World of Gymkhana Newsletter

December 2024

Published by California Gymkhana Association

PO Box 410

Wilton, CA 95693

We are bringing back the newsletter!! Each month subscribers can expect to receive a newsletter containing important information, announcements and anything else to help our members stay informed and involved!

Presidents Message

Hello CGA

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to our Convention last month, what a great time it was. A huge congratulations to everyone who received an award and achieved their goal. I would like to thank all members who ran for a position on our Director or Governing Board. Congratulations to our new Board of Directors and congratulations to our new/old member of our Board of Governors.

With convention behind us it is now time to start talking about STATE FINALS! In just 237 short days we will be back at Bolado park for our 51st State Finals. Now is the time to start planning. We would love to see as many people in attendance as possible.

Thank you to every member for continuing to support our organization and making it the best it can be. I'm looking forward to start traveling once again to help where I can.

I hope everyone has a safe and joyful holiday season.  Thank you again

CGA President

Nathan Rowles

Important Updates for 2025

Starting January 1, 2025 there are a couple changes at State Office.

Effective 01/01/2025: Items sent with show packets (folders, thumb drives, etc.) will no longer be returned. It is too costly to pay the additional postage to send these items back. Disk is preferred – a drop box for data is in the works.

Effective 01/01/2025 - PayPal will no longer be a payment option. 🗓️

We will still be accepting Venmo, Credit Card (invoice sent via Square) or checks.

We recognize that some utilize PayPal, that is why it was important to give you a heads up to make plans for future payments Their platform has become too expensive to be competitive.

2023/2024 Awards

If you were unable to attend this year's Awards Banquet, please complete the form below to have your award shipped.

Please complete one form per recipient. If a rider entered on multiple mounts, please use a separate form for each horse/rider combo.

A fee of $6.00 for one item (Level 1 or Level 2) or $13 for multiple items (top rating or level one AND level 2) will be due and payable prior to shipping of awards.

If you have questions, please email CGAState@aol.com prior to submitting payment.

Upcoming Events

CGA Northern/Southern Classics May 23rd - 26th  - Location TBD - Bids being accepted through December 15, 2024

Northern District Meet and Greet - April 12, 2025 - Lincoln, CA

CGA State Finals 2025 - July 19 - 25 - Bolado Park

Congratulations Incoming Board Members

Congratulations to our newly elected Board of Directors:

Allyson Shiffrar

Matt Fredriks

Jessica Pacheco

Jaeden Barmettler

Welcome Back to Board of Governor Lea Legnon

Thank you all for your dedication to CGA!

Northern and Southern Classic Bids Closing Soon

Bids for Northern and Southern Classic close December 15th. Get those bids into CGAstate@aol.com and let's get the party started!

⁉️Did you know the hosting district gets 10% of the profits generated by the show?

💘 Did you also know that the Classics, along with Jamboree are fundraisers for CGA so they help pay for Awards, Convention, Etc. If your district is unable to attend, mark your calendar and plan a road trip to attend.

The CGA Spring Classic Shows are special shows that are held in both Southern and Northern California each Spring. They are four day shows held during the Memorial Day Weekend. Each of CGA’s 13 events is run at least 2 times during the course of the show. It is a wonderful opportunity to get times in all events for Year End Awards.

If you have questions about what hosting would look like, or what bid submission should include, please reach out to the State office! We are here for you!

Jack and Adrean State Show Service & Dedication Award

C͜͡o͜͡n͜͡g͜͡r͜͡a͜͡t͜͡u͜͡l͜͡a͜͡t͜͡i͜͡o͜͡n͜͡s͜͡! The 2024 Recipient of the Jack & Adrean Wright State Show Service & Dedication Award is Rob Malfatti, aka Super Dad! ❤️

Jack and Adrean Wright were long time members of CGA. They did not have family that rode or participated in CGA; however, they loved and were dedicated to the success of the organization. Every year they would make the trip from southern California to Bolado Park and work the entire State show as volunteers because they wanted it to be a success. Jack and Adrean gave of themselves tirelessly to CGA because they loved the organization.

Each year during State Show the Board of Governors and State Show Management look for individuals who show the same love and dedication to State show and its success as Jack and Adrean.

This year we have selected an individual who showed commitment and dedication to the show and its riders every day. This member worked hard in and out of the arena. In his spare time he would be found fixing bikes and even scouring the grounds the day the GM lost her keys (we found them phew). No task is too big or too small for this member and this year the Board of Governors selected Rob Mafatti as the recipient of the Jack and Adrean Wright State Show Service & Dedication Award.

Congratulations Rob!!

Sportsman of the Year

Congratulations to this years Sportsman of the Year, Jeanne Dudak.

Jeanne has been part of CGA D27 since the 1990's. She has been the backbone of CGA D27 for many of these years. She keeps the club financially healthy even through the though times. 

Jeanne has rode several horses over the years and understands riders across most of the division. She is also there encouraging riders of all ages to do the best that they can. Jeanne gives her all for D27 and supports every district and state event she goes to judging and help where needed. 

Thank you Jeanne Dudak for all you do! 

Current CGA Officers, Directors and Board of Governors

District News

~ Submitted from CGA District 27, Castle Country Riders ~

In case you haven't heard the news, District 27 is moving back to the Ed Hughes Memorial Arena in Ione.   Did you know that D27 started riding in Ione in 1992 and held shows there until the end of 2019?    We can't thank the Amador County Fairgrounds for their hospitality in giving us a place to ride for the past 3 plus years, but after having 5 straight rain outs this past season, we decided it was time to move back and utilize the covered arena. Their last show for this year is this weekend, Saturday December 7th.

