By Lana Olson, Expo Blogger

Well, it officially has begun, Bright Lights, Big Show: World Dairy Expo 2007. Never a dull moment, Monday started off with the judging contests for 4H, Post Secondary and Collegiate teams. For results on these contests visit HolsteinWorld.com and watch our daily news. Tuesday began the shows with the Central National Ayrshire Show, the International Junior Holstein Show and the Central National Jersey Show heifer classes.

After a glimpse of an impressive Junior Holstein Show on Tuesday I visited with Bonnie Van Dyk of Willow’s Edge Holsteins, an Expo perennial exhibitor, to talk about what Expo is all about for them, a successful day in the ring for her daughter Claire and their string this year.

Willow’s Edge Holsteins of New Richmond, Wis. is the farm of Henk and Bonnie Van Dyk with daughters Jordan and Claire. They have been coming to World Dairy Expo with their own string for about the last 10 years. But for this farm making the annual trek to Madison is not just about how they do in the show ring. Even though they have more than proved themselves in that respect, earning Premier Exhibitor in 2003. “We felt it was just so important for us to have a farm display instead of sending our animals along with another string. It’s about the promotion and name recognition for us,” says Bonnie. Van Dyks also take the time out of a busy Expo week to donate animals to judging contests. This year, the top Holstein Winter Yearling in the Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest was Willows Edge Durham Delight.

Starting off the week on the right foot, Claire Van Dyk showed the 2nd place Fall Calf, 7th place Winter Yearling and 3rd place Junior 2 Yr. Old at the International Junior Holstein Show. Bonnie says; “It was an impressive show this year, it just keeps getting better and better.” Later in the week Bonnie is excited to see not only how the animals in their string stack up in the International Holstein Show but also how animals they have sold in the past will compete. Willow’s Edge cows in other strings include 3x Junior All-American, Willows Edge Gib Fancy-ET, and Nominated All-American Junior 3-Year-Old, Willows Edge Durham Brianna. For more information on some of the Willow”’’s Edge headliners, click here to visit their website.