horseIQ Youth & Collegiate Judging Contest

Halter Million 2026 | Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth, Texas

Overview

Purpose: The horseIQ Youth & Collegiate Judging Contest cultivates evaluation skills, industry knowledge, and confident decision-making in young equestrians through live judging

Hosted during the APHA/WCHA Halter Million, Youth and collegiate judging contestants evaluate halter and performance classes for conformation, movement and class standards.

Eligibility

Collegiate Division

To be eligible:

This contest is open to properly accredited two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
- Any college undergraduate student representing their institution who is in attendance as a regularly enrolled student in the institution and who has never acted as an official judge of horses in any interstate fair show, and who has at no time served in the capacity of teacher of livestock or horse judging in a college or secondary school, may be entered as a member of a team to represent the college in which they are matriculated.
- There is no limit to the number of teams and/or individuals entered by any institution.
- Any individual who previously competed on a two-year/junior college team is still eligible to compete on a four-year university team.
APHA membership is not required to participate. There will be an increased entry free for contestants without APHA memberships.
- Any entries recevied after the pre-entry deadline will incur a $5 late fee per contestant.
All contestants are required to wear Western attire (long sleeve shirt and jeans or slacks—
blazer or tie is optional) during the contest.
- No hats, caps or identifying clothing are allowed.

Youth Division

To be eligible:

4-H, FFA, AYA, AjPHA and other interested youth groups may participate
- All contestants in the youth division must be 18 years old or under as of January 1 of the current year
AjPHA membership is not required to participate. There will be an increased entry fee for contestants without AjPHA membership.
- Any entries received after the pre-entry deadline will incur a $5 late fee per contestant.
Western attire is required for all contestants (long-sleeve shirt and jeans or slacks; blazer or tie are optional)
- No hats, caps or identifying clothing are allowed
Contestants may not have participated in an official post-secondary horse judging contest, nor have been in training in preparation for a post-secondary horse judging contest.
A contestant may not participate in both the Youth and Youth Limited divisions.
If a contestant has previously won their age division in the limited division at any world championship judging contest, they are ineligible to compete in the limited division in any following year.
- For example, if a youth wins the limited division in Summer 2026, they remain eligible for limited in Fall 2026, but are no longer eligible in 2027 and beyond.

Contest Details

Teams that consist of four members will have their lowest score dropped. A team consisting of three members will have all scores counted. Every contestant will compete for individual awards.

Youth Divisions

Youth 14–18
Youth 13 & Under
Youth Limited 14–18
Youth Limited 13 & Under

If there are less than 10 entries in either of the Limited divisions, the groups will be combined.

Classes to be Judged

Classes are judged in accordance with the current APHA Rule Book.
Eight to 12 classes are judged, including two to six halter and four to six performance classes.
Halter classes are separated by horse ages. Depending on the availability of horses, similar age groups may be combined into a single class (i.e. 2- & 3-year-old mares).
Performance classes are selected from the following: Western pleasure, Western horsemanship, Western riding, showmanship, trail, hunter under saddle, hunt-seat equitation, hunter hack, reining, ranch riding, ranch pleasure, ranch rail pleasure and ranch trail.

Contest Procedures

Timing and conduct of classes are conducted under the guidelines of the National Horse Judging Team Coaches Association.
All horses are considered sound of mouth, wind and limb in halter and judged as they go in performance. All tack and attire are considered legal.
Each class consists of four horses. Handlers/riders are identified with numbered vests.
While the contest is in progress, no talking is allowed between contestants or anyone else except as directed by the contest officials. No pagers, cell phones or other forms of communication are allowed on any contestant. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification.
Coaches will not have contact with their contestants at any time during the judging and reasons session. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification.
Placing scantrons are provided. Contestants must provide their own No. 2 pencils. Contestants may use clipboards, notebooks, plain paper, official APHA/NRHA score sheets, and the APHA Rule Book so long as these items are clean and free of marks. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification.
A group leader is placed in charge of each contestant group. Contestants are responsible for turning in their cards to the group leader when time is called. Late cards are not accepted.

Reasons

Contestants give two sets of halter reasons and two sets of performance reasons from the above class list, except for the Youth 13 & Under division. Youth 13 & Under contestants give two sets of reasons.
Contestants have two minutes to give their reasons to the official. Oral reasons are expected to indicate the contestant’s justification for their placement of the class.
Contestants are not permitted to use notes while giving reasons.

Questions

Contestants in the Limited Youth division answer a total of 10 questions, worth five points each, from two classes. Five performance class questions are announced at the conclusion of the performance classes or when the five halter class questions are asked.
Questions may be chosen from any class held at the contest and will be determined by contest officials.
Contestants are permitted to use notes while answering questions.

Rise to the Challenge in the Youth & Collegiate Judging Contest!

Showcase your horse judging expertise in this premier competition at the APHA/WCHA Halter Million. Compete for top awards, build your skills, and represent your team with pride!

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Tabulation & Awards

Fifty points constitutes a perfect score for a class placing and/or oral reasons.

Teams consist of four members with the lowest score being dropped.
Placing cards must be completed in full for a score to be tabulated. Cards that are blank, illegible or marked with more than one placing receive a zero score.
All tabulated results of the contest are considered official, and no change will be made unless an error is made in entering a score or placing by contest officials. Errors made by contestants will not be corrected once the placing card has been delivered to a contest official, including a group leader.
Tie-breakers are outlined in the contest rules.

Awards

The awards ceremony takes place at the conclusion of the contest.
Collegiate & Youth 14–18: Top Five Overall Teams, Top 10 Overall Individuals, Top Five Category Individuals
Youth 13 & Under: Top Three Overall Teams, Top Five Overall Individuals, Top Three Category Individuals
Limited Youth: Top 10 Overall Individuals