B.Y. (Young) Williams - "For Such a Time as This"

One of the early Southern Alberta men who has not received sufficient credit for his vital contributions to the Simmental story in North America is B.Y. (Young) Williams. In this 60th Anniversary year of the coming of Simmental into Canada, it is fitting to remember B.Y. Williams.

In the opinion of Travers' six children, if it hadn’t been for B.Y.’s early assistance to their father, Travers Smith, the extremely tight time-line to get things in order for a 1966 import would, almost certainly, have been missed; thus Parisien would have been missed as being over the 9-month age limit and also vaccinated, both of which by Canadian Health regulations would have disqualified him for importation. And by 1967 there would likely have been dozens of Simmental imports from France because of the excitement of what was happening with Charolais imports from France that had begun in 1965.

Swiss Simmental were already being seriously looked at for importation by Canadian government officials and vets but the import restrictions had not yet been lifted for Switzerland, so the first Simmental dreamers, Travers Smith and B.Y. Williams had to look to France. After a flurry of letters to Swiss and Canadian authorities (typed by B.Y.), Travers travelled to France and Switzerland where he eventually found Parisien on Friday August 5 — an almost 6-month old, unvaccinated calf on the Henri Rossin farm, at Saint Appolinaire, Cote d'Or, France. His sire was a Swiss Simmental import to France and his dam was Pie Rouge (French Simmental), so despite the Swiss import restrictions, Parisien turned out to be 1/2 Swiss.

The export paper work was signed the next day, August 6 and Parisien went in to on-farm quarantine on Monday, August 8. Travers had beaten by one day, the deadline of August 8 to have all things done. When Parisien arrived in Grosse-Ile Quebec (first days of November 1966), for his third stage of quarantine, the cattle boat had 228 Charolais and one Simmental – Parisien. This gave Parisien and the new SBL company an incredible early advantage. By the next year, 1967, there were dozens of Simmentals coming into Canada (8 permits for SBL itself - one of those permits being in the name of B.Y. Williams).

B.Y. was Travers' first associate in the Simmental project. Travers' first handwritten letter (dated February 21, 1966) of inquiry to the Swiss Cattle Federation was typed-out and improved upon by B.Y. (and dated February 25, 1966). Most subsequent letters to Canadian and Swiss authorities (and there were many) have B.Y.'s initial (w) in the bottom left-hand corner.

Travers was always immensely grateful for B.Y.’s assistance with skills that he, Travers, did not have. Travers had been acquainted with B.Y. several years before they became Simmental associates as B.Y. was a Credit Union colleague of Travers' Uncle (& surrogate father figure) John Sivil Smith. Travers' father had passed away in 1953 when Travers was 36.);

B.Y. took the first colour photos of Parisien after his quarantine in Mountain View, one photo which heads this Simmental history blog.

During and after B.Y. was an SBL shareholder (1966-1970), several significant Simmental events are attached to his name:

1. Travers' second letter from Switzerland (after the one to "Belle & family") reporting his exciting Simmental findings was written to B.Y. – July 31, 1966, 11 P.M. and can be found at https://simmental-sbl.blogspot.com/2010/05/letters-home-byw-2-july-31-1966.html

2. B.Y. wrote many letters in 1966 & 1967 to the Canadian authorities urging the opening of Switzerland to importation. Along with his and Travers' urgings, (and that of others), Switzerland was finally opened for 1967 importation. 

3. B.Y. was named as first corporate secretary of SBL on its organization in September 1966;

4.. The very first 1\2 blood Simmental born in North America (March 17, 1967) was owned by B.Y. from a commercial Hereford cow and Parisien (AI).

5. . B.Y. wrote a great tribute to Travers that was read by A byrt Linkletter at the February 1, 1974, ASA Convention in Louisville Kentucky. Travers was sick at the time and passed away 6 days later, February 7.

Without doubt, the Simmental story as many experienced it, especially during the heady 1960s and '70s would not have unfolded as it did without B.Y. Williams.

And lastly, how fitting that Dave Nelson, a grandson of B.Y. Williams, should be the one to repair the taxidermy head of Parisien that will hang in the MV school library as a reminder that dreams of making huge improvements to the cattle industry came true because of dreamers and doers – and B.Y. Williams was both.

Mountain View School Remembers Parisien Ahead of His 60th birthday

Mountain View School (Grades K to 9) in Alberta Canada held a school assembly on Friday, 13 February 2026 to learn more about the great Simmental bull Parisien (1966 - 1978) and the men who dared dream of making a huge difference in the cattle industry. Four of the long-term shareholders were from Mountain View: Travers Smith, Harold Watson, Franklyn Smith, and Fenton Webster. Another initial SBL shareholder (circa 1966-1971), B.Y. (Young) Williams from nearby Cardston also made a huge contribution to the dream as Travers' first associate in writing to governments and Commissions to arrange for import permits and many other matters.

Don Jensen, Parisien's faithful handler during the touring days of the late 60's and 70s (and now 90 years young) was also in attendance Each of these six men had several descendants in attendance with 5 of them having great-grandchildren (around 20) attending the school. The taxidermy head of Parisien, owned by Don, and recently repaired by local taxidermy specialist, Dave Nelson (grandson of B.Y. Williams), was unveiled. The head was donated to the MV school by Don Jensen through his grandson Brad Sommerfeldt and will soon be hung on a wall in the school library as a reminder to the students of what dreams can accomplish and how they can change an entire industry.

The Parisien birthday celebration was a great event thanks to principal Curtis Leishman, school librarian, secretary, and chief aide-de-camp Lisa Walburger, Don Jensen's family, and many others.

One other Mountain View resident that we mistakenly overlooked to mention was Beatrice Tolley, the amazing secretary, starting in 1969, who kept all the men on track with appointments, record keeping, arranging flights, other travel, etc., etc., etc. Beatrice was the one who coined the phrase "Breed 'em all Simmental" — sometimes rephrased "Breed 'em all SBL Simmental." She was an SBL gem.

