Joe Carter honored with APHA Judge Emeritus Award

By Jessica Hein, PHJ News:

Longstanding APHA judge Joe Carter will receive APHA’s Judge Emeritus Award on June 27 at the 2024 APHA Hall of Fame & Awards Ceremony. The award recognizes outstanding judges who have dedicated their careers to judging APHA-approved events.

Carter is from St. George, Ontario, Canada, where he and his wife, Pat, established Carters Training Facility. He’s been an APHA judge since 1981 and officiated nearly every major event in the horse industry, including the APHA World Championship Show. He judged 136 APHA shows and served as a tireless supporter of APHA and its judges. Carter retired from APHA judging in 2023.

“Joe is the reason many of us have our judge’s cards,” APHA Director of Judges Sandy Jirkovsky said. “I am the judge I am today due to Joe’s encouragement for me to step out of the box and pursue my judge’s cards in various associations. He is the ideal candidate for the Judge Emeritus Award.”

To be considered for the Emeritus Award, a judge must have at least 25 years of service or judged 150 APHA-approved events (25 years of service or 65 events for European-only judges), voluntarily retire with an excellent record and be in good standing with the Judges Committee, with no disciplinary actions, probations or suspensions on their records. Applicants must be approved by the Judges Committee on an individual basis according to their records. Deceased judges who meet these award requirements can also be considered.

Honoring our Judge Emeritus

Carter will be honored on June 27, 2024, at the APHA Hall of Fame & Awards Ceremony. The event takes place at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, in conjunction with the 2024 APHA World Championship Show. Other year-end award winners honored at the event include APHA’s newest Hall of Fame class, High-Point Open Exhibitor, Markel/APHA Professional Horseman of the Year, Don Manuello Ring Steward Award winner and more.

2024 APHA Hall of Fame & Awards Celebration

June 27, 2024
Round Up Inn, Will Rogers Memorial Center
Fort Worth, Texas

Save the date—tickets are now available!

Event Details: Email Jennifer Crites at jcrites@apha.com