[26 Year Gap]

From a different angle, I have been in an IAABO state, and now I am not. I agree that the IAABO exams are difficult. However, if an official is in a pressure cooker of a game, and an unusual situation arises, would you want a seat of the pants guy or a guy who has studied the rules & has shown that he knows the rules, especially for unusual situations, on that game?
When I took the IAABO exam as a college student way back in the mid-70s, only 9 of us passed out of more than 35 who took the exam. It was difficult then. For veteran officials, who have seen many of the unusual situations arise that appear on the tests, the exams often reflect real game experience that newbies do not have.
Some IAABO states have differing requirements after the first year. Some have floor tests. Some do not. I would much rather have a partner who has demonstrated proficiency in rules knowledge than one who has not. And some folks just should not be officials.