FAQ

Gymkhana Events

Frequently Asked Questions

A: Riders under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet. Riders over the age of 18 are not required to wear a helmet.

CGA rules AND CRC rules both require riders under the age of 18 to wear a helmet.

CGA Rulebook clearly states: "An approved Safety Helmet is required for all riders under the age of 18. The helmet must be correctly worn at all times while mounted on the show grounds. Nothing that effects proper fit may be worn under the helmet. If a rider under 18 enters the arena without a helmet correctly worn they will be disqualified from the event. If a rider under 18 has more than one helmet violation on the same day, they will be disqualified from the show."

The full rulebook can be accessed HERE.

A: Yes, all contestants shall be fully attired in a dress shirt with a button or snap closure in the front from top to bottom, a collar, long or short sleeves (female contestants may wear sleeveless shirts), long pants, belt or half belts and boots. Shirts must be tucked into the pants while running each event/pattern. A helmet is required for riders under the age of 18, and optional for riders over the age of 18.

Further details: The sleeves on long-sleeved shirts must be rolled down and fastened at the cuff. Only the top two buttons of the shirt may be left unbuttoned as long as the buttons go to the collar line of the shirt. A Western hat may also be worn but a means must be devised to keep it on while running the course. A one-second penalty will be added to the time of any rider who enters the arena with attire and/or equipment in violation of the rules.

A: The same rider/horse combination may NOT be entered more than once in the same event, in the same arena, at the same district show, on the same day (With the exception of Lead Line riders).
A: Yes! CGA allows riders to compete on multiple horses.
A: Volunteers help make the show run faster and more efficiently! When we have volunteer spaces that are open/missing, it is hard, and sometimes impossible for us to continue to run the show. Mudslingers also require riders to sign up for at least 2 volunteer spots per show, to qualify for the Mudslinger's Year-End Awards.

A: The Mudslingers club does require riders to sign up for at least two volunteer spots per show, to qualify for the Mudslinger's Year End Awards.

A rider can have a family member, or friend, volunteer for them, and the rider will still receive the credit for the volunteer slot.

Judge: This volunteer position does require a special Judges card. To learn more about becoming a judge, go to page 29 of the CGA rulebook. See the rulebook HERE.

Announcer: This position is responsible for announcing the riders that will be up next, announcing when a new division is starting, and announcing the time of each rider's run.

Time Writers: The time writer is responsible for keeping a record of all the times for each rider. Learn more about how to do this position: Coming soon!

Gatekeeper: The gatekeeper is responsible for opening the gate for each horse and rider to enter and exit the arena. The gatekeeper will be given a list of the riders so they can inform those waiting at the gate who will be up next. The gatekeeper can help make the show more efficient by having the next few riders lined up ready to run

Arena Setters: The arena setters help to re-set the patterns if a horse & rider knock something over, or out of place.

A: You can view and print a copy of the time matrix HERE Or a Black & White Version HERE
A: Schooling runs do not count towards points; the results are not sent to CGA. Schooling runs are normally used to "school" or train a horse if there were problems in an event/pattern. A schooling run can be requested by the rider by contacting the secretary at the "office". Each schooling run is $3 and can be paid via Venmo or cash.
A: Yes, you can only do schooling runs at a show; however, you do still need to be a CGA member and will need to pay the $20 ground fees.

A: Yes, you do have to be a CGA member to qualify to run in the shows. You can register HERE

Article 3 Membership: “No person shall be allowed to ride in any sanctioned CGA horse-related function without first becoming a member of CGA.”

A: No, you do not need to be a Mudslinger member to compete in the Mudslingers shows. If you are a member, you do receive a discounted price on each event. You do not need to be a member to qualify for day-of-event prizes, but you DO need to be a Mudslinger member to qualify for the Mudslinger Club’s year-end awards.
A: Yes, you do need to be a Mudslinger member to qualify for Mudslinger’s awesome year-end awards.
A: You must sign up for the awards, and pay a fee, through CGA. Level 1 Awards are $40 and level 2 awards are $45. The CGA Year-End Application can be found HERE
A: To receive an award in a division, you must get a certain number of times in each event/patter, in that division, based on the chart below:

Number of Events a Rider must be rated in for:

    Champion Award        Reserve Champion    
Lead Line                 4              None
FC                 4              None
A                 6                4
AA                 8                6
AAA                10                8
AAA+                12               10
 

Level 1 year end awards: Rider must run an event successfully at least 3 times

Level 2 year end awards: Rider must run an event successfully at least 5 times

Top Rating awards: Any rider who rates in 7 of the 13 events in a specific division will earn a CGA Top Rating Jacket.

A: You will receive a year-end award in the division in which you have the most points. So, for example, if you spend most of the season earning points in Division A but bump to Division AA in May or June, it’s most likely that you will receive the most points—and your Mudslingers year-end award—in Division A.
A: You need to compete in at least 7 shows to qualify got the Mudslingers year-end awards.
A: We post year-end standings mid-season, once during the season. We realize other clubs may post monthly, but our culture aims to de-emphasize competition and encourage doing your best, regardless of the outcome. This way, we try to help riders keep their focus on constantly growing and improving against their own times versus beating others.
A: We may not have the same photographer(s) at every show, but regardless, the images will be posted on the mudslinger FaceBook Page.
A: We understand unforeseen circumstances and will offer refunds if a rider scratches before the start of the show. We will not offer refunds once the show starts.