Behind The Clipboard: Seasoned Judges Share Insights From The Center Of The Pen

Click here to read the complete article
204 – March/April, 2026

By Megan Sacia Ulrich

It’s that time of year when newly carded judges are named – an announcement that should be accompanied by a celebration, as the path to get there is not for the faint of heart, and the responsibility of holding a card is not one that is taken lightly.

The Equine Chronicle caught up with a few seasoned judges – Tim Finkenbinder, Jeffrey Pait, and Kristy Starnes, who have a combined 72 years of AQHA judging experience among them – to learn exactly what holding a card means personally, as well as the advice they’d give to those joining them in the center of the pen some day.

Becoming a Judge Means Giving Back

Those pursuing their judging cards likely have a variety of personal and professional reasons to do so. Jeff Pait recalls watching his dad judge and hoping to someday follow in his footsteps. Tim Finkenbinder, too, felt called to judging early on, saying earning his card was a personal goal and that being asked to judge is “one of the highest honors we have as a person in the industry.” Kristy Starnes felt compelled to judge because, as an exhibitor, she values the opinions of her peers. “I’d rather be judged by someone who understands it; by someone who’s out there every day stepping into the saddle and working horses versus someone who’s not,” she explains.

But above all other reasons, each of these three professionals – all of whom also hold their NSBA cards – named giving back to the industry as the paramount reason they pursued their cards. Jeff phrases it this way: “Becoming a judge has always been a meaningful way for me to give back to the industry and help protect and preserve our breed standard.”

The Process

Click here to read the complete article
204 – March/April, 2026