Mountain View School: "Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow"

A video of the Mountain View School Parisien 60th birthday celebration (of Feb 13, 2026) was posted today on YouTube:

Parisien Video [event of Feb 13, 2026]
(Mountain View School | posted Feb 27, 2026 | Time 1:01:36 min.) at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsEfQVLu3es&t=4s
Also: https://youtu.be/lsEfQVLu3es

Correction on Cost: at circa minute 46:50 the cost is mentioned as $50,000, but that is incorrect. The initial eight investors each put in $500.00 Cdn for $4,000.00 cash and guaranteed another $500.00 each for a bank loan of $4,000.00 to fund the project being an investment total of $8,000.00 Cdn. The total costs to get Parisien to Mountain View and to organize SBL left the company with about $534.00 by about October 1966. Parisien's farm purchase price worked out to be $3,620 Cdn. The cost breakdown can be found at https://simmental-sbl.blogspot.com/search/label/Costs .

Birthday cookies in Memory of
 Mountain View Men & a Magnificent Bull
(Photo by MV Principal Curtis Leishman)

Update: Return of Stolen Historical Artifact

(See side panel: “Plea for Information”)

Parisien taxidermy head
Nov. 2015

Nine years after the taxidermy head of the great Simmental bull Parisien was stolen from display at the 2006 World Simmental Congress in Calgary, Alberta, it was anonymously turned over to a member of the Canadian Simmental Association during the 2015 CSA Convention in Lindsay, Ontario (July 30-August 2, 2015). Its return was briefly reported on CSA Facebook¹ under dates of August 1 & 2, 2015, and also commented on in the Commercial Country cattle magazine (Vol. 12, Issue 2, Sept 2015, p. 8, col. 2 -- "The Canadian Simmental Convention - A Huge Success").²

The Smith family was advised of its recovery on August 13, 2015.

Two months later (on October 14, 2015), it was returned to its owner—Don Jensen—somewhat injured from its experience (suffering a broken ear and broken horn). We are grateful for its return and wish to thank the CSA (or other persons responsible) for arranging its return.

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1. From the CSA Facebook page:

2. Quote: “The banquet which was held Saturday evening was attended by over 275 guests who enjoyed a fabulous meal and a special surprise when Parisien, the first Simmental bull imported to North America joined us. This was a huge surprise to all as his head and memorabilia were last seen and went missing during the 2006 World Simmental Fleckvieh Federation Congress that was held in Calgary. It is great to have these items back and all will be returned to the Cardston museum where they have previously been housed.” From Commercial Country cattle magazine (Vol. 12, Issue 2, Sept 2015, p. 8, col. 2) -- "The Canadian Simmental Convention - A Huge Success" - byline: Bruce Holmquist, General Manager - Canadian Simmental Association.

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)

Innovators ~ Travers & Friends

One of the great attributes of Travers was his openness to new ideas—almost too open some might have said, but he listened and if something made sense, with facts to back it or with potential for testing, he was all for the innovation. His interest in the conformation/linear measurements theory of Karney Redman of Montana was a prime example. (Ref: theories: SC:Sep1980:20-21,24, 28)

Travers was not afraid to seek advice from others. He believed that listening to others’ ideas, expertise, and vision could “irrigate” the SBL idea and so, from day one, he sought to cultivate and irrigate every aspect of Simmental.

Don Jensen said:

Travers never went at anything half-heartedly. When things started to expand and really roll here in Canada, he knew he had the tool and he wanted to find out how to use it. He went to men like Lavon Sumption, Dr. Wiltbank and Bill Pickett down in Fort Collins for their help in designing a breeding program to find out the top genetic traits in the bull battery. In addition to this work, Dr. Wiltbank was a specialist in reproduction and he set up estrus synchronization experiments and worked with induced calving. (SC:Aug1987:44)

Travers came to the Simmental idea already intrigued by the potential for crossbreeding, AI, and progeny testing—long before these were considered acceptable tools. Thus Travers was uniquely prepared to help spread the idea that “You can’t raise modern cattle with Model T methods.” (Ref: Ted Pritchett, SSh:March1974:12)

And strangely, with all their European antiquity, Simmental would become the most modern of cattle for it was their introduction to North America, more than any other breed, that blew down the barriers against every one of these modern innovations. Simmental was truly a revolution that impacted the entire cattle industry in North America.

