The Licensed Officials Committee (LOC) mission is to educate, certify, and regulate Judges and Technical Delegates. The committee consists of Christy Reich, Doreen Atkinson, Kellee Campbell, Leslie Martien, and Deb Quillinan. We work diligently to expand our educational efforts for the licensed officials that we serve. 

It is important to have USAWE judges be well-trained and fair. Consistent, accurate scoring of all rider levels between judges is evidence of a successful training program. Below are some of the elements of the Licensed Officials Program (LOP) which we thought our membership might be curious about.

Where is the official program information?

The Licensed Officials Program document details every aspect of the educational and regulatory processes of the LOC in the Licensed Officials Program (LOP). The LOP document is available on the website to those interested in becoming a judge or a technical delegate (TD), as well as to the public. The Licensed Officials Committee (LOC) reviews the document regularly to make edits, corrections, and requirement changes as needed. 

How does the Licensed Officials Program promote consistency?

Continuing education seminars, judge calibration sessions, and the monthly judge tag-up meetings (where current issues are reviewed and discussed by the USAWE judges and the LOC) are all important aspects of the LOC’s efforts to build consistency among our judges. Although every sport with subjective judging struggles with consistency, the LOC was pleased to note very little deviation between the scores of judges participating in a calibration event in Oregon last summer when they were compared to the presiding “S” and WAWE judges’ scores.  The LOC monitors areas where larger differences between scores are seen and addresses them in our monthly Tag-Up meeting discussions.

How does the LOC collect data that impacts the educational program?

The LOC monitors Show Manager, Technical Delegate, and Judge Show Reports, looking for issues with the performance or attitudes of Judges and TDs which trigger counseling by the LOC. To date, we have had a few complaints.

These feedback sources as well as input from the Board of Directors, Licensed Officials, and general membership feedback can drive changes in the LOP requirements.

Review of calibration event scores allows in depth analysis of the participating judges accuracy. The Board of Directors is collecting GIra.io data to create an even more in depth analysis of judge consistency.

How many judge applicants are in the program, working to be certified? 

There are 33 L judge candidates and 16 TD candidates who are in various stages of completing the requirements for their applications. In 2025 the LOC advanced four judges (from L to r, and from r to R) and has certified two new TDs. 

How long does it take to complete the licensing process?

Applicants have three years to complete the requirements to become an L judge or TD. The applicants fulfill the requirements in their own time and at their own cost. 

The limitations imposed on each applicant by their unique personal circumstances (home life commitments, work requirements, personal budgetary limits) dictate how rapidly each applicant advances. The LOC makes every effort to support and accommodate our applicants by not imposing an arbitrary rate of progression. 

How can USAWE encourage more people to become interested in becoming a judge or TD?

As our organization’s membership increases and the number of competitions increases, the the number of judges and TDs will need to increase as well. Some ideas that have been suggested and are in the process of being implemented:

1. The Regional Directors could be a source of identification and recruitment of candidates for committees, as well as for judges and TDs. Regional Directors are the most familiar with the members that they represent, and that intimacy allows for more effective communication and recruitment. The LOC will welcome all potential candidates and walk them through the program expectations. Contact your Regional Director if you have interest.
2. Show Managers are uniquely qualified to identify potential judges and TDs. Many will help judge and TD candidates fulfill the requirements of the LOP. Contact them. Your volunteer hours will help the show as well as give you excellent experience required for the applications.
3. Affiliate Organizations (AOs) manage most of the schooling shows across the US. Identifying where we need additional L judges who know the correct rules and judging expectations, is important. It will help us understand where we need to grow and what locations we will need to grow our support.