APHA is excited to welcome 10 new approved judges; they are among the applicants to successfully complete the extensive two-day APHA Judge Applicant School May 23–25 in Denton, Texas. The applicant exam included a closed rulebook exam, both live and video judging tests, and an interview with the APHA Judges Committee.

“We are extremely excited about this year’s group of new APHA judges,” APHA Director of Judges David Dellin said. “I have no doubt they will continue the tradition of excellence that we are working to provide for our exhibitors. They are all extremely knowledgeable and have been through a very demanding test of those skills. I’m very proud to have them as part of the judges’ corps.”

Congratulations to our new judges:

Tony Burris

Summerfield, North Carolina

Tony brings more than 15 years of judging experience to APHA. He holds cards with the American Quarter Horse Association, the National Snaffle Bit Association and the Palomino Horse Breeders Association. He has judged more than 200 horse shows, including the AQHA World Show and All American Quarter Horse Congress. Tony is a horse trainer and has shown at the APHA World Championship Show.

Rick Christy

Reddick, Florida

Rick has judged nearly 350 horse shows and holds cards with AQHA and NSBA. He has been a judge with both associations since 2000 and has trained and shown world and congress champion hunters in addition to Honor Roll Western pleasure winners and high-point reiners. Rick has judged at both the AQHA and American Junior Quarter Horse Association world shows, All American Quarter Horse Congress, NSBA World Show and regional Quarter Horse shows.

Timothy Jedra

Auburn, New York

A member of the Empire State Paint Horse Club, Timothy brings a wide range of judging experience to APHA. He is actively carded with AQHA, PHBA, Pinto Horse Association, American Buckskin Registry Association and Pony of the Americas Club. A horse trainer and riding instructor, he has judged approximately 30 horse shows, including the All American Quarter Horse Congress.

Bob Kail

Scottsdale, Arizona

Bob has more than 1,000 shows and 30 years of experience as a judge under his belt. He has judged All American Quarter Horse Congress multiple times, in addition to the NSBA and AQHA world shows and several reining futurities. He has trained multiple AQHA and PHBA champions and coached several Youth and Amateur riders to championships at major AQHA shows.

Stephanie McConnell

New Trenton, Indiana

Stephanie’s accomplishments as a judge, trainer, exhibitor and coach span a variety of breed associations: AQHA, NSBA, PtHA, PHBA, NSBA, ABRA, POA and International Buckskin Horse Association. She has judged more than 200 horse shows and currently breeds, trains and shows Quarter Horses, Paints and Thoroughbreds.

Teresa Pelton

Summerfield, Florida

An active member of the Florida Paint Horse Club, Teresa has been showing Paints since 1984 and has won multiple world and reserve world championships in a variety of events. She is an accomplished PtHA judge with more than 50 shows judged under her belt. She has attended both the APHA and PtHA judging academies and has coached two horse judging teams to top-five finishes at national FFA horse judging contests.

Richard Spinks

Cypress, Texas

Richard brings more than 30 years of experience to the table as a trainer, with multiple world championships in Western pleasure and reining. He’s judged approximately 45 AQHA shows and holds cards with AQHA and ABHA. Richard has judged abroad in Denmark and for several major regional AQHA shows, including the 2015 Fort Worth Stock Show.

Dale Sullens

Aubrey, Texas

Dale’s experience as a trainer and exhibitor span APHA, PHBA, PtHA , Appaloosa Horse Club and Arabian Horse Association, where he and his clients have earned multiple world and reserve world champions. Dale has attended both the 2013 and 2014 APHA Educational Judges Academy.

Walter Glenn Wells

Williamson, Georgia

Glenn’s accolades over the past 25 years include being named AQHA Professional Horseman of the Year in Georgia multiple times. He has trained, coached and shown several champion and reserve champions at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Glenn has judged approximately 60 horse shows, including futurities and the 2014 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show. Glenn is carded with NSBA, AQHA and PHBA and regularly attends AQHA and NSBA judge seminars.

Nicolas Perrin

Les Tanneurs, France

Nicolas received a European-only judge’s card; he is an accomplished judge in Europe for AQHA and ApHC and is a member of APHA, AQHA, ApHC and NSBA. An experienced trainer, Nicolas has several European and French champion titles to his credit and is an active member of the France Paint Horse Association.

A full list of APHA-approved judges, including contact information, can be found online at apha.com/association/judges.

To learn more about becoming a carded APHA judge, visit apha.com. 

About APHA

The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded. APHA creates and maintains programs that increase the value of American Paint Horses and enriches members’ experiences with their horses.