Experience was best teacher for retiring tractor lab director

Kristen Sindelar
Jul 18, 2025
Jul 18, 2025

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If given the opportunity to oversee a facility that is at the forefront of testing the latest cutting-edge tractor technology and collecting data revered by major agricultural manufacturers throughout the world, would you take the job?

Hoy 1.jpg — Retiring director of the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory Roger Hoy, left, could speak to his students from real-world experience as a former engineer with John Deere. Here he is with former student Jaci Kurkoski, now a design engineer with CNH, standing in front of the CNH 715 Quadtrac that Jaci helped design.
Submitted photo

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Hoy 2.jpg — Students repair a load unit at the Nebraska Tractor Text Laboratory at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.
Submitted photo

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Hoy 3.jpg — Caleb Lindhorst, right, works on course materials with Roger Hoy, center, and friend Luke Prosser after his accident in 2013.
Submitted photo

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Hoy 4.JPG — Members of the UNL Quarter Scale Tractor Team gathered around Caleb Lindhorst, sitting on the tractor, on his first trip back to UNL after his accident.
Submitted photo

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Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.