From tragedy to global Holstein glory: Nico Bons built a dairy dynasty through resilience, Canadian mentorship, and family legacy.

Do you know what’s crazy about Nico Bons? This guy—now judging in 17 countries with championship ribbons from all over Europe—once told his dad he had zero interest in farming! You’ll be blown away when you visit his place in the Netherlands. Every inch of that facility is designed with cow comfort in mind, from perfect barn ventilation to meticulously planned genetics. It’s hard to believe this all started with someone who intended to do anything but dairy farming.

Nico’s story grabs me because it has heartbreaking personal tragedy, unbelievable dedication, and this unwavering family-first approach that’s built something genuinely exceptional. He didn’t just create great cattle; he’s made a legacy that’s known around the globe. Think about it: he transformed an 80.2-point commercial herd (pretty average, right?) into one of the world’s most respected Holstein operations with a classification average 89.7. If that doesn’t show what passion and stubborn determination can do, I don’t know what does!

LIFE-CHANGING LOSS: The Moment That Redefined Everything

So here’s where Nico’s story takes a devastating turn. It was 1999, and he was in his early twenties and had just reconciled with his girlfriend, Lianne. Then suddenly—his world imploded when his father died by suicide.

The backstory makes it even more heartbreaking. Nico’s brother had fallen from the barn roof while fixing a frozen water pipe. After days in a coma and a year of rehab, his brother “never was the same again,” as Nico puts it. His dad never forgave himself for that accident, and that guilt eventually became too much.

You can hear the raw emotion in Nico’s voice when he talks about it: “Losing your dad from the evening before it happens that you talk about everything and have discussions—and then the next day he’s not there anymore, it’s unbelievably hard.”

What gets me is how this loss echoes through even his most significant achievements. “Till the day off from now on, I still think when I have a champion cow on an important show, the first thing I always think is what should think my dad about this,” he says. Can you imagine carrying that bittersweet feeling through every single triumph?

The aftermath was brutal beyond just grief. People see Nico’s success today and assume it came quickly. “People sometimes think that we get it so easy and have to do nothing for that,” he reflects. “And then I always said, ‘Oh, they should know what we did for it.’ As a young person, that’s what I miss the most—missing your dad; no mentor is beside you anymore. When you marry, he’s not there. When your first child is coming, he’s not there. He’s not there even when you have your first champion on the show.”

Amid the grief and uncertainty, Nico found unexpected clarity through an experience that had planted seeds years before—a three-month Canadian adventure that would ultimately redefine his entire approach to dairy farming.

THE CANADIAN CONNECTION: Three Months That Changed Everything

Want to know where the spark began? Just three months in Canada. That’s it. Just three months at Bosdale Farms when Nico was 18, but those months completely changed his trajectory!

This wasn’t some fancy international exchange program, by the way. It happened because of distant family connections—the kind where relatives visit every few years. Uncle Bas and Aunt Syma (Ed Bos’s parents) would occasionally visit the Netherlands, and through that connection, Nico arranged his training period at Bosdale.

I love how Nico lights up when he talks about this time: “The three months working for Bosdale were probably one of the best three months in my life till now, to be honest.” There are no responsibilities, just pure learning. “I see so many new things that if I was not at Bosdale’s place but stayed in the Netherlands, I think it took me 20 years to have the same knowledge as what I learned now in three months.”

What’s incredible is that Bosdale wasn’t just any farm. It would later be recognized for breeding the most excellent cows in Canadian history! Talk about lucky timing.

The differences between Dutch and Canadian approaches to showing cattle floored him. In the Netherlands, shows were quick, one-day affairs: drive to the show at 5 AM, show your cows at 9 AM, and head home by 4 PM. But in Canada? Days of meticulous preparation. Toplines, belly hair—details Nico had never even considered before.

Beyond the technical stuff, Ed Bos taught him something that would define his career: independence of thought. “The most important thing he taught me is that he always follows his plan,” Nico explains. He always had such a good eye for a cow and knew precisely what he wanted.”

