The APHA Professional Horsemen program, established in November 2009, was designed to seek out honest, upstanding equine professionals that are members of the American Paint Horse Association. Selected members of the Professional Horsemen program pledge to encourage professionalism, integrity and fairness throughout the horse industry, particularly the Paint Horse industry. They will promote the breed and the Association at local Paint Horse shows and other equine events.

To become an APHA Professional Horsemen member, one must be an equine professional, an APHA member in good standing, complete a three-page application form and pay yearly dues of $25, provide four references, and read and agree to the APHA Professional Horsemen Code of Ethics. Gibbons emphasized the importance of this application process.

Certified members receive a certificate suitable for framing, a pin and a logo to add to a business card, ad or website. Members will be listed on the Professional Horsemen program page.

The by-laws of the APHA Professional Horsemen program outline a Code of Ethics. This Code summarizes the ethical practices that members must follow whether pertaining to horse care, sale transactions or actions in the show arena.

The American Paint Horse Association prides itself in having members of integrity and principle and some of the best equine professionals in the industry. The Professional Horsemen program recognizes professionals who are honest, ethical and trustworthy. These men and women wear a badge of honor as they represent our Association in a positive light.

For more information on APHA's Professional Horsemen Program, read an article from the Paint Horse Connection magazine.

To apply for Certification:Download the application
Fill out the Downloadable Application Form completely, and don’t forget to sign the first page. Send it, along with the applicable fees to APHA (if you aren’t a current APHA member, there is a section on the form where you can join). Your application will be submitted to the Professional Horsemen certification committee and you will be notified.

Current APHA Professional Horsemen

John Aipperspach, MO Jim Anderson, NC Trisha Shorten-Armstrong, OK Betty Wilson Bailey, TX Tom Baker, OH Taurie Banks, CA Vivian Beard, WY Don Beard, WY Julie Black, CA Terry Brown, IL T.J. Brown, CA Gerald Butler, OK Lucas Cash, VA Adrienne Cober, PA David "Buddy" Dagle, MS Floyd Danley, TX Jodie Distad, MN Carolyn Dobbins, AZ Mack Dodsworth, OR Delena Doyle, TX Bill French, IL Sally Jo Freund, WA Francisco "Chico" Garcia, Brazil Kimberly Richwine-Gately, WA Ken Gibbons, PA Judith Ann Gibney, TX Sonnesa Gooding, MI Garth Gooding, MI Mike Hachtel, TX Monika Hagen, Germany Sherry Haynes, TX Gary Hersom, IA Eric Hubbard, CA Ann Jones, GA Carrie Kessler, AR Michel Ladouceur, Quebec, Canada

Tina Langness, WI Jan Larsen, CA Francois Lejour, France Lisa Ligon, TX Nikki Longacre, OK Keith Longacre, OK Julie Thompson-Martell, CA Robert Meneely, GA Cynthia Mergaert, FL Bonnie Miller, NY Gail Mitchell, IN J. Roger Montgomery, CO Jodie Moore, BC Ron Morris, NM Meschelle Potter, OK Dean Myers, OK Nina Obermueller, Welzheim, Germany Jerry Lee Parker, OH David Parlier, TX Meschelle Potter, OK Amanda Reed, PA Katie Roxburg, Canada Terry Sartain, TX Andrea Simons, TX Sara Simons, TX Jerry Slemp, VA Ronnie Stallings, TX Teresa Sullivan, WA Heather Thompson, TX Carly Veldman, GA Johanna Vorraber, Austria Cathy Walker, NM Pamela A. Wuest, PA Heather Young, TX Jennifer Zahorik, WI