A classic Holstein event

Travis Sherer
Tribune sports reporter

  LYNDEN -- All early indictions of this year’s Whatcom Holstein Classic are that it will be one for the books -- and not just because it’s the sale’s 40th anniversary.
  “There are some of the highest quality cows we’ve ever had,” said sale director Darryl Vander Haak. “People really stepped up to the plate and put in their best animals.”
  To be held on April 17 at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, the classic might have missed a year or two, but it has been 40 years since the Whatcom Holstein Club started the event.
  “It started off as a small sale, but it has really turned into something big,” said Fred Polinder, one of the classic’s originators. Along with Fred, some of the other pioneers of the event, such as Sherman Polinder, will be on hand.
  At least 40 animals will be for sale this year, including embryo packages.
  “Over the last 10 years, there has been a lot more to do with embryos so there is more of the same genetics,” said Vander Haak.
  This year’s auctioneer will be special guest Tom Morris, who participates in the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis.
  “It’s real exciting to have Tom here again. Tom has been here once before a number of years ago,” Vander Haak said. “We’re hoping he brings some bids from Wisconsin with him.”
  Things have definitely changed for this once-small sale, first called the Good Neighbors sale, and Fred Polinder credited Allen DeGroot, the auction’s first manager, with keeping the event alive during the first few years.
  “Things have changed in communications since then,” Vander Haak said. “Now some of the cows go all over the world.”
  He said that a Whatcom Classic sale just a few years ago sent a heifer back to Holland.
  While most animals do not go overseas, many do end up doing some interstate traveling.
  “Well our area is Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, but we get some that go to Colorado and back east to Wisconsin.”
  The reason for such demand is the high quality of the genetics of the consignments.
  “Occasionally there are some of the high genetics and they go for more,” said Vander Haak.
  Last year’s most valuable Holstein was Markwell Talent Deanne-ET, which went for $10,000, and was consigned by Markwell Holsteins LLC, run by Mark Van Mersbergen of Lynden. Vander Haak said some animals in the past have gone for double that amount.
  “I think we’ve strived to have really excellent quality, and it’s a good project for our club,” said Sherman Polinder.
  There is also history among these cows, as some of this year’s pedigree can be traced back to some of the cows bought at the original classic sale.
  “That is correct. One of our consignments this year was in the line of Ernie Nolte,” Sherman Polinder said. “He was a pioneer breeder in the Northwest.”
  When added up, along with a club committed to showing off the quality of Whatcom County Holsteins, this sale is thriving.
  “It’s pretty special to have something like this go on for 40 years,” said Arlyn Visser, who has a cow in this year’s classic and has participated in the sale eight times. “It’s been a great experience every time.”
  There will be a dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the auction 90 minutes later.
  E-mail Travis Sherer at sports@lyndentribune.com.