Trip Report American Simmental Association

Fred Schuetze, Activity #M14GXCSS02 Expica ~ San Jose, Costa Rica

September 15-19, 2014 Purpose of trip: To attend Expica for Central America representing the American Simmental Association. It is important for the ASA to be represented since Europe is making great in roads into Central America with Simmental genetics and we must maintain our presence. Monday, September 15, 2914 12:30 PM. Departed Granbury Texas for DFW airport for a departing flight to San Jose Costa Rica. 7:00 PM arrived San Jose Costa Rica and was met by Mario and Dana Mata for the trip to Guapiles Costa Rica where Expica is being held. Tuesday, September 16, 2014 8:00 AM. Breakfast with: Alberto Banuet and Tino Perez from Mexico and Rolando Matamoros from Costa Rican Simmental Simbrah Association. 9:30 AM travel to Expica grounds with Ronaldo Matamoros with the Costa Rican Simmental Simbrah Association. 10:00 AM till 5:00 PM watched Simmental show with the judge from Austria JoHann Tanzler. Visited with Costa Rican breeders: Juan Ramirez, Antonio Mata, Carlos Sanchez, Arturo Quiros along with many others. September 17, 2014 Breakfast at hotel with Alberto Banuet and other breeders from Mexico. Travel to show grounds at 10 AM for the Simbrah show judged by Alberto Banuet from Villahermosa Mexico. The class breaks were Excellent and the judge did an excellent job of judging with in-depth details on why he placed the cattle the way he did. Visited with Carlos Sanchez and family along with Luis Alberto Quesada Sanchez. Also visited with members of Rio Cotn Simbrah and Carlos Lee a Brahman Breeder and Arturo Quiros of Rancho Don Graciano. Returned to the hotel at 8 PM.

September 18, 2014 Breakfast at the hotel. Travel to show grounds at 10 AM to watch the Brahman show and visited with Simmental and Simbrah breeders about the use of US genetics in their programs. Many of the current genetics are from the U.S. And this is why they are using German and Austrian Fleckvieh to change the genetics and increase milk production since most all cows are milked. Visited with Antonio Mata, Carlos Sanchez with the Costa Rican Simmental Simbrah association, Roberto Salazar, Juan Ramirez, Alonso Mora and Constantino Perez. Returned to Hotel at 7:00 Pm. September 19,2014 Departed hotel at 4 AM with Mario Mata for the trip back to the airport in San Jose. A mud- slide in the mountains had closed the road so we had to go the long way around to get there. 8:20 Am departed San Jose arriving at DFW at 1:35 PM. Conclusion: Long-term relationships with breeders in Costa Rica have kept ASA genetics very popular in Costa Rica and the breeders were again talking about Beef Simmental and Simbrah Genetics because they have lost some of the red meat using the higher milk bulls. We must continue these trips to keep the ASA genetics viable in Costa Rica and other Central American Countries. The new Simbrah brochure was well received at Expica in San Carlos, Costa Rica. Over 50 Spanish and 25 English copies were distributed to interested breeders.