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2009 Salers National Tour held in Idaho--Where it all startedCattle enthusiasts from nineteen different states came together for the 2009 National Salers Tour in the Boise, Idaho, area. Organized by the Idaho Salers Association, the tour was held over two days, Sept. 18 and 19. Rarely do Salers producers have the opportunity to drive through the area where the Salers breed got its start in the United States. It was here that the first Salers registration certificate was generated in 1975. Tour participants drove through Weiser, Idaho, which served as both the first office of the American Salers Association and the headquarters for Rocking M Cattle Company. Roy Moore, publisher of the first Salers magazine, owner of Rocking M Cattle Company and one of the three owners of ASA number 1--Jet, was a participant of the National Salers Tour. The tour stopped at Simplot Livestock in Grand View and viewed at least a small part of the lifelong vision started by JR Simplot over 70 years ago. In touring the massive feedlot, both Bronc May, in charge of custom cattle feeding, and Kim Perkins who oversees all cattle feeding operations, described the 100,000 plus cattle feeding operation which exemplifies the Simplot Goal; "Customer satisfaction is the primary goal of all our products and services, and the Company is recognized as a leader in production innovation and efficiency."¬ Three purebred Salers stops in the Buhl, Idaho area were part of the first day activities. Sunken Canyon Ranch, Joe and Cheryl Gellings, Hunsaker Livestock, Randy and Suna Hunsaker and McCoy Livestock, Randy and Carol McCoy, all had a nice group of heifers, bulls and cow/calf pairs on display. Between them, these operations have shown and exhibited champions at the Junior National, the National Western Stock Show and have genetics that show up in the pedigrees among many U.S. breeders. The National Salers tour also served as host for the second "Level Above the Clouds" Foundation female sale. Proceeds from the donation and auction of four Salers heifers generated over $8000 for the ASA Foundation which funds vital research and scholarship programs. The outstanding heifers were donated by Sunken Canyon Ranch, Buhl, Idaho, Jacobsen Ranch, Sun River, Montana, Fredrickson Ranch, Whitehall, Montana, and GG&T Cattle Co., Quinter, Kansas. The tour also went through the mountainous New Meadows area where B & B Livestock and Raney Ranch are located and to Thiel Livestock near Donnelly. Debbie and Cliff Barnett, at B & B Ranch had bulls, yearling heifers, Salers cross club calf steers and cow/calf pairs on display. Both red and black purebred commercial cows wowed the group at Raney Ranch, owned by Ed and Ruth Raney and Gary and Marg Chipman. Dr. Craig Rowan from Weiser was on hand.¬ He is one of the first veterinarians to ever embryo transplant Salers cattle. Thiel Livestock, Bob and Glenna Thiel, near Donnelly, had on hand good quality commercial Salers Angus cross cattle. The group arrived in Banks, Idaho, with the setting sun, just in time to have dinner and board the Thunder Mountain Train down the scenic Payette River. Participants in this historic tour would be hard-pressed to recall two more enjoyable days. The combination of exceptional cattle, both warm and professionally presented hospitality mixed with sincere and heartfelt stories about the history of the Salers breed and some of its pioneers, provided a memorable and rewarding tour experience.
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