The 60th birthday commemoration was held on Friday, February 13
               because Monday the 16th was a school holiday.
            February 16, 1966 was the actual day of his birth.

The Westwind School Division report of the event, written by Genevieve Boyd, WSD Communications Officer, can be found here:

From Mountain View to North America:

The Bull That Changed the Beef Industry
https://www.westwind.ab.ca/about-us/news/post/from-mountain-view-to-north-america-the-bull-that-changed-the-beef-industry

 

ASA Tribute ~ February 1974

[Written by B.Y. Williams; read by Art Linkletter, February 1, 1974, Louisville, Kentucky]

Success is often the baby of failure, tough going and hard times — in short, perhaps better called adversity. The contribution made by Travers Smith to the revolutionizing of the cattle industry in North America through his introduction of the Simmental breed, which proved so successful that it precipitated the stampede into Exotics — was not an exception.

The writer was Manager of a Credit Union and well acquainted with Travers’ banker across the street, but as the old gag goes, “he held no hard feelings against us for keeping him in the cattle business.” I was also in cattle in a small way, and we often discussed the adversities of the business, the virtues of the native breeds — and lack of them — and how to make a living out of a beautiful, big, fat “ideal” Hereford cow that turned in a scrawny 350 pound calf at weaning time. Well, Travers’ contention was that the “egg heads” were all wrong. Presumptuous, of course. Generations of “improvement in the breed” through the theory that the prettiest cow was necessarily the most valuable had downgraded our native breeds to a financial catastrophe. Travers’ contention was that judges of cattle shows should have been judging Miss America contests. Judging cattle by type instead of performance was our ruination, and he found something right at that time to back him up.

The writer, as well as H. J. Blackmore, friend and neighbor, had done some A.I. crossbreeding with Brown Swiss. “Jim” had a three-quarter Brown Swiss bull calf that showed such phenomenal growth that he asked Travers to weigh him with a bunch Travers had on test out of the best Herefords he could find. Result — the ¾ Brown Swiss x ¼ Hereford March calf weaned 878 pounds on November 14, and the heaviest calf Travers had weaned 525 pounds.

Charolais had opened up imports from France the year before. It was January in ‘66. It was a typical day for chewing the fat — there wasn’t much on the cows — but there is always a bit of time for what is better known in the cattle industry as “shooting the bull,” and we decided in that little bull session to shoot off an application to Ottawa and see if a Brown Swiss Bull wasn’t just as importable as a Charolais.

This letter was just being sealed up and stamped the next day when in comes Travers with a full head of steam. “Hold everything, we’ve got the wrong breed. That application should be for a Simmental.” “A what?” says I. “Say man this application is for an import from France, a cattle import, not from South Africa. Simmental — that’s some kind of Gazelle, isn’t it?” “Look,” says Travers, “I didn’t know any more about them than you do till I picked up this magazine today, and here’s an article by Charley Redd, and another by Bert Hargraves, that just happens to say that Simmentals are the best damn cattle in all of Europe, if not the world.”

I grabbed my dictionary — nothing. I grabbed an encyclopedia — nothing. Oh, yes! just over the page under dairy cattle was one sentence. It said something like “a dual purpose breed native to Switzerland.” “Umph,” I said. “Those two guys should know what they’re talking about even if the encyclopedia doesn’t. We’ll never get a permit any way, so here goes,” and the letter headed for Ottawa for a permit to import one Simmental Bull, whatever that might be.

That was that. No answer — in fact we forgot about it until the middle of June. Travers dropped in one day and I said, “Didn’t those guys in Ottawa ever reply to the application we sent off?” “Never a word,” says he. “Well, I’ll be! — I’ll bet we can write a letter they will reply to anyway.” And we did.

Two days later Travers got, a telephone call from Ottawa with apologies and the information that due to an error, his permit application had been overlooked but had been granted. He had until August the 8th to have his calf in farm quarantine in France. Not much time. Five thousand bucks quick, and something to back it up with as needed, and a bull required within less than six weeks. We had no problem with money at the time, not having any. We just decided to raise $500.00 each and get the same amount from a like number of friends, and we were in business.

Travers had contacted Charley Redd previously and he had said, “If you ever get a permit, I want to pick the bull for you.” So Travers got on the phone. No dice. Charley Redd’s calendar was full, so Travers booked the next suitable reservation he could get, as I recall it, for Berne, Switzerland. Switzerland wasn’t open at the time for export, but he wanted a look at the native breed in the country of origin. He told me later that he got acquainted with the Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Federation officials, and then crossed the border into France.

Enter PARISIEN, The Simmental sire of sires, the only million dollar bull in North America. Travers hunted the country for an available bull calf under nine months of age, which had not been vaccinated for foot and mouth disease, both requirements for export. He finally found one, just barely in time to meet the deadline for entering quarantine. It was Parisien or nothing. So that was it. A curious combination of circumstances, luck, tenacity, judgment, courage, and adherence to an idea and an ideal — better cattle.

As anybody knows who has imported cattle from Europe over the years, cattle, like people, fed on and by bureaucracy, don’t seem to thrive. Parisian arrived in April of 1967, a long geared, well spotted, leggy, THIN critter, but growthy. Travers pulled him into Cardston, Alberta about noon one day, and the “knowing” cattlemen had themselves a good laugh. He was promptly dubbed “The red and white Holstein.”

There have been a lot of laughs since that time — cattlemen counting profits from Simmental.

THANKS, TRAVERS, AND A TRIBUTE TO YOU FOR YOUR IDEA AND YOUR IDEALS.

Recognitions

Travers’ untiring efforts to advance the acceptance of the remarkable Simmental breed in North America soon brought him recognition throughout Canada and the U.S. In the space of seven years, he travelled to hundreds of cities, small towns, and rural living rooms to preach the good news of Simmental. He was the featured speaker at many functions and the recipient of many awards and honors. Four are noted below:

▪ In March 1973, he was honored at BYU and received a plaque inscribed with the words: “Recognition Award For Service To Agriculture, Travers Smith 1973, Brigham Young University Biological And Agricultural Sciences.” The speech presenting him read in part: Travers’s unceasing efforts between 1968 and 1972 to extol the virtues of the Simmental cattle is in large measure responsible for the so-called “Exotic” cattle revolution in North America. / We recognize you, Travers Smith, for your contributions to beef cattle improvements in North America. We acknowledge you as a friend of agriculture at Brigham Young University and present this token of appreciation to you for your lectures and participation during Ag. Week 1973.

