Harker Simmentals

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"Our interest in the Simmental breed developed because of the youth program. I had heard from one of our neighbors, Albert O'Connor (a former AJSA President) that there was going to be a Summer Classic held in Louisville during the summer of 1986. So, the boys each got a Simmental heifer and got them ready to go to the Classic. That year, we redefined the term 'rookie' because we knew absolutely nothing about showing cattle. I took Barbara and the boys down to Louisville, unloaded them and the heifers, returned home to work at my dental practice for a few days, and came back for show day." states John Harker. "That's what got us started," he continued. "We had no idea what kind of educational things happened at the Classic. We thought it was just a little old cattle show." Two American Junior Simmental Association Classic Champion Females, one National Western Grand Champion Bull, one National Western Grand Champion Female and twenty years later, John, Barbara, Ben & Dan are still raising Simmental cattle in the small town of Hope, Indiana. The operation started in 1985 with the purchase of two show heifers. It was initially started as a program where the boys could accumulate a few cattle to pay for their college education. John recalls a conversation with Knic Overpeck at one of the previous AJSA Classics. He said, 'you should always go with quality and breed from there.' It took the Harkers a few years to fully realize the significance of that statement.

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