Judges

Kathy started showing Morgan Horses in Illinois, while attending High School. Her appreciation for the breed continued through to her professional horse training career, including AMHA Local, Regional, National and World Championships. Kathy received her USEF Morgan Judge’s card in 2007. This will be her third time to judge MGN and she is looking forward to a great show. 

Stephen Davis has a lifelong passion for the Morgan Horse. As a youth, he apprenticed with Master trainer/showman Bob Baker, in his native town of Middlebury, Vermont. During that time, he had the opportunity for the hand’s-on development of many young horses, including an association with numerous National Champions. Through this New England network, Steve met his future wife, Dr. Josie Davis, and Dr. Donald Balch, Director of the University of Vermont Morgan Horse Farm in the neighboring town of Weybridge, VT.

After obtaining a B.S. Degree in Animal Science from UVM in 1972, Steve was hired by his alma mater and began a 45-year career of employment initially as Horseman and subsequently as Director of the University of Vermont’s Historic Morgan Program. Highlights from this era include exhibiting at the inaugural 1973 Morgan Grand National in Detroit, judging his first Grand National in Oklahoma City in 1982 and being involved in the production and promotion of several Grand National and World Champion UVM Morgans over the years. Retired since 2017, Steve and his wife continue to work a few horses. As a 40 plus year registered judge in the Morgan Division, Steve is honored to be on the 2025 judging panel, his twelfth assignment officiating in center ring at Oklahoma City.

Gayle is currently an adjunct professor at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri after being the saddle seat program director there for 41 years. Gayle holds judges’ cards in nine equestrian disciplines, and has judged competitions in 43 states as well as Australia, Canada, Great Britain and South Africa. She has also conducted clinics in 25 states and 3 foreign countries.

Gayle has judged the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show ten times.  The first time was in 1993 and the most recent one was in 2022. She is honored and excited to be asked to judge again this year. Gayle has also judged the Northampton Morgan Horse Show twice. In 1996, Gayle coached the U.S. Saddle Seat equitation team to a gold medal at the World Cup Competition, held with Equitana in Louisville, KY. The outstanding Morgan rider, Georgia Hunter, was on the team that year. Gayle has conducted numerous USEF Judges clinics for Applicants, Morgans, National Show Horses, Saddlebreds, and Saddle Seat Equitation.

In addition to teaching and judging, Gayle also has shown Saddlebreds, Morgans and Arabians. In 1979, Gayle showed Zephyr’s King Moro to win the Ladies Park Horse Under Saddle Championship at the Grand National Morgan Horse Show.  In 2003, Gayle showed her own horse, Callaway’s Born to Win, to earn the Ladies Five-Gaited Championship title at the World Championship Saddlebred show held at the Kentucky State Fair. Additionally, at the United Professional Horseman’s Association American Royal National Championship Horse Show in Kansas City, Gayle won the Five-Gaited Ladies National Championship on Born to Win in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Gayle has been the recipient of the United Professional Horseman’s Association Equitation Instructor of the Year Award, the Missouri-Kansas Horse Person of the Year award at the American Royal Horse Show, the “Distinguished Professor Award” at William Woods University, and the Lurline Roth Sportsmanship Award at the American Saddlebred Horse Convention. In 2007, she received the Audrey Gutridge Award at the World Championship Saddle Horse Show held at the Kentucky State Fair. Also in 2007, The American Riding Instructor’s Association awarded Gayle the title of “Master Instructor”.  In 2015, Gayle was inducted into the “Missouri Sports Hall of Fame”.  Gayle was the first “horse” person ever to receive this honor other than one jockey and one rodeo rider. In 2024 Gayle was honored with “The Settler’s Award” from the Kingdom of Callaway.

In 1996, Gayle authored the book “Riding for Success, Both In and Out of the Show Ring” and in 2013, the revised edition of this book was printed. In her spare time, Gayle enjoys walking, planting trees, feeding ducks and playing ping-pong.  She even managed to win a Gold Medal at the 2000 Missouri Show Me Games in the Women’s single Table Tennis the same day she coached the first-place winner in Academy equitation at the Boone County Fair. The newest addition to Gayle’s life is Porchy, a little black feral cat, who moved in with Gayle in 2024 during a snow storm.

Karen Winn grew up riding hunters in Princeton, New Jersey, but spent many summers in southern Vermont, where she was introduced to the Morgan breed at West River Lodge in Newfane, VT.  The pride of the Lodge was Lippman Hawk, a feisty gelding who had won both Roadster and Justin Morgan Versatility trophies at the Morgan Nationals.  As an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts, Karen was a member of the UMass Equestrian Drill, a team made up entirely of homebred Bay State Morgans, performing at the Eastern States Exposition, Mass Morgan Show, and in other regional parades and exhibitions. 

Karen has lived in Lexington, Kentucky for many years, where she has been active in the busy horse industry on many fronts.  She worked in the equine departments of both the University of Kentucky and Midway College.  In addition, she has worked as Business Manager for the American Hanoverian Society, as Chief Operating Officer for the United States Pony Clubs, and as Executive Director for the American Saddlebred Horse Association.  Karen is now retired.

Karen holds judges cards in Dressage, Western Dressage, and Eventing, and is also an Eventing Technical Delegate and an Eventing FEI Chief Steward.  She breeds and shows Black & Tan Coonhounds, and  competes in Dressage with her Oldenberg gelding.