District Show Dates

Looking for a show to attend?

Use the button below to access the District Show Information for each district on the CGA website. This page also contains district information, locations and contact information.

Need to renew your membership?

Click the button below to complete the CGA Membership Application online.

Awards Programs

No matter what level of ability you and your horse may have, you can ride in CGA’s

programs and earn a Year End Award. Each of the award programs are described in detail in the CGA Information Book found at www.calgymkhana.com

Judges Corner

Look for the updated rules changes from Convention in the January 2025 Newsletter!

Pony Measuring Clarification:

Some folks have asked if two Master Judges are required to measure all ponies. The answer is below as stated in the rule book:

Ponies that are fifty-two (52”) inches or less may be measured by a Master

Judge and a Senior Judge. Ponies that are over fifty-two (52”) inches must be

measured by two (2) Master Judges.

At the Board of Directors meeting 7/20/24 the MAC was asked the following question:

Can a Lead line rider come in to the arena and the leader detach the lead rope and they still walk along with the horse and rider, knowing that they would get a “No Time”.

Following a MAC discussion the answer is yes. There is no rule in the CGA Rule Book that states a rider cannot do this.

The judges corner contains lots of good information such as who the Master Judges are, any recent rule changes, how to become a judge and other important information. Please visit the Judges Corner now by clicking the button below.

Below are the most recent rule changes as voted on at the November Meetings

Change date: 11/18/2023: The following rules have been changed per the Rules and Judges and General Membership meeting at Convention November 2023.

RB 2.3 Special “Lead Line” Rules for Riders who need assistance. A rider may be led through the course by a parent or responsible party and an additional assistant (if needed) provided the rider is not able to complete the course without assistance. Such assistance is allowed to ensure the safety of the rider but does not extend to the assistant(s) touching the poles, flags or other obstacles. The Lead Line Team (horse, rider, leader and additional assistant) must properly complete the course. The assistant(s) must conform to the same dress code defined for judges (see section 6.1)

RB 3.1 Clothing and Tack, a. Clothing. Motion to remove the last sentence “if a helmet comes off while an adult rider is on course, a 1 second penalty will be assessed. Motion passed.

RB 3.1 Clothing shall be neat and clean. All contestants shall be fully attired in a dress shirt with a button or snap (function or non-functional) in the front from top to bottom and a collar. Long Pants, belt or ½ belt and boots. The shirt may have a front or back zipper. If the shirt has a front zipper, it must be covered by non-functional button or snaps from top to bottom. Shirts must be tucked into pants. Only the top 2 buttons of the shirt may be left unbuttoned as long as the buttons go to the collar line of the shirt. A tie or neckerchief is not required but is encouraged.

RB 3.5 Pony Size. Motion to have RB 3.5 read “Pony Size and Certification Process”. “To qualify an animal to compete in a CGA Pony Division at a State Sponsored Show or for CGA State Year End Awards the animal must measure 13.2 hands or fifty-four (54”) inches or less without shoes. An additional one-quarter (1/4”) inch is allowed when a pony is shod. The measurement is taken using a CGA provided rigid measuring stick that has a leveler built into the horizontal arm. Ponies that are fifty-two (52”) inches or less may be measured by a Master Judge and a Senior Judge. Ponies that are over fifty-two (52”) inches must be measured by two (2) Master Judges. Certification expires at the conclusion of the current season. All annual certificates must be submitted to the CGA State Office by the certifying Master Judge(s). A copy should be given to the member for their records. Certificates are supplied to the Master Judges by CGA State Office. You may ask for a measurement for informational purposes (not a pony certificate) one time per season to verify if you need trimming, shoes or a calmer time for your pony. You ask for the Information and Certificate measurement at the same measuring session, so long as the pony does not leave the measuring area or the visual range of the Master Judge(s) doing the measuring. The final decision to certify an animal as a CGA Pony lies with the Master Judges(s) measuring the animal. The Master Judges Advisory Committee reserves the right to require a pony to be remeasured if a majority feels that circumstances have changed since the certification was granted. For pony measuring procedures see Appendix D. Protesting a Pony Measurement. If you fail a pony measuring session, you may file a formal protest and have one (1) remeasuring session. The formal protest must be sent in writing to the CGA State Office with a $100 fee within 30 days of the failed session. This $100 fee will be refunded if the pony passes at the remeasure. It is the protesters’ responsibility to contact and arrange a new pony measuring session with their district Master Judge or the Master Judges Advisory Committee after the protest is filed. If the pony fails the remeasure, then the pony will not be allowed to be measured again until the following show season and will run the current season as a horse.” • The motion would include that if this passes that it starts immediately. All those ponies who received certificates at State Show 2023, be allowed to run through the completion of State Show 2024. Then all pony certificates will run with the CGA show season

RB 7.4 Barrels Fifty-five gallon unweighted plastic barrels shall be used, and they may not be structurally altered. Barrel covers may be used.

RB 7.10 Speedball Race.  The speedball cone shall be made of a large pylon with the top cut down to a 5” diameter opening. The cone may be painted any color with contrasting strip or design and measure an overall height of 24” (see Appendix A). The balls used for speedball must be standard golf balls of any color.

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Personal (noncommercial) advertisements are FREE to all CGA members. 50 words or less.  3 ads maximum per member per issue.

Submit your ads to CGAState@aol.com

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