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.
Interested in becoming an APHA judge? Learn about the requirements and the Judging Apprentice Program.
Need to renew your APHA judge’s card? Find recertification steps and helpful resources here.
Search the APHA Judges Directory for approved judges, their cards, contact info, and availability.
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.
| John Abrams (1982-2015) | Helmut Lekschas (1975-2017) | Bonnie Miller (1987-2022) |
| Doug Cline (1976-2015) | Carl McCustion (2006-2017) | Cynthia Rucker (2001-2022) |
| Jim Coones (1980-2015) | Ed Mayfield (1970-2018) | Mike Short (2003-2022) |
| Dan Moreland (1984-2015) | Gary Streator (1988-2018) | Maryann Willoughby (1981-2022) |
| Jim Jirkovsky (1991-2016) | Pat Trebesch (1978-2018) | Susan Stafford (1982-2022) |
| Allan Spidahl (1986-2016) | Betsy Tuckey (2012-2018) | Joe Carter (1981-2023) |
| Grant Gibbs (1989-2017) | John Aipperspach (1983-2019) | Nikki Longacre (1999-2024) |
| Doug Gregory (1986-2017) | Darrell Bilke (1982-2019) | David Boggs (1987-2024) |
| Randy Hembrook (1984-2017) | Pauline Crull (2001-2020) |
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.
Print, complete, and pack this form with your APHA Judge Tenure Ring to have new stones added. Ship the ring directly to the manufacturer at the address below. They will notify APHA of its receipt, bill APHA for the stone additions, then ship it back directly to you.
APHA thanks each and every one of these judges for their many years of service and dedication to the association and the Paint Horse.