The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) announced Saturday that R. Stanton Morey, of Edmond, Okla., has been hired as the new Judges and Stewards Commissioner. He will start on November 16 in time for the AHA Convention in Reno, Nev. Morey, chairman of the AHA Education and Evaluation Commission (EEC) and long-time United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and AHA judge, is known for his reputation for fairness.

AHA President Lance Walters said, “The AHA Executive Committee considered Mr. Morey’s experience and reputation and voted unanimously to recommend Stan Morey to the board as our new Judges and Stewards Commissioner. We appreciate Stan’s vision for our breed and his commitment to achieve the highest standards for those who judge Arabians and Half-Arabians,” Walters added. “AHA members can be assured that Stan has an exceptional understanding of judging our breed, which will be a great asset in this restructured position that places major emphasis on the evaluation of judges. We are fortunate to have Stan in this position.”

The position of Judges and Stewards Commissioner, previously held by a lawyer, will now be held by an experienced judge who can develop and implement ongoing evaluations of judges and stewards. Compliance with class specifications, judging standards and procedures will be closely monitored. The position also requires the commissioner to supervise, coordinate and implement resolutions, serve as an ex-officio member of all Judges and Stewards Committees and Commissions, receive and act on complaints relating to judges and stewards conduct and interface with the USEF and Canadian Equestrian Federation’s licensed officials programs.

“I’m extremely humbled by the support I have received coming into this position. I know there is a lot of work to do and I feel that through my efforts and the efforts of the judges and stewards committees and commissions we can make something good even better. There will undoubtedly be some difficult decisions down the road, but I am not afraid to take a good look at things and make tough decisions for the betterment of our breed,” said Morey. “We’ve already made tremendous strides. I believe we have, and will continue to have, the best education system for our judges through a comprehensive program that covers all the different disciplines. It’s important that Arabian-specific characteristics are appreciated across each division,” added Morey.

Morey joins AHA after 30 years as president of Hallmark Farms in Oklahoma City, Okla. He has been a registered judge with USEF since 1988 and is an AHA National/Regional judge for all disciplines in which the Arabian horse participates. Morey serves as the AHA representative to the USEF Licensed Officials Committee, is a founding member and board member of the Arabian Professional and Amateur Horse Association (APAHA) and has served as Chairman of AHA’s Education and Evaluation Commission since 2003.

AHA is a major equine association serving 37,000 members across North America. It registers and maintains a database of more than one million Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses and administers approximately $3 million in annual prize money. AHA produces championship events, recognizes close to 600 Arabian horse shows and distance rides and provides activities and programs that promote breeding and ownership. For information about Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses, call 303-696-4500, e-mail [email protected] or visit ArabianHorses.org