Ted Pritchett wrote:

It all began with a dream and a dreamer. While the cattle industry lost Travers Smith, with his untimely passing in 1974, he lived to see his dream come true. He lived to see his idea, developed way back in 1965-66, grow, develop, and change the beef industry. Simmental was the first of the new breeds that led into the Golden days of the beef industry — reaching a peak in 1974. Those years, and the free flowing money, led to long lasting changes that, without that kind of money, would not have been possible. Embryo transplant, improvement in heat detection, and the widespread use of AI, became everyday operations. The widespread awareness of ROP and record keeping were all a part of this period, and became long lasting by-products of those years. (BTY’77:87)

Travers’ openness seems to have been a trait shared by many who became believers in Simmental. Travers was always impressed with the quality of people drawn to the Simmental dream and he would have been immensely gratified to have read the comments of Rodney James (former Secretary of the Canadian Charolais Association; former Editor and Publisher of the Canadian Charolais Banner; and Sales Manager of Transcon Livestock), when he wrote:

The incredible advancement of the [Simmental] breed over the past twenty years in my view is only partly due to the cattle. I still believe as I did in 1971 that this breed attracted and still does, some of the best people there are out there. Simmental breeders have traditionally invited competition and most importantly enjoyed other breeders’ successes. …. (SC:Aug1987:24)

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.

Two other honorees at Louisville, KY ~ 1974:

~
Don Jensen & Harry Furgeson: Travers would have enjoyed joining in the recognition given to two others that same evening of February 1, 1974 in Louisville, Kentucky—men he counted as valued friends: Don Jensen of SBL who received the Southern Simmental’s award for Simmental Man of the Year; and Dr. Harry Furgeson of Anaconda, Montana who was presented with the Simmental Shield’s award for producing the best Newsletter of 1973.

Awarded February 1, 1974 at the ASA meeting in Louisville, Kentucky

Testing & the Test Facility in Europe

Travers’ fascination with facts to back his enthusiasm resulted in early testing of SBL bulls and in the establishment of an SBL test facility in Europe. In speaking of SBL’s commitment to performance testing, Don Jensen is again quoted:

The 2,000 head [of SBL cattle] included a test herd of 700 cows used to test the genetic potential of the bull battery. We didn’t want the maternal side to influence the test results so Travers brought up Red Angus-Hereford cows from Nebraska. Each of the seven bulls we had by this time were bred to 100 cows and the results gave us factual information on the bulls that we offered to our customers. / … Hans Ulrich was one of the people involved in the operation then and his father lived in Switzerland. SBL built a test facility over there and hired Hans’ father to manage it for them so they could pre-select the calves they brought over. They would buy about 200 calves, put them on test, then select only the top 10% of those to import. The operation became something on a very far-reaching scale. (SC:Aug1987:44)

With its European test facility, SBL was soon able to provide performance data on their imports even before importation took place. In their brochure of 1971-72, entitled, “Simmental from SBL,” they wrote:

As owners and directors of SBL, we are pleased to present our 1971-72 Simmental Beef Sire brochure. This marks our fifth year of importing from Europe and our third year of performance testing in Switzerland. / We are not aware of any other testing program to evaluate Simmental cattle for import to North America that compares with the SBL program. Mr. Hans Ulrich Sr., a reputable Swiss cattle breeder, is employed full time by SBL and carries out our comprehensive system of selection. / These pre-selected calves are then placed on a 100-day feed test. Following the test, the calves are indexed, measured and carefully scrutinized. Only the very best meet or exceed SBL’s requirements. (IFC)

SBL was also promoting its ability to select import animals for other breeders who wanted to import from Europe with a minimum of worry and a maximum of assurance for quality. In a 1971 SBL newsletter, they wrote:

