Anniversary Tributes

Over the years, periodic anniversary remembrances have been observed. A video, prepared by the noted livestock photographer Walt Browarny was shown in November 1987 to a large crowd in Edmonton, Alberta at the 20th Anniversary Celebration. It acknowledged the great contribution of Travers with these words:

“Though Travers Smith, the man basically responsible for the introduction and establishment of Simmental in North America through the importation of Parisien and years of hard work and promotion, passed away on February 7, 1974, 4 years before Parisien, the countless herds of Simmental across the continent stand as a living tribute to the perseverance and dedication of the man who contributed immeasurably to the North American beef industry.”

In the Simmental Country, August 1987 issue that commemorated the 20th Anniversary of Simmental in North America, Douglas G. Blair of Western Breeders Service Ltd. wrote:

I recall that Travers Smith was certainly a visionary when it came to the needs of the beef industry at the time. He was very strong on performance and factual data about sires and was very opposed to the influence of the showring. I always regarded Travers Smith as a close friend and was proud of the fact that his family asked me to serve as an Honourary Pallbearer at his funeral. I am sure that Travers would not be very happy to see the tremendous emphasis of the showring in the Simmental breed today. [p. 106]

Other comments from that August 1987 issue come from an article by Ted Pritchett, entitled “Remembering Travers Smith”:

… The idea Travers had and the force that kept him motivated through difficult times, went far beyond the high price of the new breeds’ boom. The desire for a better beef animal and its potential for the beef industry was the initial driving force and its benefits will be felt long after the exotic boom of the 1970’s is forgotten. / In looking back over history, people have wondered what motivated Travers Smith. What gave him the idea to strike out in such a different direction? What kept him going over the years before Simmental caught on and started to boom? / “I [Don Jensen] believe his driving force was to make a significant contribution to the beef industry and to leave his mark with something that would be remembered long after he was gone. Although I felt he never received the recognition he deserved while he was alive, he recognized himself he had achieved his goal. Now people and the beef industry are recognizing the kind of impact and legacy he left.” …

“… the guidance Travers gave Simmental was unique. While his first idea came out of their potential with the extra growth and milk for the beef industry, he quickly saw the potential in the purebred business too. In looking at the other new breeds that followed, Travers was unique in being able to see both aspects of the cattle — both the Purebred and commercial potential. While some people in other breeds saw the Purebred potential of a new breed and exploited that, they had no concern or interest in what they could do commercially. Those breeds weren’t destined for a bright future or a long life. / On the other hand, there have been people with sound ideas for commercial cattle, but they lacked the ability to put those ideas across to other folks. They couldn’t grasp the need for promotion and the excitement that goes with the purebred business.” / Travers was unique because he could see the need for both aspects and he did each one well. (SC:August1987:48)

Wes Alm wrote:

Our first, of several trips to Europe in the early 1970’s removed all doubt about the use of Simmental in Canada. After seeing the hundreds or even thousands of outstanding Simmental cattle in France and Switzerland we came home absolutely sold, and I realized to the fullest the visions that Travers Smith had had when he first visited Europe and saw Simmental. I then knew why he drove the thousands of miles, spent the thousands of hours and gave so unselfishly of himself to spread the word “Simmental” throughout North America. (SC:August1987:50)

In “SBL means Simmental” Don Sylvester wrote:

Everyone associated with the SBL operation, and virtually everyone involved in the Simmental business in North America, acknowledges that the development of both SBL and the Simmental business owes a great deal to the late Travers Smith. He not only got together the original $4,000 investment to import Parisien, but he also worked tirelessly to promote the breed in North America and it was he who formulated much of the plan and policy for the development of SBL. / “He’s the one that originally had this dream,” says [Ron] Gibson. / Travers Smith saw much of his dream come to reality before he died last February, and it is obvious that the dream did not die with him. (p. 34)

In Simmental Country, October 1994, Bob Gordon reminded breeders of the legacy that Travers had left.

We owe it to [Travers’] foresight to do our best in breeding the kind of cattle he dreamed of producing, as what he started benefited so many of us over the last twenty-five years. I remember flying home from Louisville, Kentucky in 1973 with Travers, he was dying of cancer at the time but all that was on his mind was his great hopes and desires to have Simmental cattle improve and change the direction of the present day cattle. I am sure he is watching over us to see what kind of job we have done to improve the cattle. Are we living up to his dreams? (p. 84)

SBL Legacy

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The full story of the beginnings of Simmental in North America and of SBL will probably never be known because Travers died without recording many of the details. Like many of those involved, he was often too busy to realize that history was being made, and sometimes too mired in the problems of resolving differences in expectation and vision. Travers’ commitment to his own drive and vision probably did not help, but being the kind of man he was, he tried with integrity to do what he felt was right. Yet even with all the problems, SBL grew to a status that few realize even to this day with its extensive land and cattle holdings in southern Alberta and its test facility in Switzerland with Hans Ulrich’s father as manager.