▪ At the 4th Annual Meeting of the Montana Simmental Association, Travers was made an honorary member and presented with an engraved trophy-clock. An account in the Simmental Shield of February 1974 reads: [Travers] accepted the award with great humility. Thanks for coming, Travers. (p. 136)

▪ The Canadian Simmental Association presented Travers with a plaque and gavel in recognition of his service as the 1st CSA president.

▪ At the American Simmental Association 6th Annual Convention and Banquet in Louisville, Kentucky, Travers was honored on February 1, 1974 and presented in absentia with a hand-carved wooden Simmental cow from Switzerland. His letter of invitation had read in part: Our Board of Trustees voted unanimously at their last meeting to present you with an award for outstanding service to the American Simmental Association.

Travers & Belle were not present at that ASA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, because the day after Travers mailed acceptance to their letter of invitation he was hospitalized. Despite the eventual diagnosis, Travers had great hopes that he would be healed and be able to attend—to be once again among his friends and fellow-believers in Simmental.

Since Travers’ prayers for recovery were not granted, he composed a message for Belle to send to the gathering that would be honoring him. Belle’s handwritten draft reads:

To Pres. Dale Cutler, all directors, members of A.S.A and all others gathered from Canada and throughout the world. / Praying as I have always done, that God will direct our national, civic and personal lives in attaining a greater performance in service to our fellowmen. / Let us put forth our efforts this night and always to work in this direction, not forgetting that if we do this the blessings of today are but a small portion of what Jesus Christ Our Lord has in store for us both temporally and spiritually. / Let us go now and not fail Him. / Travers Smith.

Noted on the bottom of the draft were the words: Telegram sent to Dale Cutler at the A.S.A Convention the night of Jan 30th 1974.

Art Linkletter, the radio-TV showman and breeder of Simmentals at his Perth Australia ranch read the tribute to Travers (see a later post) that had been written by B.Y. Williams, one of the first investors in SBL. A standing ovation followed the tribute.

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)

Simmental Associations ~ ASA 1968; CSA 1969

Canadian Simmental Association (CSA): In the Guest Editorial of Simmental Country, August 1987, Wes Alm wrote:

During the late 1960’s and the formation of the Canadian Simmental Association there were many tireless workers—people with great vision of the future and they were dedicated to the cause of Simmental promotion. / Two individuals that stood tall in the saddle come readily to mind, Dr. Allan Dixon and Travers Smith, men with great fortitude. Their overwhelming enthusiasm for Simmental was contagious and their contribution to the establishment of Simmental in North America was beyond measure in the respective short years they had. (p. 50)

The CSA was founded in 1968. The application for incorporation under the Livestock Pedigree Act was made and subsequently approved on February 29, 1969. The first organizational meeting was held in Calgary on August 1, 1969 following several meetings around the country where the constitution was gradually developed. Fenton Webster recalled:

After some show in the U.S. [1968, Sheridan WY], Ray Woodward, Dale Lynch, Lavon Sumption, Travers and I stayed up all one night putting by-laws together. Travers was determined to do things right and he wanted everything based on performance. Originally, we had an idea to require bulls to index 105 to be recorded, but that, like many other ideas, got watered down. / Lavon and I did all the organizing of that first meeting in Calgary [Aug. 1, 1969]. … Travers was elected the first President and I stayed on as Secretary until we could afford a full time person. (Beef Today Yearbook’77:86)

Traver's hometown newspaper, Cardston Unlimited, of August 27, 1969 (p. 1) reported the founding board of directors as:

    Fenton Webster of Mt. View, Travers Smith of Cardston, Ross Mitchell of Manitoba, Dr. Allen Dixon of Calgary, Lee Rollins of Edmonton, Ted Tremunde of B.C., Hans Ulrich of Claresholm, LeRoy Berry of Sask., and George McLean of Toronto. Dr. Lavon Sumption was elected as honorary President. This group appointed Travers Smith as president and Fenton Webster as Sec. Treas. of the new organization. The office will be in Cardston at the present time. ...
     A delegation from Switzerland was present for the founding of the Canadian Simmental Association. Included were: Dr. Nabholz, Veterinary General of Switzerland, Mr. Herner Hyss, the manager of the Swiss Cattle Breeders Federation (the organization that exports Swiss cattle from Switzerland to many part of the world); Dr. Hans Henger, the president of the Simmental Cattle Association who has also directed the production of a number of films on Swiss Cattle as well as writing several books on them, and Mrs. Hon Henger.
    The meeting also drew in people from points all across Canada and the United States.
    Speaker at the meeting was Dr. Henger who presented Travers Smth with an honorary medal for his efforts in opening the way for bringing the Simmental Breed of Cattle into Canada.
    An evening banquet was attended by 200 people who were served a delicious supper featuring cross-bred Simmental beef.
    The guest speaker for the evening was the Veterinary General of Canada Dr. Kenneth Wells.
    Mr. Wyss presented a lovely hand carved Simmental cow to the associatiion for their office. Dr. Nabholz also spoke expressing appreciation from the group for this opportunity of coming to Canada. ...

From its very beginning, the CSA set out specific rules for cattlemen in an upgrading program through crossbreeding and AI. These rules incorporated many of Travers’ beliefs and credos, including: performance testing, record keeping, and indexing; and his objection to “competitive live shows.”

In a fact-sheet that SBL prepared in response to the myriad inquires it was receiving, the CSA-proposed rules were outlined in brief with the last two stated as follows:

12. Simmental cattle will not be entered in any competitive live shows because the judging criteria of live shows are inconsistent with sound performance selection programs.
13. Simmental may be displayed at exhibitions and fairs for purposes of sales promotion. Performance data will be emphasized.

