January 12, 2000
Horse sense pays off for Wuerfel
Garfield Township resident recognized as 'Horse Judge of the Year'
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
With a million-watt smile and a huge commitment to her sport, Rondi Wuerfel was recently named Millennium Horse Judge of the Year by the Horse Hall of Fame in San Antonio, Texas.
For the Garfield Township resident and Traverse City native, it was an unexpected honor but one that was welcome after more than 30 years of judging and decades showing Arabian horses. She is certified to judge in a dozen states and works 40-50 shows a year judging virtually every class of horse competition, making her living judging and teaching others how to judge.
Her versatility, longevity and dedication to the sport brought her the recognition of her peers, who induct judges into the Horse Hall of Fame only when someone merits special notice.
"This honor feels absolutely wonderful, it's a high all its own to have your peers recognize you," said Wuerfel, who learned of the award in November at the Tri-State Indiana-Ohio-Kentucky Conference. "I didn't realize that people thought this way of me and I just cried when I found out about the award. I just figured I was just another judge, one of the crowd, and this recognition really blew me away."
Wuerfel is well known on the horse circuit, having made her living showing, judging and teaching for so many years. She has judged around the world, traveling to shows in Canada, Mexico, England and Norway. She also served as general coordinator of the horse pavilion during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, a plum assignment that brought her in contact with world-class horsemanship.
For people who have worked with Wuerfel over the decades, her trademark smile and can-do attitude are an inspiration. Jane Hill of Kalkaska has known Wuerfel since both were kids competing against each other in 4-H shows. This year, Hill received her certification as a conditional judge and credits Wuerfel for helping her realize her dream.
"Rondi talked me into getting all my paperwork," said Hill, who owns Wildlife Farms in Kalkaska. "She puts an awful lot of time into knowing all the rules and keeps up with any changes. She has a very high standard and is very good at explaining stuff; she has helped a lot of other horse people get into judging."
Over the years, Wuerfel has shown and judged in every venue imaginable, from county fairs to backyard competitions, from 4-H shows to state fairs. For most of her horse career, Wuerfel's emphasis was on showing horses although she holds the record as the youngest licensed judge, qualifying at 16 years old.
She has owned and trained many horses, including a stallion that sired a national champion. Because of her success with her show horses, she conducted clinics around the Midwest for years on training horses to show, attracting people of all ages.
Still today as a judge, Wuerfel's favorite to work with is young kids like she used to be. Showing since she was nine, she knows what it is like to be young and unsure of yourself while showing a horse. Because of this, Wuerfel always takes extra time with kids to help them build their confidence, sharing her love of the sport and horses to inspire them to be their best.
"My biggest goal being a judge is to build confidence in the show ring, not have anyone be intimidated or afraid," Wuerfel said. "I want them to know that dreams can be reached, I am living proof of that!"
Eight years ago, however, it looked like her dreams might be permanently on hold. A severe car accident injured her so much that she was not able to ride again until this year. It took years of intensive physical therapy, chiropractic care and massage to allow her to not only live without pain but to ride again.
After the accident, she switched her emphasis to judging, something she had always done but never made her career. She takes her duties seriously and attends at least six professional conferences a year to keep up on rules and hone her judging edge. Following a philosophy of achieving her personal best, something instilled by her mother, who passed away five years ago.
"My mother was my backbone, my strength, she gave me my love of animals," Wuerfel said. "I have always done my own work, like training my own horses or knowing all the show rules, it was just my mother's way of doing things."