APHA Judges
Becoming an APHA-approved judge is a stringent process, designed to award judging cards to only the most qualified applicants. We strive to develop high-quality judges who are able to precisely evaluate and rank entries in a variety of classes, in keeping with the association’s rules.
Become a Judge
Are you interested in becoming an APHA judge? Learn more about the process to become an APHA judge as well as the Judging Apprentice Program.
Renew Your Card
Are you a current APHA judge looking for recertification steps and resources? Learn more about maintaining your APHA judges card.
Find a Judge
In the APHA Judges Directory, you’ll find a searchable list of all APHA-approved judges as well as their contact information, the cards they hold, schedule availability and more.
Learning Opportunities
Continuing education is an essential component for APHA-approved judges. APHA offers learning opportunities in a variety of online and live event formats, designed to help judges and others stay on top of current rules and standards.
Judges Awards
The Judge Emeritus Award recognizes outstanding judges who have dedicated their careers to officiating APHA-approved events. Recipients receive a commemorative trophy and customized Gist Silversmith belt buckle.
To be considered for the Emeritus Award, a judge must have at least 25 years of service or judged 150 APHA-approved events (25 years of service or 65 events for European-only judges), voluntarily retire with an excellent record and be in good standing with the Judges Committee, with no disciplinary actions, probations or suspensions on their records. Applicants must be approved by the Judges Committee on an individual basis according to their records. Deceased judges who meet these award requirements can also be considered.
Judge Emeritus Award Recipients
| Fred Adam (1977-2010) | Duke Neff (1973-2015) | Carl McCustion (2006-2017) | Pauline Crull (2001-2020) |
| Gary Gordon (1983-2012) | Linda Norton-Neely (1987-2015) | Charlie Sasser (1977-2017) | Mike Baker (1980-2022) |
| John Rodgers (1980-2012) | Tim Ternes (1974-2015) | Leon Borcherding (1977-2018) | John Letham (1985-2022) |
| Burton Butler (1980-2014) | H. Fain Yearty (1989-2015) | Brian Ellsworth (1983-2018) | Debby Letham (1987-2022) |
| Floyd Danley (1983-2014) | Conrad Caines (1980-2016) | Bill French (1989-2018) | Scot Jackson (1997-2022) |
| C.W. “Bill” Englund (1974-2014) | Jim Jirkovsky (1991-2016) | Roger Johnson (1978-2018) | Rick McLain (1977-2022) |
| Jim Frazier (1983-2014) | Allan Spidahl (1986-2016) | Gary Streator (1988-2018) | Bonnie Miller (1987-2022) |
| Wayne Laske (1970-2014) | Grant Gibbs (1989-2017) | Pat Trebesch (1978-2018) | Cynthia Rucker (2001-2022) |
| John Abrams (1982-2015) | Doug Gregory (1986-2017) | Betsy Tuckey (2012-2018) | Mike Short (2003-2022) |
| Doug Cline (1976-2015) | Randy Hembrook (1984-2017) | John Aipperspach (1983-2019) | Maryann Willoughby (1981-2022) |
| Jim Coones (1980-2015) | Helmut Lekschas (1975-2017) | Darrell Bilke (1982-2019) | Joe Carter (1981-2023) |
| Dan Moreland (1984-2015) |
Tenure Recognition
In addition to the Judge Emeritus Award, Tenure Recognition for APHA judges honors their dedication with rings or pendants for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years of service. These tokens symbolize long-term commitment and maintained high standards at our shows. Judges who have achieved one of these milestones can order their ring or pendant online.
APHA thanks each and every one of these judges for their many years of service and dedication to the association and the Paint Horse.
