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) | Charlie Sasser (1977-2017) | Mike Baker (1980-2022) |
| Gary Gordon (1983-2012) | Linda Norton-Neely (1987-2015) | Leon Borcherding (1977-2018) | John Letham (1985-2022) |
| John Rodgers (1980-2012) | Tim Ternes (1974-2015) | Brian Ellsworth (1983-2018) | Debby Letham (1987-2022) |
| Burton Butler (1980-2014) | H. Fain Yearty (1989-2015) | Bill French (1989-2018) | Scot Jackson (1997-2022) |
| Floyd Danley (1983-2014) | Conrad Caines (1980-2016) | Roger Johnson (1978-2018) | Rick McLain (1977-2022) |
| C.W. “Bill” Englund (1974-2014) | Jim Jirkovsky (1991-2016) | Gary Streator (1988-2018) | Bonnie Miller (1987-2022) |
| Jim Frazier (1983-2014) | Allan Spidahl (1986-2016) | Pat Trebesch (1978-2018) | Cynthia Rucker (2001-2022) |
| Wayne Laske (1970-2014) | Grant Gibbs (1989-2017) | Betsy Tuckey (2012-2018) | Mike Short (2003-2022) |
| John Abrams (1982-2015) | Doug Gregory (1986-2017) | John Aipperspach (1983-2019) | Maryann Willoughby (1981-2022) |
| Doug Cline (1976-2015) | Randy Hembrook (1984-2017) | Darrell Bilke (1982-2019) | Joe Carter (1981-2023) |
| Jim Coones (1980-2015) | Helmut Lekschas (1975-2017) | Pauline Crull (2001-2020) | Ed Mayfield (1970-2018) |
| Dan Moreland (1984-2015) | Carl McCustion (2006-2017) |
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.
