Dad always told me that if you show respect to the state and the people in it you have a future judging. That moment solidified in my mind what it meant to take our job as a show judge very seriously and never take the show ring for granted. SIX IF SOMEONE TOLD 18 YEAR OLD MARK HOGE THAT HE WOULD ONE DAY JUDGE THE FORT WORTH STEER SHOW, WHAT WOULD HE SAY? For sure, I just can’t believe it took him so long to get it done! LOL! One thing I learned at a young age being Dan Hoge’s son, you better have self-confidence! Dad never asked me to show livestock or judge livestock, but I was just drawn to it. When I showed livestock as a little guy, sometimes it was good to be Dan Hoge’s son and sometimes it was definitely not! I always observed the judges I showed to and always had my own opinion of their abilities. What I did learn over the years of showing is that if I ever got a shot to judge I would do 2 things – 1) Be positive and upbeat 2) Do what I believe in. At 18 years of age I didn’t think that anyone had more friends or more talent in livestock evaluation. Obviously, throughout the years in a showring I have learned a great deal and having children showing in the ring has definitely provided a perspective that I did not
have at 18 years of age! SEVEN WHEN YOU HAVE A TOUGH CLASS OR PAIR OF ANIMALS IN A SHOW YOU ARE JUDGING, HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE SITUATION? Gut instinct and study the stock in motion. I am definitely a first impression kind of person and when I study livestock in motion, it takes the showman out of the equation and I can get the true essence of the athlete itself! EIGHT IF YOU HAD TO HAVE AN OCCUPATION OUTSIDE OF THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Walmart greeter! For sure! Nora Grace and I rang a bell for the Salvation Army at Hy-Vee before Christmas this year, and I had a blast studying the people and
visiting all who came in the store. At that point, I realized I am meant for a greeter position! NINE IF YOU WERE AN ACT IN A CIRCUS, WHAT ACT WOULD YOU BE? The Ringmaster for sure! I think working with college students for 25 years has definitely prepared me for being a ringmaster of a bunch of different circus acts! Also, in case you didn’t know, I really like talking on the microphone!
TEN THIS IS WHY I SHOW.... My wife’s T shirt says it best – The World Needs More Barns!!! For us, showing livestock is the end result of a significant amount of time spent together as a family in our barn in Good Hope, IL – That is why we show! ● Mark Hoge will be judging the Market Steers in Fort Worth, Texas February 1-2, 2024! Look for full results in our March/April 2024 Sire Edition of The Showtimes!
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