Mark Smith, South Central Region
Exciting Times in Simmental
I’m excited to be in the cattle business, and a member of the American Simmental Association!
I’m thankful for the warm 78 degrees as I write this Viewpoint, after a cold beginning of 2026. Many of our neighbors in northern Mississippi are still hurting from the recent ice storm, and are going their third week without power. I sympathize with anyone living at 10 degrees or below — this southerner is not cut out for it!
Fifteen months ago I wrote my first Viewpoint as a Trustee. I wrote about the “Best of Times” with feeder calves hitting $4. Now we have $6—$7 calves routinely, depending on the weights and location. How much better can it get? We are ten months into having our new ASA EVP, Dr. Jon DeClerck at the helm, and I’m even more excited as I see his vision and focus coming into full view. It’s “The Best of Times” at ASA. Since Dr. DeClerck started, we have added several new staff members, which is also wonderful.
We just put the finishing touches on our board meeting in Oklahoma. I met Dr. Ben Crites for the first time, and came away very impressed. He is going to be a rockstar at ASA and IGS. If you haven’t met him, reach out and make contact and get to
know him. Dr. Elizabeth Dressler has started implementing some of her first work at ASA and IGS, and it’s just downright impressive how she has hit the ground running right out the gate. She and IGS staff are implementing some of the traits we have been longing for, and there will be more to come. We as members should be proud that Dr. Dressler works for ASA and IGS, and not our competition. I believe the Board and Dr. DeClerck are developing a great relationship that will pay huge dividends as we meet the challenges, changes, and push the growth curve of ASA.
As this hits your mailbox or inbox, we will be putting the finishing touches on the 2026 Dixie National, the third largest PTP point show of the six National Shows. It has been a tremendous success with fundraising, member interaction, and marketing of ASA programs and services. Bull sales have been at prices we’ve never seen, and broken all kinds of records! I am excited, and your banker should be excited too! When you deposited your proceeds and deducted the high inputs, your balance sheet should still be healthy! If your banker isn’t excited, get a new banker!
I’m excited about where we are going with Dr Jon DeClerck’s leadership and the current Board’s vision for the future to enhance the programs and services for ASA members and customers. I believe it will drive the growth curve in a positive direction for market share and owners of Simmental and Simbrah genetics. AJSA programs are second to none, and the juniors always help build momentum!
You will be excited, too, with what’s ahead for IGS success! The Mature Cow Weight EPD, feet and leg measurements, $DMI, and other new traits allow me to visualize what is possible. Phenotype evaluation, muscle scores, and teat and udder quality are all a part of the question. Who knows what may allow us to excel and better serve the commercial producer. We video our bulls before we sell them to commercial producers because phenotype affects their longevity, price, and executing the performance bred into them. It’s a show day at sale time because not all buyers buy completely sight unseen!
Analyze how far we have come since 1968, and measure the growth and success our forebearers prepared for us, and you will join the excitement too! We are reaping the benefits of previous boards, trustees, chairmen, EVPs, and staff — the blood, sweat, tears, and hard work that went into blazing the trail were all so we could enjoy this success and growth of ASA. Are you excited?
I am also thankful, and we all should be thankful, to be a part of the times we are enjoying — great prices, programs and services, people, that enhance our everyday lives! You know when we give THANKS, we stop and appreciate our blessings and where they come from. We will even be more excited when we realize the “BEST IS YET TO COME.” .