S.B.L. has provided service in selecting animals in Switzerland, France, Austria and Germany; but only in Switzerland do we have an S.B.L. selection and testing program. / In our opinion Switzerland still remains the number one Simmental seed stock country of the world. Switzerland provides the greatest number of animals to select from. / S.B.L. in co-operation with the Swiss Breeders Federation have set up their own selection and testing program in Switzerland. Cattle breeders from Canada and the United States who have visited Switzerland have been high in their praise of the S.B.L. Swiss program. We have endeavored to provide the best possible animals for our customers …

SBL ad in betterbeefbusiness ~ June 1970

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)

A Good Investment

Because Travers’ reception in his native country of Canada was so skeptical and cool in the beginning, most of his efforts had been focused on promoting Simmental in the United States where the cattlemen seemed ready for change. But as the winds of this new phenomenon began to blow northward, the Canadians finally caught on and “Exotic” became the watchword. Those impressive calves on the ground could no longer be ignored. As Ted Pritchett put it:

For semen sales, the golden year was 1970-71. Travers went on the road selling semen and total sales were over $1 million that year. Everywhere, cattlemen, that had for years scorned crossbreeding, AI and any hint of a change of breeds, were jumping in. Much of it was to take advantage of the unbelievable prices being paid for the halfblood females, but many were drawn for the same reason which drew Travers and his original followers to the breed. There was a definite economic advantage to crossbreeding with these cattle and it meant more money in the fall at sale time. (BTY’77:87)

SBL had proven a valuable investment even in the space of a few short years. Four of the initial investors, Williams, Williams, Bingham, & Bowlby had had a falling out early on and in the buy-out of their shares negotiated in 1970 (paid in semi-annual installments from 1970 to 1974), some received upwards of a 270-fold increase on their initial $500.00 investment. (Ref: BTS notes)

By October 21, 1971, a statement of assets set forth a value of $4,800,000.00 for SBL assets which is all the more remarkable considering that SBL was just 5 years old—and that initial investors had bought in for $500.00. One old cowboy in the Pincher Creek, Alberta area who had rejected Travers’ call to invest lamented some years later:

Can you imagine! I could’ve been a part of Parisien for 500 bucks. A million dollar bull and I could’ve been in on it for $500.00. (BTY’77:78)

Ted Pritchett wrote:

Today, Simmental is a “rags to riches” story — the Cinderella of the cattle industry. Starting in 1967 it was laughed at, put down and even during the boom years, told the bubble would burst and it would be left sitting in the cold. The fledgeling Association, started on a shoestring in 1969, has grown in a few short years, to become the fastest growing breed Association in Canada. (BTY’77:87)

About this rapid growth, Don Jensen is quoted as saying:

When I started working for Travers, I really didn’t know who was going to sign my first paycheque and in the space of three years, the outfit had grown to an operation with 10,000 acres and 300 cows. (SC:Aug1987:44)

Jack Ball wrote:

It was a time we’d never seen before and doubt if I’ll ever see again. Every one was buying “time.” Everyone was trying to get the first ½ blood, the first ¾, then the first Purebred … / … it was the most changing and exciting time. Many, many new products and techniques which we take for granted today were developed at that time. For example, how many rubber ear tags, goose neck trailers and embryo transfers did you use before 1967? (SC:Aug1987:114)

In part, because of Travers’ aggressive approach to grasping opportunities as they came, SBL soon had in excess of 12,000 acres of leased and deeded land with 25 employees and 2,000 head of cattle. (Ref: CLJ:Jul11’78-Bain & SC:Aug1987:44)

On Tour ~ The Show Circuit

One of the great SBL promotional tactics was to tour Parisien to the various shows where his impressive size and unique appearance were guaranteed to attract attention. Don Jensen, SBL’s first employee and a man whom Travers greatly admired for his expertise and dedication, was Parisien’s chief handler. Don, a fine cattlemen in his own right, logged tens of thousands of miles with Parisien. With all the travelling required, Don sacrificed much in the cause of Simmental and the SBL men were immensely grateful for his loyalty and dedication.

