Carolyn Floyd, owner and instructor of Traditional Equestrian Concepts Riding Academy, brings her training level dressage students to the local gymkhana shows. Carolyn explains, "In dressage, instructors will set out cones and letter markers for the arena as an aide to the rider when practicing specific points of accuracy, such as twenty meter circles. My students compete in gymkhana to practice their aides while riding exact patterns of gymkhana. The shows are a fun way to test my students for focus and correctness of bending aides not for speed."
Another misconception is the horse must purchased off the racetrack to be competitive. You can compete in gymkhana no matter what your speed. CGA offers six different levels plus pony classes based on the horse and rider's average times.
Sarah Allen who competed in gymkhana while in elementary school and now in her early twenties has picked up the sport again states, "Gymkhana is still fun no matter how fast or slow you go. No matter if you win or lose it's an adrenaline rush."
Five-year-old Nathan riding his twenty-nine-year old pony was asked why do you like to show gymkhana? He answered mater-of-fact, "Cause that's what real cowboys do!" Yep, real cowboys and cowgirls ride Gymkhana despite the misconceptions.
SIDEBAR CGA SANCTIONED EVENTS
1. Barrels 2. Figure 8 Stakes 3. Poles I 4. Speed Ball 5. Figure 8 Flags 6. Birangle Stakes 7. Big T 8. Hurry Scurry 9. Poles II 10. Speed Barrels 11. Keyhole 12. Quadrangle Stakes 13. Single Stake
URLS: Gymkhana Online http://www.gymkhanarider.com/ National Barrel Horse association http://www.nbha.com/
Women's Professional Rodeo Association http://wpra.com/
Sharon Camarillo http://sharoncamarillo.com/
Martha Josey http://cowgirls.com/dream/josey/
Quarter Horse World http://quarterworld.com/horsetalk/index....
Los Vallecitos Riders http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/... http://i.am/lvr
Rodeo Publications http://horseworlddata.com/rodeopb.html
Barrel Horse Web Site http://www.Barrelhorses.com
California Gymkhana Association - CGA E-mail: cgamail@juno.com or cgastate@aol.com
Go To Page: 1 2
