On a recent dreary, rainy Thursday afternoon, Delta Sales Yard is a virtual bee hive of activity. In addition to the regular Thursday sale of consigned cattle, sheep and goats, owners Dan and Holly Varner are auctioning Hidden Valley Ranch and Cattle Company’s premium yearling, and two year old Angus bulls for Doug and Evelyn Frazier.
This family works together like a well oiled machine. Holly and long time employee Lisa Stroud are in the office keeping everything running smoothly while Dan and son Devin man the auctioneers block for the regular Thursday sale. Ashley Varner, Devins’ wife, mans the internet sales during the bidding. Delta native Judy Reed, keeps track of buyers and their purchases. For the special bull sale today Dan and Devin will be the ring men and local auctioneer Roy Nelson will call the auction.
Behind the scenes are the pen riders and hands that keep the cattle coming through the ring quiet and calm and in the correct order. The experienced help is the key to presenting the bulls at their best, allowing buyers to see their conformation and disposition.
This is a sales yard with a long history. The Varner Family entered the picture about twelve years ago. Holly Varner is Delta County born and raised. Dan’s family moved from Minnesota to Cedaredge when he was fourteen. Both their families have made a living raising cattle in the Cedaredge area.

As a young married couple, Dan and Holly moved to Minnesota to raise registered Simmental cattle. Before moving, they tried to buy the Delta Sales Yard from owners Mike and Linda Lane. The sale did not happen and they moved out of state in 1989. In 1995, Dan had major surgery on his back and was told by his doctors no more bucking hay or shoveling grain. That order was going to put him out of raising cattle.

Dan called Mike Lane in Delta to schedule some cattle to be sold at the Delta Sales yard and was telling Mike about his predicament. Mike again made the offer to sell the business. This time everything came together and Dan and Holly were the new owners. They packed up their family and moved back to Delta.

The Varner family, Dan and Holly, Dan’s father Robert, sons Devin and Lane, daughter-in-law Ashley all play a role in running this business with professionalism and integrity. Dan prides himself in working hard for the smaller producer, the guys with one cow to two hundred head. He encourages his consignors to get their cattle to him in plenty of time before the auction so he can present them well and get the best price. After all, he is working for the seller.

Because this is a family run operation and overhead is kept at a minimum Dan can keep his rates low putting more dollars in the sellers pocket. With the recent addition of live internet broadcast of all Delta Sales Yard Auctions a whole new pool of buyers has entered the picture. Before the internet sales began they were sending Delta cattle to feed lots in Utah, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Arizona, and several on the Front Range every week. With new buyers from all over the country able to bid there is no telling where Delta cattle will end up.

This dreary Thursday afternoon turned out to be a success. There was a big crowd for the Hidden Valley Cattle Company sale. The high selling bull went for $5,000.00 to a Mesa County rancher. Doug Frazier was happy with the final number, although he said that last years numbers were higher. Considering the market state wide, he was happy with the turn out and the prices.

For information about upcoming special auctions or consigning, contact Dan or Holly at 970-874-4612 or 970-874-3605.