Outstanding international judge and stockmen teacher as well as a three time National Collegiate Livestock Judging Championship winning coach
Born 1938 | Artist: Richard Steward Halstead (born 1947)
Impact & Accomplishments
Roger E. Hunsley was raised on a general livestock ranch near Pierre, South Dakota. He received his B.S. degree from South Dakota State, his M.S. degree from North Dakota State, and completed his Ph.D. while a professor at Iowa State University from 1964 to 1967.
After a stint as fieldman with the American Hereford Association, he joined the Purdue University teaching staff and coached the livestock judging team from 1967 to 1983. His teams were first or second in 67 contests and won the national contest three times. Dr. Hunsley received several teaching awards, including the American Society of Animal Science’s Outstanding Teaching Award for the Midwest region (1972).
The American Shorthorn Association enjoyed dramatic growth during his twenty-year tenure as executive secretary, which began in 1983.
Dr. Hunsley has been called on to judge and conduct stockmen schools in England, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, and other countries, and even in retirement, continues to promote modern beef cattle evaluation practices.
Did You Know?
"I first knew Dr. Hunsley as my Beef Production and Livestock Evaluation professor during my years at Purdue University long ago. As an instructor he didn’t just teach class content. Former livestock judging students would agree that the value of having Dr. Hunsley as a teacher came in the form of gained expertise in decision making, articulation of support for decisions, and truth without prejudice in all things. Hunsley is a legend in the beef cattle industry in the United States and was/is a superb educator. His leadership in the industry has led to improved beef product for consumers, and more efficient beef cattle for producers. I will always be thankful to have crossed trails with Dr. Roger Hunsley." - Dan Fleming of Fleming Family Beef
A team from Purdue University won the national livestock judging championship Nov. 17, 2014 at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky. The team includes three students from northeast Indiana. In front, from left, are Logan Rinehold of Auburn, Callie Edie, Breanna Lawyer, Josh Streitmatter and Mark DeGolyer. In back, from left, are coach Matt Claeys, Alex Hegg, Charlie Huelsenbeck of Churubusco, Isaak Mersch, Brennen North of Wolcottville, Andrew Huffman and Dr. Roger Hunsley, Purdue’s retired coach whose 1978 team brought home Purdue’s last national livestock judging championship.