The premier showing in the U.S. took place in December 1969, when Don and Parisien travelled to the 1st Annual International Cattlemen’s Expo in Las Vegas. In January 1970 they continued on to the Arizona National Show in Phoenix; and the National Western Show in Denver. (ref: BBB:Nov1969:3; WLJ:Jan.1970:68; CU:Dec.1969) The circuit took them also to Dallas, Fort Worth and many other places. The most convincing part of the Simmental story was told by Parisien himself. Fenton Webster recalled:

That first year, in Denver [at the National Western Show], there were hundreds of people going by the main pathways. Hereford and Angus breeders would go by in a big group. You could spot them coming by their badges and hat bands. They’d laugh and poke fun, but later they’d come back, one by one, to have a closer look and ask questions. Travers could really get that job done, because he was about as converted a Hereford man as you could find anywhere.¹

As the enthusiasm for Simmental spread, it was not long before Parisien found himself being transported via freight elevators up to the top floors of grand hotels where he would be escorted into packed ballrooms of cattlemen—to be gazed upon by the admiring and awestruck dinner guests. It was the beginning of an incredible golden age in the cattle industry.

The Phoenix Gazette of January 1970 reported on this first tour as follows:

NEW BREED FOR U.S.Simmentals To Be Seen At Livestock Show Here
When they tell you there's something new at the Arizona National Livestock Show Jan. 5-11 … you’d better believe it.
It’s a brand-new breed for U.S. shows … the Simmental.
Harold Watson, a director of the Simmental Breeders of Cardston, Alberta, Canada, was the first arrival for the 1970 show yesterday at the fairground.
He brought along three head of pure-bred stock and two cross-bred heifers. …

At year’s end (1970), they were again at the International Cattlemen’s Expo in Las Vegas, and in January 1971, they continued on to other shows and events such as the ASA 3rd Annual Convention in Denver where Parisien was a star attraction. By February they were at the Fort Worth Stock Show, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, and the Houston Show. Travers’ second son travelled some on that circuit and received page 2-F coverage in the San Antonio News of Friday, February 19, 1971. The report claimed that 5-year-old Parisien had netted SBL some $1,200,000.00 in semen sales since he was purchased in France in 1967 [1966].

Don and Parisien were on the road again in the summer of 1971. From Travers’ Daytimer, we read that on August 25, 1971, Parisien cleared the border on his way to Colorado.

Although Parisien got much of the press, other SBL bulls, like Gallant, Granit and Mars, as well as some females, were also taken on some of the show circuits, usually accompanied by Don Jensen. A listing of the SBL Show Circuit for 1971 shows that between August and November, bulls were shown at major fairs in Montana, Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.

From two interviews with Fenton Webster and Don Jensen, respectively (reported and written by Ted Pritchett), we read:

Parisien became the most travelled and talked about bull in the cattle industry. “It was remarkable how well he travelled—he seemed to enjoy it.” … / “Don and I [Fenton Webster] were in Kansas City and a local TV station had us on for a half-hour show. That went out to over 35,000 people in the immediate area and we had an old fellow come down to the barn on crutches. He’d been in hospital and seen the show and got his doctor talked into letting him out so he could come down to the barn. He said he just had to see that bull!” (BTY’77:84)

… Everywhere he went, Parisien was the talk of the barn and attracted huge crowds. It was an exciting time in the cattle business. / “He enjoyed it. It didn’t matter how many times a day you got him up, old Parisien would look his best for the people and never batted an eye. After 10 days at a show, he’d sense when you were packing up to leave and he’d get restless. I [Don Jensen] remember once when we were packing, we had the trailer close by so we just let him go and he walked over to the trailer, went up the ramp, and walked in all by himself.” (SC:Aug’87:44)

In a small publication celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Simmental in Canada, entitled, Simmental Breeders: 1992 Special Feature (Simmental Digest 1992), Gaylene Groeneveld wrote:

Jensen recalls on one occasion, he had the bull [Parisien] at the Denver Stock Show and took him outside the building to show him off a little. The crowd that gathered for that two-hour period never stopped flashing their cameras. The response was unreal. (p. 20)

From Ted Pritchett:

Don [Jensen] admits other bulls could have done what Parisien had done, but feels there has not been another bull to do it overall so well. / “Fortunately for all of us, he was good in all the important traits for getting a new breed off the ground. He was an impressive bull that liked to be on display and we received excellent press coverage everywhere we went. At three years, he was 2,500 pounds and that was about 500 pounds bigger than anything else and you didn’t have to be an expert to see he was something special. Just the size and eye appeal endeared him to a lot of people. Then after that, he was an easy calver that dispelled the notion you couldn’t get a Simmental calf out of a commercial cow.” (SC:Aug1987:48)

