Panama City, PanamA, July 2 - 7, 2012

Plans for the celebration of the XVI World Brahman Congress to be held in Panama City are underway.  This international event will bring Brahman cattlemen from all over the world together for a week of exciting activities.  Plans include a Welcome Cocktail, Technical Conferences, Ranch Tours, City and Shopping Tours, Brahman Cattle Show and a Closing Ceremony.

This is a great opportunity for ABBA members to attend a world event in a forum designed to bring Brahman producers together to exchange ideas and practices for the development of the Brahman breed on a global level.  The ABBA Board of Directors has decided to host a Summer Board meeting in conjunction with this event

and a U.S. delegation is being organized.  The ABBA delegation will travel July 1 – 8, 2012 on a non-stop Continental Airlines flight.  Registration and hotel accommodations for all participants can be made directly with ABBA.

If you are interested in joining the ABBA delegation, please contact Armelinda Ibarra at Armelinda@brahman.org.  A limited amount of seats have been reserved at a special rate of $891.60 per person (taxes & surcharges included).  Please call to reserve your seats now.  Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis.

July 1st
Depart Houston @ 8:45 a.m.  
Arrive Panama @ 12:55 p.m.

July 8th
Depart Panama @ 9:55 a.m. 
Arrive Houston @ 2:15 p.m.

If you are unable to travel on these exact dates, you can still be included in the group rate provided that you either depart or return on one of these dates. 

Grand Champion Cow
HK Miss Dellaneira 95-8
Breeder & Owner:  Victor Ulises Aguayo

Grand Champion Bull
MC Rey Arturo 86-7
Breeder & Owner:  Peter Bohman

After attending AGROEXPO in Bogota most members of the ABBA delegation traveled to Paz de Ariporo, Casanare to attend the “Primer Festival Campesino, Ganadero y Turistico Regional” celebrated July 23-24, 2011.

This first time event provided an opportunity for ABBA to travel to an area with tremendous potential in terms of tropical beef cattle production.  Organized by ABBA member Margarita Restrepo, Asociacion de Productores y Comercializadores de Leche Departamento del Casanare (ASOPROLPAZ) and Mayors Office of Paz de Ariporo this highly successful event provided a forum for ABBA and local Colombian cattlemen to establish contacts and conduct one-on-one discussions. 

Upon arrival to Yopal ranch visits were made to Hacienda Mararave owned by Dr. Roberto Valenzuela, Finca Guayabal owned by Delel Family, and Central Agrogenetica Los Charunos, Agrocercas/Giovanni Roa.  Owners and their families provided outstanding hospitality and great tours of their ranch and cattle.  The following day Dr. Joe Paschal and Chris Shivers conducted a seminar with presentations on ABBA Services, Practical Cattle Management Practices/Feed Efficiency and Crossbreeding.  This highly attended event included local government officials, many major livestock producers, local media and representatives from the Colombian Convention of Visitors & Tourists Bureau. 

The highlight of this trip was the celebration of the first regional cattle demonstration conducted at a cattle facility located just outside of town owned by the local agriculture community.  About 250 local cattlemen and government officials arrived eager to meet members of the ABBA delegation and participate in this first time event.  The facility surrounded by lush green pastures housed 20 pens of cattle (bulls, pairs, females; purebred, commercial and crossbred Brahman; some other breeds including dual purpose).  Each pen was exhibited and discussed by a local veterinarian.  Following was an ABBA sponsored lunch with “carne a la llanera” for everyone in attendance.  After lunch Dr. Joe Paschal gave a live cattle demonstration.  Many questions and inquiries on how to obtain further information followed.  Due to time constraints the ABBA delegation had to depart immediately after the cattle demonstration to catch their flight to Bogota and then to the U.S.  Attendees expressed their appreciation for ABBA’s participation in this two day event and expressed their desire for future joint events.  We also met representatives of the Municipal of Yopal to conduct a similar event in 2012.

Congratulations to the organizers of EXPICA 2011 for hosting a highly successful show and bringing together some of the best cattle in Central America and Panama.  Mr. Montalvan, Secretary of AGAFAM and his sons Elmer, Mario and Titi did an outstanding job of keeping everything organized.  A special thanks to Roberto & Janie, Roberto Jr., Eugenio and Andres Canahuati for their warm reception and wonderful hospitality.  And last but not least thanks to Julio & Mary Suarez for their great company throughout our stay in Honduras.