I never gave a lot of thought about the Judges or their qualifications. My mother use to judge antique glassware at the Fair. I knew her background, self taught. After she passed they got another judge who judged on whether or not she liked the item. Waste of time to enter, in fact, I quit going.
Regarding quilts I assumed the Judge would be a very knowledgable person with an impressive background. Again I think it fair to say the final decision would be if they liked the quilt. Who really knows, I don't.
One time a group of us asked Irma Gail Hatcher about her judging and when she got through I felt I would be wasting my time to enter because I could never qualify. That was several years before I entered my quilt in the Ar State Fair and won the First Place and the Best of Show. I say if you have a beautiful quilt you are proud of then go for it.