Canada got under his skin so deeply that he almost didn’t come home. “I had something like my future could be here, you know,” he admits. His dad put his foot down, though—”Come home first, then we’ll talk”—creating a lifelong tension between Nico’s Canadian dreams and Dutch reality. Ever wonder how different things might’ve been if he’d stayed? Nico certainly does.

FROM 80-POINT HERD TO HOLSTEIN ROYALTY: Nico’s Breeding Revolution

So Nico comes back from Canada all fired up with new ideas and—surprise, surprise—hits a brick wall of resistance at home. His dad was all about milk production and components. Canadian genetics? Nope, I’m not interested.

But here’s where you see that stubborn streak that defines Nico. He wanted to use Browndale Stardust so badly (after seeing his amazing daughters at Bosdale) that he pulled a sneaky teenager move: “What I did is I was changing the minus signs from production and protein from Stardust in the plus signs. And that was the reason my dad changed his mind.” I can’t help but laugh at this—the lengths we go to when we’re passionate about something!

When Nico took over the farm in 1999 after his father’s passing, let’s be honest about what he inherited: an 80.2-point herd. Sure, that’s a solid commercial, but it’s nowhere near elite show quality. The “experts” patted him on the head and said, “Kid, it’ll take you 30-40 years to win a national championship without buying into established cow families.”

That would’ve crushed most people’s spirits. Nico admits it “demotivated me a little bit,” but he kept pushing forward anyway.

By 2002, he made a move that had folks talking—he built an entirely new barn explicitly designed for show cattle. Wider cubicles were placed away from walls to give cows more space. If you know Dutch farming, these were pretty radical choices! “A lot of people said we were crazy,” Nico remembers. However, he was convinced that proper housing was essential for developing elite show animals.

What I find remarkable is how completely devoted he became to his vision. Every decision—every single one—wasn’t just important; it was critical to his master plan. “It’s almost tattooed on my head: I want to have a show cow, a winning show cow.” That kind of single-minded devotion doesn’t just happen—it burns from within.

UNEXPECTED HOLSTEIN TRIUMPH: The Show Victory Nobody Predicted

Sometimes, life surprises you in the best possible ways. In 2003, just four years after taking over, Nico decided to enter the Holland Holstein show. This wasn’t some impulsive decision—Harry Schuiling (then-director of Semex Netherlands) had seen something special in Nico’s two-year-olds and pushed him to enter.

Want to know how ambitious Nico was feeling? His own words say it all: “Nobody was thinking before that we should have any cow who could be a winner from the class or maybe fifth in the class or anything like that—even me was not thinking about that.” Zero expectations. Zilch.

But Bosdale hadn’t forgotten him. They sent fitting expert Curtis McNeill to help Nico prepare his cattle—a gesture that speaks volumes about the impression this young Dutchman had made in Canada. And then…

BAM! The results were mind-blowing. “We had the champion from the two-year-olds, the reserve champion from the two-year-olds… the champion from the intermediate cows, and then the best breeder herd.”

When the judge tapped his two-year-old as champion, Nico stood frozen at the halter, stunned into silence. His hands trembled as he accepted the ribbon, his mind racing to understand what had happened. The years of work, barn modifications, and careful breeding decisions paid off far sooner than anyone predicted. Back in the cattle barn, he phoned Lianne with a voice cracking with emotion: “We did it! I can’t believe we did it.” He paused quietly, adding, “I wish Dad could have seen this.”

That early success lit a fire under Nico. He immediately set a new, almost audacious goal: winning the European show. What I find fascinating is his patience here. “My goal was winning the European show once in my life. That goal took me 19 years,” he says. Nineteen years of focused work culminated in 2022, when he achieved it in Cremona with a champion young cow, reserve grand champion, best breeder herd, and best breeder and exhibitor titles.

This sets this story apart from other breeding success stories: Bons Holsteins has been 100% homebred since 1945. No shortcuts. No buying into established cow families. While other prominent herds advance through strategic acquisitions, Nico built his program entirely through selective breeding—making that journey from an 80.2-point herd to today’s 89.7-point average nothing short of remarkable. That’s like taking a pickup basketball team and turning them into NBA champions without signing a free agent!

