APHA offers educational opportunities for aspiring judges

With a growing list of more than 1,100 approved horse shows around the world, the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) continues to seek out and develop qualified judges to keep up with demand.

With a growing number of American Paint Horse shows, APHA is dedicated to recruiting and educating potential judges. Hirez JPEG (2.16 mb) Hirez TIFF (8.16 mb)

One of the association's most successful training programs-the APHA Educational Judges Academy-will be conducted at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Fla., Feb. 27-29. Registration deadline is Jan. 15. Space is limited, so APHA is encouraging early registration. This will be the association's third Educational Judges Academy since the program debuted last year.

APHA is proactive in attracting quality judges
In addition to the Educational Judges Academy, APHA's ambitious approach to educating and qualifying future judges also involves an "Apprentice Judge Program," and the development of a "Judges' DVD Library."

These programs are designed to help future judges gain acceptance to the APHA Applicant Exam to be held in April in Fort Worth, Texas. People who successfully master the three-day curriculum and achieve acceptable test scores are recognized as official APHA judges.

"Our goal is to ensure that future APHA judges have all the resources they need to become experts in the show ring," said Candy Cain, APHA director of judges. "We want the current reputation that APHA judges now have to continue for future generations. The best way we have found to do that is through a comprehensive program that prepares our future judges for the APHA Applicant Exam, which will qualify them for obtaining their APHA-approved certification."

Following is an overview of the three main components of this new approach to educating and qualifying future judges:

APHA Educational Judges Academy
These three-day seminars will be taught in a classroom setting by APHA-approved judges. The curriculum includes discussions on judging procedures for a wide range of disciplines, as well as a sample rulebook test. While the instruction contains valuable instruction for aspiring judges, it is also open to exhibitors or anyone with a desire to learn more about the discipline of judging horses in the show ring.

Apprentice Judge Program
People interested in this program serve as apprentices under four different APHA judges at four separate APHA-approved shows. Anyone interested in apprenticing must attend an APHA Judges Academy.

This apprentice process was created especially for those who want to apply for APHA judging credentials. While Apprentice Judging is not mandatory, it is useful for those seeking references required to apply for judging cards.

Judges' DVD Library
APHA is developing this special library as an additional educational resource tool for prospective judges. Based on the performance of the horses they observe in the DVDs, potential judges will be able to evaluate several different classes. They can then compare their judging critiques against those of professionals through score sheets supplied with the DVDs.

Other opportunities for potential judges
While the apprenticeship and educational opportunities are excellent ways for people to prepare for the APHA Applicant Exam, APHA is still qualifying individuals through its traditional method. That requires a potential judge to obtain 10 references-six from APHA or American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) judges who have witnessed the applicant judging, and four from show managers who have hired the individual to judge at a show.

Attractive incentive for AQHA judges
APHA has made a modification to its traditional method of qualifying judges to attend the APHA Applicant Exam. Now, individuals who already possess an AQHA judge's certification card need only obtain half as many references-three from APHA or AQHA judges and two from show management.

"We're hoping that experienced AQHA judges will take advantage of the fact that we're seeking their applications and finding innovative ways to help them obtain APHA judges' cards," said Cain. "We welcome their experience."

Building on success
Currently, APHA has 273 approved judges around the world. Many of them gain early experience through two successful programs administered by APHA-the Collegiate Judging Contest held each spring and the Youth Judging Contest held at the World Championship Paint Horse Show each summer.

At the Collegiate Judging Contest, about 200 students from 16 universities and colleges around the nation gather in Fort Worth to put classroom experience to work in the show ring. They judge 10 horse show classes typically included in equine competition. Judging teams are then evaluated by APHA officials and their scoring and oral arguments are critiqued. The contest is followed by a banquet.

Similar activities are sponsored by APHA for 400 junior judges as part of the Youth Judging Contest. According to the National Horse Judging Team Coaches Association, the APHA-sponsored event is the largest horse-judging contest for youth in the nation. Contestants between the ages of 9 and 19 involved in 4-H, Future Farmers of America (FFA) and regional American Paint Horse youth clubs compete in the event for coveted trophy buckles, plaques and other prizes. A total of 100 teams, consisting of up to four youth per team, judge world-class American Paint Horses during the competition each year.

"It's important for us to create judging opportunities and education for people of all ages," said Tina Anderson, APHA director of shows. "The people we reach out to and serve today will be the judges who will be working in APHA show rings tomorrow. Our future depends on their success."