Swain & Devitt Honored as 2026 Judge Emeritus Recipients

By Jessica Hein, PHJ News:

Two dedicated judges are being honored with the 2026 Judge Emeritus award from APHA. The Paint community will recognize their contributions to the industry at the 2026 APHA Hall of Fame & Awards Ceremony, taking place June 25 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Mike Swain

A judge from Sedalia, Missouri, Mike was an APHA judge from 1983 to 2025. He judged 251 shows during his tenure with APHA.

“Mike Swain’s retirement from his APHA judging card marks the close of an extraordinary chapter in our industry,” APHA Director of Judges Sandy Jirkovsky said. “For decades, Mike set the standard for fairness, professionalism and deep knowledge of the Paint Horse—qualities that earned him the respect of exhibitors, fellow judges and horsemen across the country. Being named Judge Emeritus is the highest honor APHA can bestow on a judge, and Mike embodies everything that title represents.”

Casey Devitt

An APHA judge from 2008 to 2025, Casey judged 51 Paint shows and was a longtime equipment steward and judge monitor for the APHA World Championship Show. He was from Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

“Casey Devitt’s impact on APHA cannot be overstated. His leadership, integrity and unwavering dedication is what all of us strive to emulate,” Sandy said. “Casey had a rare ability to bring people together, elevate every project he touched and approached judging with genuine passion. His absence will be felt not only within APHA, but across the entire horse industry. We will miss his vision, his steady guidance and the heart he brought to our community.”

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 Greatness

Our 2025 Judge Emeritus Award recipients will be honored on June 26, 2025, at the APHA Hall of Fame & Awards Ceremony, taking place at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, in conjunction with the 2025 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.

2026 APHA Hall of Fame & Awards Celebration

June 25, 2026
Round Up Inn, Will Rogers Memorial Center
Fort Worth, Texas

Tickets are available online at apha.com/foundation/hall-of-fame!

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