the Lions Club in Cardston and one of the first questions asked of him was if he really believed all the things he was saying. Well, I tell you, that was the wrong thing to say to Travers because when he got finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. That’s how dedicated he was.”¹

Travers showed slides in public meetings, in hotel rooms, in private homes, on screens, walls and fridge doors. He had a drive and enthusiasm that he had never had before about anything. He was driven by a profound belief in the quality of his product and its potential to improve the lives of thousands of farm and ranch families.

From the article, ‘At SBL They “Breed ‘em all Simmental”’ in Cattlemen, August 1971, we read:

In 1968, as an ambassador of Simmental, Smith visited 20 states in the U.S. where he found an encouraging degree of enthusiasm, and many parts of Canada where the level of enthusiasm was different—in the process he picked up the nickname “Traveling.” (p. 13)

Travers’ pleasure in promoting Simmental was his rest and relaxation. Don Jensen said:

If anybody would listen he’d stay there [promoting] 24 hours a day.

In speaking with Ted Pritchett, Don Jensen recalled how:

Travers would be on that cement for 14 hours a day sometimes until his ankles would swell up so bad he could hardly walk. But he always invited folks back to the room to show them slides and the room was crowded with people almost every night. I’ve never seen anything like it — I don’t know where the man got all his energy, because I never saw him down. Not once in all the years I travelled with him, did I ever hear him wonder if all the work was worth it. He never deviated from his goal and he never lost his dedication.²

In the Simmental Shield, July 15, 1987, Miles McCarry of Curtiss Breeding Service wrote:

All we had to do was “sell” Simmental to people who had never heard of the breed and AI to cattlemen who didn’t want to hear about it. After that, Travers said, Parisien semen would sell itself! … / Travers took a bunch of good slides while he was in France. Later, he got some great shots of Parisien calves. He literally hit the road with them—and with almost missionary zeal. / He traveled wherever grass grew. He spoke at meetings set up by Curtiss distributors. Between meetings, he “talked” his slides in bunkhouses and kitchens. / Travers, to coin a phrase, was the kind of guy you would buy a used car from. His honest enthusiasm sold the Simmental idea—sold it well enough to get a lot of cattlemen “messing” with AI, too. / Net result: Parisien calves started popping up all over the place. People who saw them wanted some just like them. Simmental sizzle! We started to gain momentum! (pp. 1A, 6A)

But even with the frenetic pace of these early days, Travers took time in (January-?)1968 and January 1969 for further education at The Stockmen’s School, sponsored by the Agriservices Foundation and conducted in cooperation with Arizona State University at Tempe. He was always open to new ideas and improved methods.

portion of a news item from the Fort Collins Coloradoan, October 1968

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1. Simmental Country:Aug1987:37
2. Simmental Country:Aug1987:44