APHA Judge Emeritus Joe Carter passes away
Judging icon Joe Carter, an APHA Judge Emeritus honoree, died April 10, 2025. He was an advocate for judging education in the stock-horse realm, spanning various breeds and disciplines.
From St. George, Ontario, Canada, Joe and his wife, Pat, established Carters Training Facility. He was an APHA judge since 1981 and officiated nearly every major event in the horse industry, including the APHA World Championship Show. He judged 136 APHA shows and served as a tireless supporter of APHA and its judges. After retiring from APHA judging in 2023, Joe was honored with the APHA Judge Emeritus Award in 2024.
Joe served as a mentor for many judges throughout the stock-horse realm.
“Joe is the reason many of us have our judge’s cards,” APHA Director of Judges Sandy Jirkovsky said. “I am the judge I am today due to Joe’s encouragement for me to step out of the box and pursue my judge’s cards in various associations. He is the ideal candidate for the Judge Emeritus Award.”
APHA CEO David Dellin agrees and says Joe’s mentorship and dedicated to continuing education fitting legacies for the horseman.
“He was one of the most prolific horse judging educators for the last 30 years,” David said. “He was a monumental force and will be missed.”
In lieu of flowers, the Carter family has requested donations to APHA’s horseIQ virtual learning platform to help further Joe’s passion for continuing education among judges and exhibitors alike. Contributions can be made to APHA with reference to horseIQ in memory of Joe Carter.
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The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association. Since it was founded in 1962, APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Learn more at apha.com.