This objection to competitive shows ran deep with Travers. He felt that show judging had done almost irreparable injury to the British breeds and that Simmental would suffer the same fate if the focus became show judging instead of performance.

Concerning Travers’ long standing objection to show judging, B.Y. Williams wrote:

I was manager of a credit union and also in the cattle business in a small way. We often discussed the adversities of the business, the virtues of the native breeds—and lack of them—and how to make a living out of a beautiful, big, fat “ideal” Hereford cow that turned in a scrawny 350-pound calf at weaning time. Well, Travers’ contention was that the “egg heads” were all wrong. Travers’ contention was that judging cattle by type instead of performance was our ruination. (Simmental Shield:March1974:30)

Current Canadian Simmental Association website is at http://www.simmental.com/
For a historical list of the CSA board of directors see: http://www.simmgene.com/pdf/register/40years_208.pdf

American Simmental Association (ASA): In part, because of greater interest in Simmental in the U.S., the American Simmental Association had been organized in October 1968. In the Farm Quarterly—Spring 1969, Charles R. Koch reported in his “Livestock” column that:

Probably never before in the history of breed associations has there been such an enthusiastic launching of such an organization. The enthusiasm is even more impressive in view of the fact most of the charter members of the association have never seen a purebred Simmental of either sex; that the only representatives of the breed now in this country are F1 calves sired by artificial insemination; … / Nevertheless, some 260 cattlemen from Florida to the State of Washington converged upon the Cosmopolitan Hotel, in Denver, early in January to attend the first annual meeting of this association and a high percentage of them left the meeting as dues-paying charter members at $100.00 per crack.

The Western Livestock Journal of January 1969 reported on the first annual meeting of the American Simmental Association as follows:

Cattlemen jam Simmental meeting
DENVER – The American Simmental Assn. had 34 members up to the coffee-break time at the first annual meeting here, Jan 10.
Approximately 50 people were expected to show up at that meeting but 250 jammed the room, representing almost every major beef breeding state and Canada. … At coffee-break time 84 cattlemen joined the association and before nightfall the membership had increased further, according to Dale Lynch, Cary, Ill., association secretary. …

Current American Simmental Association website is at http://simmental.org/site/
See also Forty Years and Counting at http://www.simmgene.com/pdf/register/40years_208.pdf


bbb year was probably 1970

 

Letter to B.Y. Williams ~ June 19, 1968

Below is the reporting letter that Travers sent to his colleague, B.Y. Williams, about the 1968 cattle buying trip to Switzerland.

Parisien Progeny

from SBL promotional photo album

Excitement was mounting and by the spring of 1968 (about 1 month before the second group of imports arrived from Grosse-Île for on-farm quarantine), SBL had Parisien calves on the ground¹ and facts to back Travers’ enthusiasm. Parisien’s progeny testing began immediately and the results were all that Travers and SBL had hoped for and expected.

With progeny facts and hundreds of pictures, SBL stepped up its promotional campaign. SBL shareholder Fenton Webster recalled that Ottawa was one of their first stops. They were allotted 20 minutes to meet with the Canadian Minister of Agriculture, Bud Olsen, but their meeting lasted over an hour. They also met with the Veterinary Director General, Dr. Ken Wells, and Fenton wrote: “I’ve never seen such enthusiasm.” But somehow the reception in Canada remained cool. Their first big break came at a Performance Registry International meeting in Sheridan, Wyoming where the interest was keen.²

Travers wrote:

… The success of our venture was due, I am sure, to the need that the ranchers had for this [Simmental] information and their readiness at this time to accept the good news. ... From there on our story criss-crosses the United States and Canada … ³

from Cardston Alberta's local newspaper, Cardston Unlimited, March 20, 1968

-------------------/
1. The first crossbred, half-simmental calf was born on March 17, 1968 on the K.N. Stewart Ranch near Cardston Alberta to a cow owned by B.Y. Williams. Its birth weight was 70 lbs.
2. Beef Today Yearbook, '77:82
3. "The Importation: Selecting the first Canadian Simmentals" by Travers Smith, Simmental Shield, October 1970, pp. 8-10.

2.06: Swiss Permits ~ at last !!

(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.)

Finally, under date of 19 July 1967, eight permits for the importation of cattle from France/Switzerland were issued to the SBL shareholders, one each to:

Travers Smith; B.Y. Williams; Hans Ulrich
Frank R. Smith; Harold Watson; H. J. Blackmore
O.T. Bingham; S.B. Williams

The telegrams sent July 20 announcing the long-awaited news, prompted a flood of relief. All the hard work, the stress, the aggravations had come to a joyful conclusion. Their selected Swiss calves were still unvaccinated—ready and waiting to enter the first stage of testing and quarantine.

The SBL Importers had not seen any of their selected cattle personally, but they had studied their pedigrees and with the help of Mr. Aegerter, Mrs. Hofer, and Hans Ulrich's father (Hans Ulrich, Sr.) "who did a good job of selection" they ended up with seven more Simmental, 4 heifers and 3 bulls in the works, plus one Brown Swiss, for their eight permits.

Their planning ahead had rewarded them with seven of the eight Simmental cattle imported out of Switzerland that year of 1967/68. The comprehensive vaccination program of the Swiss, plus the delayed timeline left other importers with no place to go but France. The SBL shareholders good fortune in managing to keep their Swiss options open was almost beyond their belief considering the numerous hurdles they had encountered.

