The National Collegiate Equestrian Association’s board of directors recently added APHA judges to their list of approved judges for NCEA events. Until now, only American Quarter Horse Association and National Reining Horse Association judges were approved to officiate NCEA competitions.
“This is just more validation of the quality of APHA judges,” APHA Executive Director Billy Smith said. “Our judges are among the best, and this development will only enhance an already strong relationship with NCEA.”
The two organizations are already aligned on several levels, and the partnership is a natural fit for APHA. In addition to its commitment to education, APHA has long fostered the development of many successful NCEA student-athletes.
“The NCEA is excited to include APHA judges as part of our competitive events as we expand our list of quality officials,” NCEA Executive Director Leah Fiorentino said.
APHA has been the leader in developing educational tools like its innovative HorseIQ (horseiq.com), which has gained notoriety among university horse judging teams and judges alike. Stay tuned for more on how this cutting-edge program will soon be incorporated into NCEA judging.
