2012 Hall of Fame Inductees
Region I
The Christian County Cattlemen's Association proudly endorses their "go-to-guy" Dell King as their nomination for the region 1 Hall of Fame inductee. Mr. King has been a member of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association for 35 years and served as the President of the Association in 1993. An alumnus from the University of Tennessee with an Animal Husbandry degree, he is the owner and CEO of King Livestock Company, an order buying company, and King Livestock Express, a trucking company specializing in cattle transport. Having the best interest of the cattle industry in mind, King has been instrumental in development of new marketing options for producers such as CPH sales. King has served as a member on several NCBA committees, was a past Vice President for NCBA region 1, and a former Vice Chair for the NCBA Marketing Committee.
King is a strong supporter of UK basketball and a member of the Woodmont Hills Family of God. He and his wife Nancy have been married for 23 years and have three children and six grandchildren.
Region II
The Hardin County Cattlemen's Association endorses Bill Goodman as the 2012 KCA Hall of Fame inductee from Region 2. For almost 100 years the Goodman family has farmed the same parcel of property in the Cecilia community. Upon graduation from HoweValley High School in 1944, Goodman enrolled in Western Kentucky Teachers College. After a stint serving our country as a marine in the Second World War, he completed his Bachelor’s degree. After working in the dairy industry for several years, he returned to the family dairy. In 1954, Mr. Goodman entered into public education by teaching math and science at HoweValley High School. In 1957, after acquiring a Masters from the University of Louisville, he was promoted to principal. In 1972, Goodman converted his farm from a dairy operation to a beef cattle enterprise. He retired from the Hardin County School System in 1980.
After ending his career in education, Goodman became even more active within the beef cattle industry. He was a charter member of the Hardin County Cattlemen's Association and has been active ever since in with cookouts, educational programming and numerous other county programs. During the late seventies and eighties, Mr. Goodman served on the Kentucky Beef Council's Research and Promotion Committees.
Mr. Goodman has been married for 61 years to his wife, Nell. They have two children and two grandchildren, Clay and Casey.
Region III
Hailing from Henry County, the region 3 Hall of Fame inductee for 2012 is Mr. Lloyd Gray. A true environmental steward, Gray employs many best management techniques that make his farm the perfect model for Extension and Conservation field days. As a founding member of the Henry County Cattlemen's, Gray exemplifies the ideal Cattlemen's member. Not only was he instrumental in forming the local association, his leadership and involvement make him a mainstay. From a local perspective, Gray has served on the Board of Directors, Vice President and President in 2009. He also served as the Region 3 KCA Vice President from 2008-2010.
Lloyd serves a Deacon at Smithfield Baptist Church where he also teaches Sunday school and participates in the choir. He and his wife Pat have been married for 45 years and have two children and four grandchildren.
Region IV
The 2012 inductee to the KCA Hall of Fame, from region 4 is Mr. Gene Barber, a cattle industry mogul from Clark County. Mr. Barber is a managing partner of Eugene Barber & Sons, one of the largest cattle order buying firms in the nation. He also serves as Chairman of the Board and a managing partner of The Cattle Group, LLC, which operates all the Bluegrass Stockyards operations that market over half a million head of cattle yearly from Kentucky and 9 other states. Barber also owns and operates Barber Ridge Farms based in Winchester, a backgrounding and cattle feeding operation that handles thousands of cattle annually.
With a deep commitment to the beef industry, Mr. Barber has always been a strong supporter for value-added programs, such as CPH-45, PVP, and Certified Hereford. From Internet auctions to modernized facilities, the infrastructure, found at Bluegrass Stockyards, is envy for the industry.
Barber has been a longtime member of the KCA and serves a respectable percentage of its members. He served as President of the Livestock Marketing Association in 1994 and has been recognized though LMA for his outstanding service.
Mr. Barber has one daughter, Sandy, and two granddaughters, Laura Lee and Molly. He and his wife of 33 years, JoAnn, are members of Hillsboro Christian Church.
Region V
The region 5 recipient of the Hall of Fame award is Mr. Sheldon Hail from Laurel County. For over 70 years, Hail has been raising registered Angus cattle in London and is a lifetime member of the American Angus Association. As a double alumnus from the University of Kentucky in 1948 and 1960 with a Bachelors and Masters Degree, respectively, Mr. Hail served as an Extension agent in Greenup, Clay and Laurel counties for 33 years. He was instrumental in organizing the London Feeder Calf Sales Cooperative that successfully operated for 40 years from 1947-1987. As a member of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association since its inception in 1973, Hail served as President from 1983-1985. The Wilderness Trail Area Chapter of the UK and HES Alumni Association has recognized Hail twice as a Distinguished alumni, in 1985, and with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. Hail's research on grazing, performance testing, and reproduction rates on second calf heifers are still pertinent to today's industry.
Hail is a member of First Presbyterian Church and the Kiwanis Club. He and his bride of 62 years, Ruth, have three children and four grandchildren.