Sampling of communications ~ January-August 1967

▪ Jan 30: Fenton Webster writes to MP David Thompson in Ottawa for assistance in Swiss importation
▪ Jan. 31: Travers receives telegram from CSwissCBF about cattle selections
▪ Feb. 1: FW telephones MP and records notes of conversation
▪ Feb. 6: Letter from CDA-Vets re Swiss. situation
▪ Feb. 9: Letter from CSwissCBF
▪ Feb. 14: Letter from CDA acknowledging request for permit for importing cattle from Switzerland
▪ Feb 27: Letter from CDA re final costs of 1966 importation of Parisien
▪ Mar. 1: Letter from CSwissCBF updating situation on tentative imports
▪ Mar. 2: Letter from Swiss Federal Vets to CDA
▪ Mar. 3: Letter from CDA concerning release date from Grosse-Ile for 1966/67 import, Parisien
▪ Mar. 6: Letter to Travers from J.J. Greene, Canada Minister of Agriculture advising of intended visit of Senior Veterinary official’s visit to Switzerland and France in early May.
▪ Mar. 7: CDA Letter to Swiss Federal Vets concerning importation matters
▪ Mar. 8: Letter from CDA acknowledging receipt of Travers’ permit request for “three head of Simmental cattle from Switzerland in 1967 ....”
▪ Mar. 10: Letter to CDA re concerns about delayed release of 1966/67 imports
▪ Mar. 14: Letter from CDA replying to Mar. 10 letter
▪ Mar. 18: Swiss Federal Vets letter to CDA
▪ Mar. 21; CDA letter to Travers re on-farm quarantine protocol
▪ Mar. 23: CDA letter to Travers re his March 16 query about possible Ag. Research interest in Simmental
▪ Mar. 29: 2nd page of CSwissCBF letter to Travers re progress update
▪ Apr. 28: CDA-Vets letter to CswissCBF advising of delayed visit and acknowledging complications that it creates for Switzerland and importers
▪ May 2: Letter to Travers from CDA advising that a final decision had not been made, but accompanied by a 7-page “1967 Conditions for the Importation of Cattle from France, Switzerland approved by the Veterinary Director General, Health of Animals Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture
▪ May 11: Letter to CDA from CSwissCBF about May 15 visit and attempts to delay vaccination of selected cattle
▪ May 16: CDA reply to above
▪ May 16: Letter from CDA to Alberta Vet re insemination protocol of quarantined animals
▪ Jun 22: Letter from CDA to Travers re the “group” import requests
▪ Jul. 19: Permit letters for importation to Travers, B.Y. Williams, Hans Ulrich, Frank R. Smith, Harold Watson, H.J. Blackmore, O.T. Bingham, S.B. Williams; and copy of actual permit issued to “Mr. Travers Smith”
▪ Jul. 20: Telegram to Travers advising of import permit
▪ Aug. 25: Letter from S.E.P.A. re Parisien registration papers

2.01: SBL Expands

(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.)

As Parisien wend his way through the testing and quarantine process, the work of planning for his arrival and promotion heated up. In January 1967, SBL invited 2 new Alberta members into the venture: Fenton Webster of Mountain View and Hans Ulrich of Clareshom; each paying $1,000.00, plus receiving shares for promoting the breed.¹

Fenton Webster was a Mountain View rancher; Hans Ulrich, a native of Switzerland, who had moved to Canada in 1958. Ulrich had superintended the outstanding Hereford breeding program at Claresholm Alberta for a Dr. Ammon. Steers from the bulls of this herd out-performed all tested breeds at the Bassano, AB Performance Testing Program conducted by the Alberta Beef Cattle Performance Association in 1965-66.

(Toward the end of 1968 Dale Lynch of Cary, Illinois joined the group, the only U.S. resident/citizen amongst the SBL shareholders. At the time, he was a livestock management consultant and employee of Curtiss Breeding Service of Cary, Illinois.)

Douglas G. Blair of Western Breeders Service Ltd., Balzac, AB, wrote the following:

Travers also had interesting business philosophies and I recall him telling me that he had some difficulties with his original shareholders when he wanted to bring Hans Ulrich and Dale Lynch into the ownership of the company soon after it started. He told me that some of his shareholders thought that they were watering down the stock but he thought that with the addition of these two men that they would be irrigating the stock.²

Also in 1968, Travers' six children, incorporating as S-6 Ranch Limited, purchased the shares of J.H. Blackmore whose health precluded him from continuing in the company. By 1970, four original shareholders, S.B. Williams, B.Y. Williams, O.T. Bingham, and Guy Bowlby, had sold their shares back to the remaining ones.

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1. As reported in a quote by Fenton Webster at p. 11 in the article "SBL: Foundation Simmental Breeders in North America," Simmental Scene, July 1978, pp. 10-14 & 66-67.
2, "Where Were You in '67?" Simmental Scene, August1987:106

1:13: SBL (Simmental Breeders Limited)

(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; Franklyn 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.
*J.H. (James Horn) Blackmore (aka-Hastings James or H.J.) was a cattle rancher based in Leavitt & Mountain View
B.Y. Williams was manager 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).

Letters Home ~ BFS-6 (August 7, 1966)

[The surprise was a pear-shaped crystal chandeleir.]

1.09: "Most Magnificent Cattle"

(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.)

By going to Switzerland first, Travers also hoped to get what advice he could on best selection criteria and farm locations in France from the Swiss. Because of his delayed flight from Paris, the Swiss Cattle Commission offices were closed by the time of his arrival. The next morning (Saturday), he found their offices closed for the weekend, but was finally able to roust a young man in the building to open up to him. The young man was very helpful in arranging for a cattle guide and Travers was soon on his way by train to Spiez to meet his guide to the Simmental (both cattle and valley). His guide was Mrs. Hofer, a middle-aged widow who spoke 5 languages. Her husband had died about five years previous, but as they had raised Simmental Cattle, she “knew all about them, where to go, and the people to see.”

