Appaloosa Horse Club

International Judge Information

ApHC Judge Search/Listings

ApHC European Judge Guidelines

In order for a European ApHC-approved show to hire an ApHC European Judge, the following guidelines must be followed:
  • ApHC European Judges are only allowed to judge two (2) shows per country per year.
  • No judge may officiate two consecutive years at the same show or multi-judge show.
  • For shows with three or four judges, at least one judge must be a regular ApHC Judge.

European Junior Judging Program

The ApHC is now offering an opportunity for European judge applicants to junior judge with a regularly carded ApHC Judge to gain invaluable judging experience and obtain references for their judge’s application.

Program Guidelines:

  • It is the policy of the ApHC to instruct all judge applicants to first contact the ApHC Judge to obtain permission to junior judge with them. After arranging a junior judging assignment with the official ApHC Judge, the applicant must then contact the show committee, show manager or show secretary to obtain permission to junior judge at their show.
  • A list of shows and their judges is available by viewing the show calendar or contacting the ApHC Show Department or Judges’ Department.
  • Applicants may only junior judge with regularly carded ApHC Judges, not ApHC European Judges.
  • Upon arrival to the show, applicants should supply the official ApHC Judge with a Junior Judging Evaluation Form and ask that they complete and mail it to the ApHC office after the completion of the show. These evaluation forms will be placed in the applicant’s file and will be beneficial to the applicant when applying in the future. These forms are available through the ApHC Judges’ Department.
  • There will only be one junior judge allowed per ApHC Judge per day.
  • When junior judging, the applicant should act as if he/she were the official judge and follow all judging rules and procedures. For example, the applicant should not junior judge if a member of his/her family is showing at that same show, etc.
  • Junior Judges are not to discuss anything with the official ApHC Judge until the class is complete and the judge’s card has been turned in. In between classes, the Junior Judge should discuss their placings with the official judge.

European Judge Applicant Fact Sheet

The following is a detailed explanation of the application process that must be completed to become an approved Appaloosa Horse Club European Judge.
ApHC membership: An applicant must be a current ApHC member in good standing prior to testing to become an ApHC European Judge.
Age: An applicant must be at least 25 and not over 70 years of age.
Application & Application Fee: An application form must be completed and the application fee of $100 (U.S.) must be received prior to testing.
Personal References: Two (2) personal references must be submitted.
Junior Judging References: All applicants will be required to junior judge three (3) ApHC shows with three different regularly carded ApHC judges. Junior Judging may be done before or after an applicant successfully completes the European Judges Seminar. If the applicant chooses to wait and junior judge after completing and passing the judges seminar testing, he/she will have two (2) years to complete his/her junior judging requirement.
  • When junior judging, the applicant must judge the entire show and review their placings with the official judge. The official judge must complete the Junior Judge Evaluation Form and ApHC Field Exam and submit it to the ApHC.
  • It is the policy of the ApHC to instruct all judge applicants to first contact the ApHC Judge to obtain permission to junior judge with them. After arranging a junior judging assignment with the official ApHC Judge, the applicant must then contact the show committee, show manager or show secretary to obtain permission to junior judge at their show.
  • A list of shows and their judges is available on the ApHC Web site at www.appaloosa.com <https://www.appaloosa.com> or you may contact the ApHC Show Department or Judges’ Department for more information. A show calendar is also published monthly in Appaloosa Journal.
  • Applicants may only junior judge with regularly carded ApHC Judges, not ApHC European Judges.
  • There will only be one junior judge allowed per ApHC Judge per day.
  • Upon arrival to the show, applicants should supply the official ApHC Judge with a Junior Judge Evaluation Form and ask that they complete and mail it to the ApHC office after the completion of the show. These forms are available through the ApHC Judges’ Department.
  • When junior judging, the applicant should act as if he/she were the official judge and follow all judging rules and procedures. For example, the applicant should not junior judge if a member of his/her family is showing at that same show, etc.
  • Junior Judges are not to discuss anything with the official ApHC Judge until the class is complete and the judge’s card has been turned in. In between classes, the Junior Judge should discuss their placings with the official judge.
Testing: At the judge’s seminar, applicants will be video tested and be required to live judge halter and performance classes. The applicant will also be interviewed and evaluated by a panel of ApHC-approved judges. A written rulebook test will also be issued consisting of approximately 50 true/false and multiple choice questions.
Final Review: The applicant’s file will be reviewed by the ApHC Judges’ Committee after completion of the seminar. After successful completion of the seminar, the applicant will have two years to complete the junior judging requirement. After junior judging is completed, the applicant’s file will be reviewed by the ApHC Judges’ Committee once again. At this time, the ApHC Judges’ Committee will make the final determination and award ApHC European judges cards to those individuals whose conduct, ability and performance warrant the privilege.
For more information, please contact:

ApHC Judges’ Coordinator at (208) 882-5578, ext. 244,
show-judges@appaloosa.com