E665 Hank Van Exel’s Parents Milked Grade Cows by Hand. He’s the 84th Klussendorf Winner

Brenda Lee, the World Dairy Expo Holstein show announcer, began reading the citation before the crowd heard his name. But behind the applause and the silver Tiffany trophy waiting on the table was a reality most showmen never have to face: thirty-five years of forty-hour hauls across the desert, building a legacy from a grade herd his Dutch immigrant parents milked by hand in 1954, and loading the trailer this fall without the intermediate champion he lost just days before the trip. In the registered dairy business, greatness isn’t handed down—it is argued into existence, proven in the bulk tank, and paid for in sweat, highway lines, and heartbreak. This is the story of Hank Van Exel, the 84th Klussendorf winner, and it will fundamentally challenge how you view the sacrifices you make, the cattle in your barns, and the next generation standing beside you. The Story You'll Hear - **The phone call that ended college:** How a sudden family medical crisis cut his Cal Poly days short and dropped him straight into a trial-by-fire herd takeover. - **One argument at a time:** What it took to convince an old-school, progressive father that papered genetics were worth betting the farm on. - **The judge who bought the ring:** Why he stunned exhibitors at a 1992 county show by buying the five Jerseys he had just finished placing—and the heat he took for milking a mixed herd long before component pricing made it standard. - **Four months on the blacktop:** The physical and mental toll of 35 consecutive years making the grueling drive from Lodi to Madison, sharing the cab with fellow show-ring royalty. - **Supreme highs, quiet grief:** The partnership behind Expo legend Rosiers Blexy Goldwyn-ET, and the devastating empty stall that every true cowman understands. - **Why "fair" is never "equal":** The unvarnished, non-negotiable rule he gave his children about coming home, and why sentimentality ruins farm succession. - **The mentor's gift:** A timeless piece of advice from Doug Maddox on what handing a calf to a kid actually does for the future of our industry. Hank Van Exel represents the rare, vital bridge between relentless commercial reality and the romance of the registered cow. He didn't inherit an empire; his parents arrived with empty hands and milked cows into buckets. Over five decades, Hank built Exels Holsteins and Jerseys into a powerhouse recognized across 15 countries. Yet this conversation isn’t a victory lap of ribbons and credentials. It is a masterclass in human longevity, resilience, and operational discipline. Hank speaks with startling candor about the friction of generational transfer, the grueling depression of the post-show load-out, and the courage it takes to pursue breeding choices before the market catches up. Whether you are milking 50 cows in a tie-stall barn or managing thousands on a Western commercial dairy, Hank’s story strikes at the universal heart of why we stay in agriculture: the pursuit of excellence, the pride of doing things right, and the profound responsibility of lifting up the young people who come after us. Read the complete written feature on Hank Van Exel—featuring archival photos of the early Lodi dairy, complete production records, and his five core business lessons for breeders—at https://www.thebullvine.com/people-legacy/hank-van-exel-klussendorf-award/ Subscribe to *The Bullvine Podcast* on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform to ensure you never miss an industry-defining story.