THE COST OF HOLSTEIN EXCELLENCE: Nico’s Show Day Intensity

Here’s something that floored me: Nico—this guy with all these championships—hates show days. Like, physically hates them.

“Honestly, I never enjoyed show day at all,” he confesses. “The stress and the pressure I put on myself probably is tough.”

Instead, he finds joy in the preparation: “I always said I enjoy the most to get the cows ready in my barn at home.” It’s the journey, not the destination that satisfies him.

But it goes way beyond normal pre-show nerves. Get this: “In the first 10 years from showing, I couldn’t eat, and I throw up seven, eight times a day on show day.” Seven or eight times! Can you imagine being so passionate about something that your body physically rebels against the pressure you’re putting on yourself? That’s next-level commitment.

Have you encountered Nico at a show and found him a bit standoffish? There’s a reason for that. “I’m not interested in talking with many people,” he explains. But before you take it personally: “It’s not because I don’t like the people, but I’m so focused because I always say we put so much time in these cows that we have to be sure that everything is 100% ready and spot on and I cannot make one little fault. I should not forgive myself.”

And the perfectionism doesn’t end when the show does. His post-show routine is intense: “All the times when the cows came home from the show, I milked them just before they go on the truck, then we milked them four hours later when they arrived from at home again and then in the middle of the night I go out of my bed one more time to check the cows, or they are healthy, and that there is no mastitis or anything on them if that last check is done then I start to relax.”

Talk about dedication! Most people would be celebrating or sleeping after a big show, but Nico’s out in the middle of the night, checking udders. This isn’t just a business for him; it’s an all-consuming passion that demands perfection.

GLOBAL HOLSTEIN JUDGE: How 17 Countries Shaped Nico’s Breeding Vision

Do you think your travel schedule is busy? Nico has judged cattle in 17 different countries! That’s not just frequent flyer miles—it’s a masterclass in global Holstein genetics.

What’s fascinating is how this judging experience has directly influenced his breeding decisions back home. It’s like getting a live, 3D preview of how different bulls perform in various environments.

“When you just show at the end of the day when you try to find out what the champion was and what the first one in the class was, you want to find out what the father was,” Nico explains. “It helps you to give you an idea of how a bull is breeding.”

This global perspective becomes crucial when running a 100% homebred operation like Bons Holsteins has been since 1945. There’s zero room for error. As Nico puts it: “With milking 60 cows and not buying any calf or heifer, if you make one mistake with buying a bull, 15 doses of semen, then you are in big trouble in three years.”

I love how Nico doesn’t just follow trends—he’s developed his own “true type” ideal based on what he’s seen work worldwide. And he’s not afraid to question the establishment either: “Sometimes I see judges doing a job that I think, ‘What the heck is going on? Are these people milking cows by themselves?'” Can’t you picture him watching a show, shaking his head in disbelief?

His approach to bulls like Alligator shows Nico’s independent thinking. While others might have dismissed Alligator daughters because they weren’t winning heifer classes, Nico saw something different: “They were not narrowly chested, they had deep bodied, they were maybe not the strongest on the top line, but even when I saw the first two-year-olds, I saw the fantastic udders.”

That’s the benefit of all that judging experience—he can look past the current show trends and see the long-term potential. “You need to protect them a little bit on the foreudders, but I knew exactly when we started to use Alligator how to use him. And that information you do not always get only on his proof.” It’s like he’s playing chess while others are playing checkers!

NEXT GENERATION BREEDER: How Anouk Follows Her Father’s Holstein Journey

Do you want to see Nico’s face light up? Ask him about his kids, especially his oldest daughter, Anouk. At 19, she follows a path almost eerily similar to her dad’s early journey.

“Anouk starts to clip the cows now for me on the show,” Nico says, practically beaming with pride. She’s still learning but already showing tremendous promise.

Here’s where the story gets almost poetic: just like her father did at Bosdale, Anouk spent three months training at Rosedale in Wisconsin last summer. The parallels aren’t lost on Nico: “She had a great time with Nicky and Marc, and they allowed her to start by clipping the heifers, washing the show animals, and training them. She went with them to Madison. I think she had the same time I had at Bosdale.”