On Saturday, July 30, under the guidance of Mrs. Hofer, Travers got his first view of the best Simmental cattle in the Simmental (the Simme River valley). He described them as “The most Magnificent Cattle I have ever seen.”¹

I spent some hours with a tape measure measuring these cattle and jotting down the figures and just standing and looking at them. It took some time to pull myself away from this scene.²

In his July 31 letter to colleague, B.Y. Williams of Cardston, Travers wrote:

I can’t get over them. We can’t get his kind of animal in 100’s of years of breeding with what we’ve got to work with in Canada. If we can get a few over home it will be the biggest break through for Cattle in a long time. … I’m making every effort and contacted [sic] possible to see if we can’t move cattle from here to France for another year. // … I would sell ½ my herd to get a few of these over.³

His plans were to stay in Switzerland till Monday or Tuesday before returning to France to select his import animal, a Red and White Simmental [Pie rouge de l'Est]. On Sunday, July 31, after a morning sick-and-dizzy spell (which he attributed to a delayed vaccination reaction: BFS-5), Travers took time to attend his religious services at the LDS Chapel next to the LDS Swiss Temple. Between church meetings, he visited with one of his new acquaintances, Dr. Winzenried, whose farm was located 1½ miles from the LDS meetinghouse.

On Monday morning, August 1, Travers left for Geneva, Switzerland arriving about noon where he met a Mr. Roger Decre, an importer and exporter of cattle between Switzerland and France. Travers spent 2-3 hours with Mr. Decre at the Swiss/French border while Mr. Decre cleared cattle. From there they travelled to Mr. Decre's Mountain Ranch near Gex, France looking at cattle all day. By 11 P.M. Travers was back in Geneva, Switzerland, boarding the train for Paris.

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1. Letter to his wife, Belle, July 31, 1966: (BFS-5)
2. Simmental Shield, Oct 1970:8
3. Letter to B.Y. Williams, July 31, 1966: (BYW-2)

Letters Home ~ BYW-1 (July 28, 1966)

1.08: Above the Clouds!

(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.)

After receiving the "permit" news, precious time elapsed before all arrangements were made, but on Wednesday, July 27, 1966 Travers boarded his flight in Lethbridge, Alberta bound for France and Switzerland. He didn’t even have his passport yet, but felt confident he could pick it up during his 5-hour stopover in Ottawa (reduced to 3 hours because of delays). He got his passport without undue complications (crediting his God for “softening the heart of the customs man”) and by Thursday, July 28 at 6:30 P.M., he was waiting in Montreal for his flight to France. In the space of little more than one day, his flight had stopped in Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.

This was Travers’ first air flight, and mixed in with the thrill of this new experience, he felt a drive that would not let him rest. It was as though his life had been building for this purpose, and that no obstacle could stand against his conviction.

All along his way to Europe, he felt that through God’s providence, he met people who helped him: Dr. Sumption in Lethbridge who “gave me some good advice on Genetics”; a Mr. Russell from Lethbridge travelling to a new government assignment in Charlottetown who, “helped me out a lot”; and “some good leads” for French contacts from the Vets, and from Trades & Commerce in Ottawa. He wrote:

Vets say we may if France cooperates bring cattle from swiss. to calve in France. I'll see if France OKs this.¹

Travers’ first oceanic flight was

… a most beautiful sight. Billowy mass of cloud below in all shapes high and low like mountains and miles & miles of rolling like pillow cloud[s] … Something I’ve never seen and hard to describe. Has to be seen.²

He was like an awe-filled explorer into an unseen, never-imagined world.

He arrived in Paris, France early Friday morning (July 29, 1966), but only as a stopover. His push was to get to Switzerland.

After a 6-hour unexpected delay in Paris (airline overbooking of flights), he flew on to Zurich and took the train to Bern, arriving Friday night, July 29 at 9 P.M., seven hours later than planned. His determined purpose—to first see the cattle that looked so impressive in the brochures sent by the Swiss Cattle Commission “so that I could compare the animals in France to them.”

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1. Letter to colleague, B.Y. Williams, July 28, 1966: (BYW-1)
2. Letter to his wife, Belle, July 29, 1966: (BFS-4)

1.07: Permit ~ At Last!! (CDA - July 7, 1966)

(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.)

Amidst the flurry of continued Simmental research, Travers was anxiously awaiting word on his April 30th request for a permit.¹ When the end of June approached, still without word from the CDA, Travers and B.Y. fired off another letter (29 June 1966).¹ B.Y. Williams remembered it thus:

Two days later Travers got a telephone call from Ottawa with apologies and the information that, due to an error, his permit application had been overlooked but had been granted. He had until August 8 to have his calf in farm quarantine in France. Not much time. Five thousand bucks quick, and something to back it up, and a bull required within less than six weeks. We had no problem with money at the time, not having any. We just decided to raise five hundred dollars each and get the same amount from a like number of friends, and we were in business. / Travers had contacted Charley Redd previously and he had said, “If you ever get a permit, I want to pick the bull for you.” So Travers got on the phone. No dice. Charley Redd’s calendar was full. So Travers booked the next suitable reservation he could get for Berne, Switzerland. Switzerland wasn’t open at the time for export, but he wanted a look at the native breed in the country of their origin.²

At last, under date of July 7, 1966, Travers received his written permit for the “importation of 1 cattle from France.” He was now in a time squeeze because the Brest, France quarantine was to begin September 1. With the CDA requirement of an approximate 30-day on-farm quarantine before the Brest quarantine, he was informed that the selection had to be made no later than Monday, August 8, 1966.

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1. For copies of these letters to the CDA, see post herein of May 19, 2010.
2. Simmental Shield, March 1974:30

The Year It [Simmental] All Began in North America ~ 1966

[This 1966 timeline was researched, compiled, and written by S.M. Smith, daughter of B. Travers Smith, with reference to articles written by Travers Smith, as well as from original letters and carbons of letters—some of which are reproduced hereafter. Note: Quotations from Travers’ letters preserve his random capitals, haphazard punctuation, and carefree spellings.]

January
Travers Smith, age 49, of Mountain View, Alberta Canada, begins his 20th year of running the family ranch that his grandfather had homesteaded in 1899/1900. In the first week of what will prove an astonishing year, Travers’ long-held passion to improve his cattle herd leads him to read a 1964 report by Hobart F. Peters about Peter’s travels in Europe to study animal breeds, including the Simmental. (Peters is a geneticist with the Lethbridge Research Branch of the Canada Department of Agriculture—CDA.) This is Travers’ first encounter with the word Simmental. He quickly encounters it again in another article and in conversation with Charlie Redd of La Sal, Utah.

