World Show Judges

Nick Carden is from Ocala, Florida, and owns Flintwood Performance Horses LLC. Nick began his judging career through intercollegiate competition at the University of Georgia. He has been a judge with ARBA since 2012 and has judge’s cards with PHBA, NSBA, and PtHA. Over the past 20 years, he has managed horse health and reproduction and served as an instructor for the Universities of Georgia and Florida.

In addition, Nick helped produce several national and world champions for the University of Florida’s Equine Science Program. He also assists in managing shows for the Florida Quarter Horse Association. He wishes good luck to all this year’s ABRA World Show exhibitors.

Cindy Butler of Caseyville, IL, is the current President of the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA). She is a carded judge with the following organizations: American Buckskin Registry Association (ABRA), American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA), American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA), American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR), Arabian Horse Association (AHA), American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC), American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Western Dressage Specialty, Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC), Arabian Horse Association (AHA), International Buckskin Horse Association (IBHA), Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association (MFTHBA), National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA), North American Saddle Mule and Donkey Association (NASMDA), Palomino Horse Breeders Association (PHBA), Pinto Horse Association (PtHA), Pony of the Americas Club (POAC), and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Arabian, Morgan, Western and Western Dressage.

Cindy received her bachelor’s degree in Equestrian Science and Business Administration from William Woods College. She has shown horses most of her life, competing in everything from park harness to pole bending. She has earned multiple World Championship titles and high point awards in the show ring and on the trail.

Cindy serves on the USEF Licensed Officials Committee, the National Breeds and Disciplines Council,and the Western Dressage Committee. She also conducts judge training for Western Dressage.

Paula lives in Kentucky with her husband, Duane. Together, they own and operate Gatewood Arena, a boarding and training facility specializing in therapeutic horsemanship for special needs children and adults.

Paula holds judging cards for NSBA, ApHC, IBHA, PHBA, POAC, AMHA, NASDMA, and ABRA. She has been honored to judge the POAC Congress, The Nasdma National Show, The European Appaloosa Championship, and the NSBA European Congress.

David is from Millington, TN, and has been an equine judge for 27 years. He holds judges' cards for ABRA, AQHA, APHA, PtHA, PHBA, NSBA, and IBHA and has judged major shows across the United States, Australia, Canada, and Mexico.

Occupation:
Equipment hauler for BH&M
Board Member for Journey Church
Board Member for the Millington area Chamber of Commerce.

Delena is a retired educator with a Master's Degree from Texas Tech University. She has been an ABRA judge for over 25 years and is also a carded judge with AQHA, APHA, ApHC, PHBA, PtHA, NRCHA, and NSBA. She lives in Stephenville, Texas, with her husband Craig.

Active in the horse show industry for 40+ years as a trainer, coach and farrier, Steve Carter has been a certified horse judge for more than 25 of those.

Currently he holds judges’ cards with NSBA, PtHA, ABRA, IBHA, POAC, Ohio and Michigan 4H officiating an average of 20 shows annually throughout the country; career highlights have included the Pinto and IBHA World Shows as well as the Color Breed Congress. He is a member of the PtHA Professional Horsemen and chair for the PtHA International Committee; with his wife, they operate Carter Equine LLC in southwestern Ohio.