And guess what? She’s caught the Canadian bug, too! “She’s even talking about it now that she wants to go back to the US or Canada for a longer time to get more experience in clipping, and the cow’s ready.”

I couldn’t resist asking Nico how he’d feel if Anouk wanted to stay in North America permanently—essentially fulfilling the dream he had to abandon. His answer made me laugh out loud: “I understand my dad now. If my daughter had said when she was leaving, maybe this summer for four or five months, to North America, she could call me and say hey, Dad, I’m not coming back. I’m staying here. I should say the same thing: you come back first, and we talk about it.”

But Anouk isn’t the only Bons daughter making waves in the Holstein world. Her sister Tessa, just 16, already shows the same passion and drive that defines the Bons family. What’s remarkable about Tessa is her incredible work ethic—even Nico, with his legendary dedication, seems amazed by her commitment. Last year, she achieved something that took her father years to accomplish: winning Reserve Champion showmanship at the national show. The way she handles cattle, you’d think she’d been doing it her entire life (which, in many ways, she has). Like her older sister, Tessa is already planning to follow the family tradition with a work term in North America, further cementing the Bons family’s connection to the continent that profoundly shaped their breeding philosophy. With two daughters this passionate and skilled, Nico’s legacy seems secure for another generation.

Talk about coming full circle! The same conversation he had with his father decades ago is now playing out with his daughter—only now he’s on the other side. It’s funny how parenthood gives you a whole new perspective.

FAMILY-POWERED HOLSTEIN SUCCESS: The Secret Behind Bons Holsteins

When you visit Bons Holsteins, you quickly realize it’s not just Nico’s show but a family affair. All three kids—Anouk (19), Tessa (16), and Ruben (13)—are deeply involved, each bringing their strengths to the table.

What strikes me is Nico’s marvel at his kids’ work ethic: “I think I didn’t work that hard when I was their age, to be honest, especially when I was 15 or 16.” (Don’t we all think that about the next generation sometimes?)

There’s zero pretense when Nico admits how essential his family’s contribution is: “If my kids don’t help us with the normal day jobs anymore, then we couldn’t be that successful in the show ring anymore.” That’s not just humility—it’s honesty. The show ring glory wouldn’t be possible without everyone pitching in on those daily chores.

But you know who’s the cornerstone of it all? Lianne, his wife. His priorities are unclear when Nico talks about her: “Bons Holsteins is my wife, Lianne. I always tell my best friends that if she’s walking away from me, I will follow her and not stay on the farm alone.”

This family-first philosophy permeates everything about their operation: “If we win a show, then we all know, all five of us, we know we did it as a family, and there is nobody more important than somebody else.” This team approach feels refreshing and honest in an industry that often celebrates individual breeders.

HUMBLE HOLSTEIN MASTER: The Man Behind Bons’ Global Success

What truly sets Nico’s story apart is how a farm that once averaged 80.2 points has transformed into a globally recognized breeding operation with a current classification average of 89.7 points. The farm has become so successful that embryos from Bons Holsteins now sell worldwide, with partnerships established with premier operations like West Coast Holsteins, Beslea Holsteins, Lucky Hill, Declan Patten, and Diane Borba.

Yet Nico maintains an almost surprising humility about his achievements. “The stupid thing, Andrew, is that I don’t realize that too much, probably, that the world knows us,” he confesses. “I never see myself as a fantastic breeder, if you know what I mean. I did my thing. I did what I liked. I followed my head.”

This down-to-earth attitude extends to his advice for young people aspiring to similar success: “If you have nothing at home on your farm, what is special for bringing to the show that you want to win the show, it is possible. You don’t always need a lot of money or a good start with good cows to be successful.”

According to Nico, the key ingredients are hard work, trusted mentors, and unwavering focus. “Don’t think as a young person that you can only be successful if your dad already has a herd of excellent cows or if your dad has a lot of money, and if you don’t have the money, that you cannot be successful. That’s not true.”