January–March
Everything Travers reads and hears about this “new” old breed sets him on fire and he becomes a man with a Simmental mission. He recruits his uncle’s business associate, B.Y. Williams, to help with correspondence to the Canada Department of Agriculture (CDA) and to the Commission of Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Federation.

February 16
A bull calf is born on the Henri Rossin farm (C 982) at Saint-Appolinaire, Cote d’Or, near Dijon, France. Someone names the new calf, Parisien. No one knows the revolution he will initiate, the 100,000 plus miles he will travel, the penthouse ballrooms he will parade through, or the genetic heritage he will bequeath to over 15,000 progeny. He is just an exceptionally fine calf with good prospects—technically French Pie Rouge, but the equivalent of the Swiss Simmental. In fact his sire was a Swiss Simmental, Lausannois (15721) and had been imported from Switzerland to France. His dam was French Pie Rouge named Uree-Etoile (82-876). 

April 04
Travers and B.Y. Williams write to the CDA expressing interest in importing the “Red and White Simmental” of Switzerland.

April 30
After becoming aware that Switzerland is firmly closed for direct importation because of animal health restrictions in Canada, Travers directs a written request to the CDA for “the number of Red and White Simmental cattle allowed under one permit” for importation from France.

May/June
Travers continues correspondence with the Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Federation, firmly convinced that Switzerland can be opened for direct importation if Swiss and Canadian officials will just jump through enough hoops to make it happen.

June 29
Anxiety mounts as no word comes from the CDA regarding the permit request, so the duo fire off another letter to the CDA. B.Y. Williams remembers it thus:

[A few] days later Travers got a telephone call from Ottawa with apologies and the information that, due to an error, his permit application had been overlooked but had been granted. He had until August 8 to have his calf in farm quarantine in France. Not much time. Five thousand bucks quick, and something to back it up, and a bull required within less than six weeks. We had no problem with money at the time, not having any. We just decided to raise five hundred dollars each and get the same amount from a like number of friends, and we were in business. / Travers had contacted Charley Redd previously and he had said, “If you ever get a permit, I want to pick the bull for you.” So Travers got on the phone. No dice. Charley Redd’s calendar was full. So Travers booked the next suitable reservation he could get for Berne, Switzerland. Switzerland wasn’t open at the time for export, but he wanted a look at the native breed in the country of their origin. (SSh:March1974:30)

July 07
The “overlooked” CDA permit for the “importation of 1 cattle from France” is mailed to Travers. The date of its receipt is not recorded, but time is of the essence because an unvaccinated bull calf under 9-months of age must be in the system no later than August 8. (An approximate 30-day on-farm quarantine is required before the Brest, France quarantine which is set to begin September 1.)

July 27

Travers boards his first-ever air flight in Lethbridge, Alberta bound for Zurich, Switzerland trusting that he can get his passport during a 5-hour stopover in Ottawa. Delays en route reduce his time in Ottawa to 3-hours, but he gets his passport and somehow finds time to also obtain “some good leads” for French contacts from the CDA Vets and from Trades and Commerce in Ottawa.

July 29
After a major airline delay in Paris, Travers arrives in Zurich and takes the evening train to Berne, arriving at 9 P.M.—7 hours behind schedule.

July 30
It is Saturday and the Swiss Cattle Federation office is closed, but Travers manages to roust a young man in the building who helps arrange a cattle guide—a Mrs. Hofer from Spiez—who takes Travers on a tour of the Simme River Valley. Travers writes home the following day, “The most Magnificant Cattle I have ever seen.” He will later recount

I spent some hours with a tape measure measuring these cattle and jotting down the figures and just standing and looking at them. It took some time to pull myself away from this scene. (SSh:Oct1970:8)

July 31
Travers attends Church services, visits with a new acquaintance, Dr. Winzenried on his farm near Berne, and writes to B.Y. Williams:

I can’t get over them. We can’t get this kind of animal in 100’s of years of breeding with what we’ve got to work with in Canada. If we can get a few over home it will be the biggest break through for Cattle in a long time. … I’m making every effort and contacted [sic] possible to see if we can’t move cattle from here to France for another year. // … I would sell ½ my herd to get a few of these over. (BYW-2:July31/1966)

August 01
Travers proceeds to Geneva; meets and travels with Mr. Roger Decre, a French cattleman from Gex, who is an importer/exporter between Switzerland and France; spends the entire day with Mr. Decre (and Decre’s cousin who serves as interpreter); and then takes the night train to Paris.

August 02–06
After spending the morning at the Canadian Embassy getting contact information, Travers arrives in Dijon at 3 pm on August 2:

Met Mr. Plenat at Pie Rougue Cattle registry. he had interperater told him what I was looking for. he said to get hotel and by morn would have a list of men to see. Just as I was ready to leave Wayne Malmberg called from Nevers. He & Ray Woodward had done a lot of ground work on these cattle for me and were ready to come up with the S.E.P.A. [Société d’Exportation de Produits Agricoles] Men next morning. Next day [Wed., Aug. 3] we had 2 cars Good top men Knew Country & Cattle, we saw some Good cattle. Had a good visit with Wayne and Ray Woodward who is one of best Genetists in U.S. He helped develope the Line 1 Miles City Cattle we bought. Travelled 500 Miles and landed back at Nevers. Next day [Thursday, August 4] saw some Good Charlaise Cattle Sepa Men contacted more men [p. 3] and next day [Friday, August 5] went back North of Jidon [Dijon] Saw more good Simmintal. Picked 3 Calves to test, One has to have at least 3 to start with for some fail on health tests. Made all arrangements with S.E.P.A Organization on cattle next day [Sat., August 6]. They will handle everything to Brest France the Quarantine Station. We only pay them at end of test for the bull that gets on boat for Canada. Wayne & Ray Left for Canada Thursday [Aug. 4] I missed train for Berne Swiss Last night so am travelling today Sunday to Berne. be at sacrament meet[ing] there tonight. Want to see more cattle in Switzerland. Then back to Paris Friday [August 12]. have a reservation for Plane Sat. be home Sunday I hope. … (BFS-6:Aug7/1966)

