Dan Hoge

August 2011

It takes a special individual to not only judge livestock, but judge livestock in a manner that earns them a respect from competitors, breeders, and show officials.  The Showtimes Magazine's August 2011 Hall of Fame Inductee is a livestock judging coach, judge, and producer that has impacted the livestock industry immensely through his teaching, evaluation of livestock, and breeding genetics.  Dan Hoge is one of the most well known livestock judges of all time.  His passion for the industry is evident when he judges shows whether they are at the county, state, or national level.  Hoge has a style that stays true to himself.  His roots in livestock go back to his family's Duroc hog farm in Walnut, Illinois where he showed Durocs and Hereford cattle.  After Hoge received his bachelors and masters degrees in animal science from the University of Illinois, he served as the livestock judging coach for Black Hawk College - East Campus for over forty years.  Teams he has coached have earned numerous national livestock judging titles and produced multiple individuals who went on to become well known judges and educators.  Dan Hoge currently resides in Walnut, Illinois where he and his wife, Deanna, raise Duroc hogs.  Hoge has passed on his love and knowledge of the livestock industry to his children, Kathy and Mark.