His success with cows like Koba 219 (the Lauthority daughter who was Reserve Grand Champion at the Swiss Expo and sold in a 50% partnership to a major North American operation), Koba 245 (the remarkable 2022 Reserve Grand Champion at Cremona), and Koba 191 (the “unbelievable” Jasper donor) has opened doors that once seemed firmly closed to someone starting with a commercial herd.

Perhaps this grounding explains Nico’s enduring success—behind the championships and the international recognition is simply a family united in purpose, with a father who, despite missing his own, has built a legacy that honors both his Canadian dreams and Dutch roots.

BONS HOLSTEINS AT A GLANCE: The Numbers Behind the Success

HERD STATISTICS

• 100% homebred since 1945
• Herd classification: Very Good 89.7 (up from 80.2 in 1999)
• Milking herd: Approximately 60 cows
• Breeding focus: Show type, limited use of genomics (25-30%)

CAREER MILESTONES

• 1976: Born in the Netherlands
• 1994: Three-month training at Bosdale Farms, Canada (age 18)
• 1999: Takes over family farm following father’s passing
• 2001: First EX cow, now 127 EX homebred cows at Bon Holsteins
• 2002: Builds new cow barn explicitly designed for show cattle
• 2003: First significant show success at Holland Holstein Show
• 2015/16: First entry at Swiss Expo in Lausanne
• 2022: Achieves 19-year goal of winning European Show in Cremona
• To date: Has judged in 17 different countries

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

• Lianne Bons: Wife and essential partner in the operation
• Anouk Bons (19): Developing as a cattle fitter, recently completed training at Rosedale
• Tessa Bons (16): Active in daily farm operations
• Ruben Bons (13): The youngest member of the family team

NOTABLE COWS

• Koba 191: Jasper donor, described as “unbelievable.”
• Koba 219: Lauthority daughter, Reserve Grand Champion at Swiss Expo, sold in 50% partnership to a significant North American operation

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Own a Piece of Bons Holsteins Legacy

This isn’t just a sale—it’s a rare opportunity to invest in genetics forged by one of Europe’s most relentless breeders. The star of the offering, Koba 291, isn’t just a two-year-old—she’s a generational heifer who dominated the 2024 HHH Show with her “international allure,” backed by a maternal line that produced Cremona’s 2022 Reserve Grand Champion, an excellent opportunity for breeders outside the EU to partner with Bons Holsteins on this unique offering.  These animals aren’t just cattle; they’re living proof of Nico’s 22-year quest for Holstein perfection. With 100% homebred genetics since 1945 and partnerships from North America to Japan’s elite breeders, this sale isn’t about buying cows but securing a legacy. Whether chasing show rings or building a herd with unshakable foundations, this is your moment to harness the Bons breeding philosophy firsthand. The cows are ready. Are you?

Check out the full listings of animals

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Tragedy as Catalyst: Nico’s father’s suicide and brother’s accident forged his unbreakable drive.
• Canadian Wisdom: 3 months at Bosdale Farms taught him showmanship and independent breeding strategies.
• Homebred Triumph: Built a world-class herd without buying genetics—80.2 to 89.7 classification in 20 years.
• Family Legacy: Wife Leanne and daughters Anouk/Tessa are pivotal to operations, mirroring his journey.
• Cost of Perfection: Crippling show-day stress and midnight barn checks reveal his obsessive dedication.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Nico Bons transformed personal tragedy—losing his father and brother’s accident—into a legacy of Holstein excellence. After formative training at Canada’s Bosdale Farms, he revolutionized his family’s 80.2-point commercial herd into a 100% homebred, 89.7-classification powerhouse, winning European championships and judging globally. His relentless focus on “true-type” breeding, paired with sacrifices like vomiting on show days, is balanced by a family-first ethos, with daughters Anouk and Tessa now continuing his legacy.

LEARN MORE:

• Bons-Holsteins: The Type that Wins!
  Dive into Nico Bons’ homebred philosophy and how his family-built herd dominates European shows.
• Bons Holsteins Passes 100 Homebred EX Cows
  Celebrate their 20-year milestone of breeding elite cattle without external genetics.
• Classification Excellence at Bons Holsteins
  Explore how their herd consistently achieves top scores for udder quality and longevity.

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