For a time, SBL reigned as the largest and most progressive purebred and percentage Simmental business in North America. And as others have observed, it would not have happened without the great Parisien and his remarkable first offspring. Part of SBL’s success can also be credited to its philosophy. As Don Sylvester wrote in “SBL mean Simmental”:

The [SBL] objective is relatively simple, just the production of superior cattle and the subsequent improvement of cattle and the cattle industry in North America. The significant thing about that objective, and something [Ron] Gibson [General Manager of SBL] and his directors emphasize, is that it puts the profit motive into a secondary position.

“Not that we don’t work hard at showing a profit,” says Gibson, “and we’ve been fairly successful in that area so far, but that isn’t our primary objective.”

Now, a lot of people could make that statement, and a lot of other people wouldn’t believe it. However, coming from Gibson and SBL, it does have credibility. Much of the credibility comes simply from the character of the people involved …

… the seemingly philanthropic objective of SBL may also be the major reason why the operation is so successful on the financial side. At least that’s Gibson’s philosophy. (Nov. 1974:32&34)

Another reason for the SBL success might well be traced back to Travers’ openness to the expertise and opinions of others.

S.B.L.’s success has been built on a firm foundation. From the initial stage of the venture sound advice was sought and utilized. Genetic consultants advised that the operation be built on a broad genetic base.
(“Eleven years later Parisien is still making history” by Edgar Bain, CLJ, Tue. July 11, 1978)

The SBL legacy was also augmented by the construction of Universal Semen Service which developed into one of the best facilities of its kind in the world. Travers, however, never lived to see its best growth.

Also, Travers never lived to see the rough years of 1975 and 1976 when Simmental sales dropped drastically and when SBL was forced to cut back its expansionism. But the down turn was survived by most and Simmental continued its advance—even to this day. And though the golden days of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s will never be repeated, they will ever be remembered with amazement. It was a heady time.

2nd Production Sale ~ 1975

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Travers' Last Days

Many who attended the Louisville, Kentucky ASA meeting did not realize how serious Travers’ condition was; yet cards and letters of appreciation poured in from people whose lives he had blessed. The eventual diagnosis was Adenocarcinoma of the large intestine which had spread throughout the abdomen and into the liver. Within seven days of the ASA Convention, Travers was gone (February 7, 1974). He was just past his 57th birthday. Many from far and near attended his funeral in Cardston, Alberta on February 11, 1974.

Harry Furgeson, D.V.M., one of the early passionate converts to Simmental and a man whom Travers valued as a friend, was one of those asked by Travers' wife to serve as an honorary pallbearer. On February 16, Harry wrote a touching letter:

Dear Belle, / You made me so very humble, so proud. / No one knew how much I loved Travers—how I looked to him for guidance, for counsel. Yet you sensed it. You made me very happy. / I never had a brother by birth—but chose my brother—Travers. He led me as only a brother can. / For the Newsletter I tried to write about him— … / I hope what I have written for my Newsletter meets with your approval. …

Travers funeral program ~ February 11, 1974

Swiss-carved wooden cow awarded to Travers (in absentia) at the
American Simmental Association banquet of Feb. 1, 1974
surrounded by funeral flowers of Feb. 11, 1974.

A Sales Report ~ November 1973

1st page of "The Cover Story" from the
November 1973 The Ranchman

SBL Employees

Besides the irreplaceable Beatrice Tolley who had been hired as secretary in 1969, and Don Jensen (SBL's first employee in 1967 and Parisien's chief handler while touring), other valuable employees were brought in like Ron Gibson as Director of Ranching Operations (January 1971); and when Ron assumed the position of General Manager of SBL in February 1972, Howard Traweek took over as Director of Ranching Operations. Both had come from the U.S. Range and Livestock Experimental Station at Miles City, Montana. Ron was an honors graduate of Montana State University and had worked at the Miles City Station as the Assistant Superintendent.

These key employees as well as many others played a major role in the efficient management and incredible growth of SBL. Don Sylvester in “SBL means Simmental” observed:

In addition to the emphasis on top quality cattle, there is little doubt that another of the major reasons for the success of SBL is the emphasis on top quality people in both the management and the operation side of the business … / … “Our whole program is more of a people program than anything else,” says [Ron] Gibson. “We couldn’t do any of this without the quality of people we have.” (Nov.1974:34)