AHBA Judges Requirements

AHBA judge’s minimum requirements.

The following are the requirements for obtaining (OR RETAINING) an AHBA judge license starting June 2006. Please note that these are minimum requirements for application.  Merely meeting the minimum requirements as specified does not guarantee acceptance as a judge.  The provided references and other information from additional individuals familiar with the applicant’s judging views will be considered in determining acceptance of the application.  .  It is not the AHBA’s intention to mandate a single method of judging, however, rules regarding courses and AHBA’s judging philosophy, general good sportsmanship and honest judging are required.  Judges who fail to judge in a unbiased honest fashion in accordance with AHBA rules may be removed from the AHBA judges’ list.

While previously it was permitted to have an advanced title in another program and at least a level 2 AHBA title, starting in June 2006 all AHBA judges are required to have at least a Level III (HTAD, HRD, RLF or HTD) trial level title. Having an advanced title in some other program will NO LONGER SUFFICE. Please also note that if we do not have a record of the level III title showing two judges and two qualifying scores, copies of your SCORESHEETs will be requested to verify the title, NOT a copy of a certificate.

Below are the current requirements. Please note that these are MINIMUMS.

1. Individual must have an advanced herding title in AHBA (level III).  This can be on any of the AHBA courses or on any of the allowed livestock. 

  2. Must have 5 years of herding.

3. Must provide evidence of education (list of magazines, books, videos, seminars attended). 

4. Must student judge or timekeep at least 2 events (must provide event, name of official judge, & course). It is recommended but not required that a judge seminar (not AKC) on how to grid a course, etc be attended.

5. Must have the recommendation of two judges currently accepted by AHBA.

6. Must have an AHBA title (a hardship request may be submitted. AHBA reserves the right to make unilateral approvals or disapprovals of the hardship exception). As of June 2005 all AHBA judges are required to have at least a Level II (HTAD, HRD or HTD) trial level title As of June 2006 all AHBA judges are required to have at least a Level III (HTAD, HRD or HTD) trial level title

7. All approvals are PROVISIONAL for the first 2 years or until the individual has judged at least twice, whichever comes last. Comments from the herding public will be considered in providing full approval. A provisional judge may take any assignment. Fully approved judges are subject to following the AHBA judging provisions and may be removed if sufficient evidence of inability to judge according to AHBA rules is provided.

AHBA encourages our judges to be PARTICIPANTS in the AHBA program. This is one of the reasons the rules allow "non competitive" runs. It is also one of the reasons why AHBA does NOT REQUIRE that a "club" host a trial but allows individuals, if sufficiently experienced, to do so. We try to make it reasonably easy to attend and run in an AHBA event.

For information on how to apply for judging credentials, email: Peggy Richter