Vol 5 No 1

Letter from the Editor

Dear Golden State Members,

Happy New Year! It’s going to be an exciting 2024 with a new Novice Subdivision, a new Western States Rulebook, and a new venue for the Western States Championships in October. All that and more in this issue.

Many of our Golden State shows will also be AQHA shows, providing opportunity to get points in both organizations. Some of our shows will be offering jackpots and cash prizes! New sponsorship opportunities may provide Golden State with the resources to augment the $$$ rewards going forward. We’re looking forward to that!

Will you be attending our annual membership luncheon and awards ceremony? It’s always good food, good company, good fun. I very much hope to see you there.

Another great Golden State competition year is about to begin. Let’s all get out there and have fun!

May your cattle be amenable!

Dawn Poston
Editor

Send comments, concerns, & ideas to JumperDawn@aol.com

FREE to Members

GSVRHA Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon

Board Member Elections

Have You Voted?

There Are Some Changes

New WSVRHA 2024 Rulebook

To read, or reread, the rules is always a good start to the show season. The WSVRHA 2024 Rulebook is out and can be found under “Resources” at wsvrha.org.

The Green Rancher is a new sub-division of the Novice Division and can be found on page 11. Tell your friends in the Novice Division all about it! A belt buckle will be awarded when a competitor reaches 150 points.

Green Rancher Subdivision Eligibility: This division will be required to be offered at all shows as a subdivision of the Novice Division. Green Rancher riders must not have completed two (2) show seasons in any VRH Association (Including but not limited to AQHA, APHA and APHC, etc.) and meet all novice amateur eligibilities. A Green Rancher will be awarded a buckle when the participant accumulates 150 total points in the division. Points will be awarded according to section VI: Scoring (in rule book). Points awarded to this division will roll over each year until the rider reaches 150 points. No Jackpot will be offered. Novice/Green Ranchers may accept prizes, payback, or purses for events.

If a member loses Novice/Green Rancher eligibility through competition, he or she may finish that year as a Novice/Green Rancher rider. Thereafter, the members are eligible only for Youth, Limited Amateur, Amateur or Open divisions. Green Ranchers will be eligible for the Novice Division if they still meet the requirements.

There’s a big change in the Open Division, Open riders may ride an UNLIMITED number of horses in any given show. Page 8.

The Open division is open to any professional or non-professional member in good standing with any horse regardless of past winnings. Open riders may ride an UNLIMITED number of different horses in any given show. In the Open Division, the points are assigned to the horse only, not a horse/rider combination. The year-end open championship will go to a horse, and that horse could have been ridden by more than one rider.

Another considerable change, Novice, Novice Youth, and Walk/Trot may use two hands in a standard western bit, page 10, page 11, page 12.

Novice Amateurs may ride any horse, regardless of age, with one or two hands in a standard western bit as approved by WSVRHA equipment rules OR with one or two hands in a snaffle bit or hackamore as described under WSVRHA equipment rules.

Novice Youth may ride any horse, regardless of age, with one or TWO hands in a standard western bit as approved by WSVRHA equipment rules OR with one or two hands in a snaffle bit or hackamore as described under WSVRHA equipment rules.

Walk/Trot. The rider may use two hands while showing.

In the Appendix you will note that there are considerably more Ranch Riding and Reining patterns available for show manager use. The AQHA VRH patterns have been included. More variety!

Show Schedule Complete

Show Reps Announced

Show Reps have been chosen for each show. What do they do? They assist Show Managers in the planning and implementing of a Golden State show. In addition, they are available to the membership to answer questions and provide information-both at the show and prior to the show. Don’t hesitate to contact the Show Rep with your questions. (Note: Show Reps provide advisory services-they have no authority over the show or the show management.)

• Back 2 Basics-Sarah Clifford
• St Patrick’s Versatility Challenge-Dawn Poston
• Way Out West Spring Classic-Candice Terry
• Central Coast Ranch Horse Classic-Kelly Saunders
• Inter-mountain Versatility-Kathy Torres
• Clifford Horse Training Versatility Challenge-Kelly Saunders
• Central Coast Fall Classic-Amy Larson

The TBA date for the Inter-mountain Versatility has been announced as June 1 & 2. See Calendar for more info.

Fundraising Committee Report

Sponsorship Packets Sent

Fundraising Committee Chairwoman Candice Terry and committee member Heather Bryant have developed a fabulous sponsorship proposal and packet of information. It has been distributed to dozens of businesses that serve the western community. Much of the raised monies will be used for cash prizes at our shows!

WSVRHA Is Growing

Second Utah Affiliate Begun

October Western States Championship Shows

Big Changes!

The October 18-20, 2024, Western States Championships will have a new venue! The Winnemucca Event Center in Winnemucca, Nevada. Lots of big airy stalls, tree covered RV spaces adjacent to stabling, two covered/climate controlled (heat and air) arenas, indoor food vendor, a lovely on-site indoor area for our banquet and awards, numerous hotels within ½ mile and ample dining/entertainment options. There will be two Western States Shows, two AQHA shows, two judges. Look for more entertainment and a fun change to the Friday night freestyle event. Those who attended the 2023 AQHA/WS show found the venue to be very nice and accommodating.

There’s more light your fire stuff about the show and it will be included in the next newsletter. Stay tuned and mark your calendar for October 18-20!

Got Extra Stuff?

Remember the Marketplace

Just a reminder about a feature exclusively for Golden State members. If you have something to sell, are in search of something (ISO), or just like to shop, we hope the Marketplace will work for you. A few guidelines:

1. Submit your ad to JumperDawn@aol.com
2. Wording of ad limited to four areas of information. Item, brief description, cost, contact information. Example: Ranch Saddle. Bob’s 16 ½ seat, fully engraved, good condition. $2500. Call Ann at 123-456-7890. Or ISO 2 horse LQ. Slant load with generator. Call Ann at 123-456-7890.
3. You may list anything you like as long as it’s ranchy! Clothing, saddles, chinks, equipment, trailers, ranches, etc. Horses only if they belong to you.
4. Ads will run one month. To continue, must be resubmitted.
5. “In Step With Golden State” retains the right to edit or reject ads that don’t fit the guidelines.

Meme of the Month

Craig Cameron (b 1949) is an American horse trainer. He won the Road to the Horse colt-starting contest in 2010 and has been inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.