The S.E.P.A. document dated 6 August 1966 lists Travers’ first choice as Parisien, with a farm price of 17.000 Fr. (See October 21 entry below.) Two alternate choices are required in the event that Parisien fails the health tests. The first alternate, Orkan, is from the Langenieux farm; the second, Oranais, from the Roger farm. First-choice Parisien is found a mere five miles from the Herd Book Office of the Pie Rouge at Dijon. With the S.E.P.A. documents signed, the animals with their dams were set to enter the requisite testing area on Monday, August 8, 1966—the deadline given by the CDA. Travers had beaten the deadline by one day, a Sunday. Things were now in process, being superintended by the well-organized Canadian Charolais Association (CCA), acting as agent for all Canadians importing from France. Everything will proceed like clockwork from one stage of testing and quarantine to the next.

August 07-12
Travers returns to Switzerland and spends his time:

… making arrangements for the future, contacting all the government and export people possible, as well as their veterinarians. My inquiries for top quality cattlemen in Switzerland to do a selection job for us in the future led me to two persons—Ernst Aegerter, who had for most of his life headed up the export of cattle out of Switzerland, and a Mrs. Ida Hofer, who was a real cattlewoman in her own right, being of a famous cattle breeding family in Switzerland and also married into one. (SSh:Oct1970:9 from “Selecting the first Canadian Simmentals,” by Travers Smith, Simmental Shield, October 1970, pp. 8-10.)

August 15 onward
Upon returning home, Travers continues his telephone and letter campaign hoping to get Switzerland open for importation to Canada. At the same time, he begins directing cattle selection in Switzerland through his two Swiss contacts (Aegerter & Hofer), trusting in their expertise and trusting that the Canadian government will open Switzerland for the upcoming importation year. (This will prove a nail-biting experience for these first Canadian Simmental believers and investors. When at last it seems too late, they will receive eight permits for France/Switzerland, dated July 19, 1967.)

Travers’ long-suffering bankers have not been overly impressed with his latest idea, so in order to finance the Simmental “gamble,” several local investors finally respond to Travers’ enthusiasm. His vision of what the Simmental breed can do to improve productivity, performance, and profitability in livestock operations somehow slips into every conversation. By late August, seven men commit to help Travers finance this venture that has so captured his focus.

August 30
Six of the eight initial contributors of capital meet to determine the type of organization they want to transact the future business of the contributing group. According to the minutes, those present at the meeting are: “B. Travers Smith; Dr. Orson T. Bingham; Harold Watson; Guy Bowlby; H.J. Blackmore; B.Y. Williams.” Those not able to attend are: Dr. S. B. Williams and Franklyn Smith. Each contributor’s investment is $500.00 in cash with a further $500.00 guarantee to the bank to secure a $4,000.00 loan. Thus, their working capital for the project is $8,000.00. Their Parisien venture will take almost all of it.

September 20 (abt)
The Canadian Charolais Association advises that some testing delays have occurred and that “present plans are to move the cattle from the farms to Brest quarantine station within the next few days. It is expected that the plans will then be pretty much as scheduled, arriving at Grosse Ile, late October.” (Undated CCA letter to importers)

September 25
Parisien goes into quarantine at the Brest Quarantine Station in France. (S.E.P.A. letter dated September 28, 1966)

September 26
Simmental Breeders Limited (aka, SBL) is incorporated with B. Travers Smith, chairman; and B.Y. Williams, secretary with the remaining investors as directors.

October 21
The Royal Bank of Canada receipt of this date shows a currency exchange of .22, resulting in a total cost of $3,630.00 Canadian dollars that Travers and his fellow investors send to finalize matters with S.E.P.A. In subsequent correspondence by Travers, it appears that the original farm price for Parisien was 15.000 Fr., but is increased to 17.000 to cover extra costs relating to the transport, testing, etc. of the two alternate bulls at 1.000 Fr. each. Only one of the alternate bulls with dam is delivered to the testing area, so the adjusted price paid is 16.500 Fr. The extra 500 Fr. is for transport costs to get Parisien to Brest, France after he passes the first tests.

October, late [29th]
After a period of quarantine at Brest, France, Parisien and 228* other imports (mainly, if not totally, Charolais) are loaded onto a cattle boat for the 8-day ocean voyage to Grosse-Ile, Quebec—Canada’s quarantine facility in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Here, Parisien will spend his first Canadian winter. (*CDA letter of Sept. 15, 1966 states cattle imports authorized for 1966 total 229.)

December
This pivotal year ends with Parisien’s anxious owners looking forward to an early spring thaw so their “great expectation” can wend his way to the Canadian mainland and overland to Alberta for his last quarantine phase—a 90-day on-farm quarantine on Travers’ ranch. In Travers’ view, things are looking up for every farm and ranch family in North America—every family, that is, who will lend him their ears and their eyes for even just a minute.


Those of you who remember Travers knew him as a man of deep faith. In a letter to his children in 1971, he wrote of this first Simmental trip, saying “… the Lord softened the heart of a customs man that I got a passport after [brief] hours in Ottawa. He led me to the right people in Switzerland, in France; unbeknown to them He influenced men to organize trips for me to see cattle. He gave me ideas and understanding of Cattle and the attendant business far beyond my natural powers. In the past He prepared through men’s management of Genetics, a Bull that started the biggest revolution for good in the cattle industry on this continent.”

And it all began—a mere 40 years ago [now 44].

[The above Timeline, written by SM Smith, was first published in Simmental Country, June/July 2006, World Congress Special Edition, pp. 120-128.]
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Note: this author is aware that Simmental was referenced in North America in the late 1880s and early 1900s, but did not survive as a distinct breed here, thus Simmental became one of the "exotics" in the heady days of the 1960s and '70s.