The SBL “Fullblood Cow, Bred Heifer Dispersal and Bull Sale” catalogue of April 21, 1981 gives a brief history of the pioneers of SBL and makes these references to those travellin’ days:

The late Travers Smith, President of S.B.L., was the “Daddy” of the Simmental breed in North America. … / Don [Jensen] and Travers traveled thousand of miles convincing cattlemen of the merits of Simmental. Parisien himself traveled over 100,000 miles, Don reckons, attending all major State fairs in the U.S. Travers would stand in front of the display for 18 hours straight until his ankles were like stove pipes explaining the advantage of Simmental to anyone who would stop even for an instant. He would then invite anyone showing sincere interest to his room to see slides that were taken in Europe of Simmental cattle and halfblood calves at the ranch at Cardston. / Travers was dedicated to the expansion and betterment of the breed across North America. The greatest evidence of this was his determination that everyone should have the opportunity to use the best Simmental bulls. (IBC)

There were others also, besides Don & Travers, who did some touring and promotion at the shows and meetings: chiefly, Fenton Webster, Harold Watson, and sometimes Dale Lynch.

Show & Tell Circuit

In the beginning, with Parisien in quarantine, SBL didn’t have a lot to show except brochures and pictures from Switzerland. Thus, there was one “soon-to-be-available” bull and a whole lot of talk (that some thought might just be bull, too) with slides .

But for Travers, it was a story whose time had come and negatives did not faze him. He knew what he knew. He just needed cross-bred facts to sink the message home. As it was, one bull was going to have to carry the Simmental message for a whole year pretty much by himself. His would be the first cross-bred Simmental calves on North American soil. The first to be compared. The first to test the performance waters. The first to prove the enthusiasm. The first to knock up against the entrenched N.A. breed practices.

In the meantime, dissemination of information was critical. The first SBL brochures were apparently supplied by the Swiss Cattle Breeders Federation with SBL appending its name, though soon SBL’s name was part of the Swiss printing.

Front & back covers of 4-page brochures used by SBL circa 1967-69

With the demand for more information, SBL soon wrote up legal-length, loose-leaf folios to hand out. By 1969 they had their own mostly black-and-white, 12-page brochure with pictures and performance testing data.

Back & front covers of an SBL 4-page brochure, circa 1969

back cover of a Swiss-printed, 8-page brochure, circa 1970

By about 1970, SBL had professional brochures, beautifully photographed and planned by Walt Browarny Photographics, Calgary. Each year required updates to profile new imports. (I am hoping to be able to repoduce the covers of these to insert here at some future date.)
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1. Beef Today Yearbook: ’77:84

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

2.07: Spreading the Simmental Word (& Semen)

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

With Parisien, the only Simmental (Pie Rouge) bull in North America, beginning his final stage of quarantine in Alberta (April to July 1967) the SBL men became intent on getting the word out; and with A.I. being the only way to get Simmental spreading rapidly throughout North America, semen collection began almost immediately. Don Jensen, a local A.I. technician, did the collection until shortly after the on-farm quarantine ended when Parisien was moved to Prairie Breeders (PB) near Calgary—the first company contracted to handle semen collection and distribution.¹

Inspection Certificate releasing Parisien from Canadian on-farm quarantine

Travers wrote:

Our first objective in bringing Simmental to this country was to improve our own herds, but after the first bull had arrived we saw the great potential of spreading the breed further through artificial insemination. After some discussion, our group decided to use the personal contact method to tell the story. We had received many pictures on slides from Switzerland of their cattle. We made a slide presentation with a lecture to go along with it and then made our contacts with the A.I. units’ field representatives to set up meeting in different areas. As we progressed with this program, the press and agricultural periodicals gave us good coverage and so the story was spread also by this means.²

It soon became evident that the United States was going to be SBL’s best market so SBL went looking for additional organizations to handle the distribution of Parisien's semen. By October 1967, Curtiss Breeding Service in Cary, Illinois was contracted to handle the U.S. distribution of the frozen semen collected by PB.

