Becoming a Licensed Judge
American Poultry Association · December 2021
Bart Pals wrote this as encouragement for people interested in becoming licensed poultry judges. His path combines serious study with as much hands-on experience as possible, gradually moving from clerking and observation into formal apprenticeship and judging practice.
Study the Standard repeatedly
Bart placed the American Standard of Perfection at the center of the process. Repeated reading helps breed characteristics, scale of points and judging principles become familiar enough to use under real show conditions.
Clerk, observe and ask questions
He encouraged aspiring judges to work with many judges and breeders, clerk at shows, and continue learning after judging is finished. Seeing different breeds and different judging styles helps build both knowledge and a personal method.
Get experience wherever appropriate
Smaller fairs, youth events and lawn shows can provide useful practice. Bart also pointed to the APA Judge’s Apprentice Program as the formal step for someone ready to pursue licensing.
Judging is also about conduct
Technical knowledge is not enough. Bart emphasized developing a consistent process and giving exhibitors, show management and the birds a professional experience. The underlying requirement is an honest, unbiased opinion.
Recovered from a surviving indexed copy of the original article. Poultry Showcase presents a detailed archive reconstruction in its own words while preserving the original author and publication attribution.