Of this beginning promotion, Travers wrote:

The Curtiss representatives met me first at Sioux City, Neb. and our first meeting was at O'Neill. The second showing was given the following morning in a ranch house on a refrigerator door. The rancher was immediately sold and ordered enough semen to cover his whole herd. / Excitement continued to follow us as we told our story from place to place through Nebraska and South Dakota and the on to Billings, Mont., where we attended the annual meeting of the Montana Beef Performance Association. We were well received there by 30 or 40 members of that association in a quickly called meeting in a room at the hotel.³



early interest expressed in a letter to
betterbeefbusiness, January 1968


SBL's first sheaf of promotional information was an 11 page, legal-size, Swiss-generated compilation of facts, figures, and sales pitch for the Simmental breed called, "The Simmental Story." There were no glossy pictures, just that lengthy, type-written summary. Swiss Cattle Federation brochures were also used for a time.

And of course, as soon as it was possible, the SBL men began breeding their own cattle to Parisien. They knew the proof would be in the progeny.

Subsequent Semen distributors: By the time the second group of imports had arrived (Spring 1968), B.C. Artificial Insemination Centre at Milner, BC (BCAI) and Western Breeders Service Ltd. at Balzac, Alberta (WBS) had also been contracted. In early 1970, Parisien was moved from PB to WBS at Balzac.

Over the next few years, several other breeder services would also become distributors for SBL including: ABS of DeForest, WI; Carnation Breeding Service of Carnation, WA; Cache Valley Breeding Association of Logan, UT; and KABSU of Manhattan, KS.

And during the many long months when Parisien began the promotional tour-circuit, mostly in the U.S., his handler (and SBL's first employee), the A.I. technician, Don Jensen, made the many arrangements to keep collection and distribution flowing steady.

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1. In 1969, the price per vial for Parisien was listed at $10.00.
2. Simmental Shield, October 1970, p. 9
3. From pp. 9-10 of BTS notes as published in Simmental Shield, October 1970, pp. 8-10

2.05: First Impressions

(From research/ writings by SMSmith, 2000 AD)

It is interesting to note that many cattlemen were not initially impressed with Parisien. A few of these first impressions were recorded in the Simmental Country, August 1987 (reprinted from September 1980 issue) as follows:

Don Jensen laughs as he recalls, “I don’t remember the first time I saw Parisien, but I remember what I thought. The first thing that struck me was his color. On first glance, he looked like a Guernsey, but on looking at him close, you could see there was more to him. He really did look like a big slab sided ol’ calf though.” // … “Yes, I guess I was skeptical just like everybody else, until I saw those first calves. The year after the bull came in, I saw the calves and I couldn’t believe what I saw, so I went and got another fellow to see if he saw the same thing. Those calves were six inches taller, six inches longer and 100 pounds heavier than anything else and the proof was standing right there in front of you. That’s when I became a believer!” (pp. 37 & 44)

Rodney James: ... I must confess that I was not very impressed at the time with Parisien. As mentioned earlier, the Charolais breeders were importing extremely thick, muscular cattle and Parisien really didn’t fit that pattern. Believe me, there wasn’t a lot of interest in Simmental at the time. It is my understanding that a one half interest in Parisien could’ve been purchased for less than $5,000.00. (p. 24)

Wes Alm: ... After asking [a] neighbour what he thought of the new bull Parisien, I quote, he answered: “What the hell — we’ve had Black and White Holsteins for as long as I can remember. This one is red and white but he’s still a … Holstein.” (p. 50)

Doug Blair: In 1967 Travers and his Group Simmental Breeders Limited brought the bull Parisien to Canada and housed him at Prairie Breeders which was just starting at that time. I went to see Parisien in the summer of 1967 and concluded that he looked like a Guernsey bull as he was thin, narrow and not very “beef like” in my opinion. Travers and his Group however campaigned hard on the merits of the Simmental breed to introduce milk production as well as growth rate to North America. I recall that they were more successful in the USA than in Canada at the time. ... ( p. 106)