is no different. Our cost of doing business has increased like everything else. From postage, shipping, insurances, ammo, fuel, office supplies, balloon setters, and the list goes on.

The CMSA is not vaccinated against the changes that we are all experiencing. At our yearend board meeting we addressed these changes and what was best for the members and the association. We had members from various states attend, we did random surveys, and we crunched the numbers to come up with a program that will support the local clubs, keep costs down, retain the family fun, and make the 2008 Sundowner World Championship a truly special event.

Please keep in mind that we all got into this sport with a passion of the Old West, guns, horses, and competition, but the most importantly that little three letter word - FUN. We must never take the FUN out of our sport, no matter how professional we become. With this said, I’d like to roll out the 2008 Championship Series Program and some other BIG NEWS!

2008 Event Entry Fees
In 1999, we the main events cost was $199.00 and here it has remained. Back in 1999 we had 108 entries at the World Championship and after expenses, CMSA was in the red. As a former broker you will hear me use the phrase,” numbers cure all sins.”  The following is a good example:  As World entries grew the P&L for the events started looking better.  No more red ink!  In 2003, with 239 contestants, we were able to start paying back on the CMSA Circuit Payback System and still cover our expenses. We have been able, in past years, to keep the entry fees down based upon the number of entries while the primary expenses stayed constant.

Keep in mind, if we had factored in the cost of living increases since 1999 entry fees would be well over $300.00.  We were able to lock in our facility costs with long-term deals and with the estimates of entries to the seven events the CMSA Board of Directors has voted unanimously to hold the entry fees at 1999 level for all CMSA hosted events for 2008. All CMSA hosted events will be six stages with the Nationals and the World having the three Division’s runoff on Sunday.

All CMSA hosted events will offer an additional $100.00 class jackpot for the contestant who wishes to run for more money.  This added jackpot will feature a 90% payback rate. This is in addition to your regular entry fee and payback.  The CMSA Board will look at the numbers each year and will adjust accordingly.  For me or the board to say that entry fees will not go up in the future would be impossible. It is our responsibility, as the CMSA Board of Directors, to insure the growth of the sport and keep the association financially sound. When our primary expenses go up and we are not able to offset by attendance, we will have to pass it on just like any other business.

Event Point Value Changes – 2008 event point values and explanation.

1: Spreading Major Events Nationwide         
With the cost of fuel rising it was important to the board to place the six CMSA events leading up to the World in areas that could be reached by all the members living within a fourteen hour drive. We wanted to give everyone an equal chance to attend a major event and accumulate points toward qualifying for the World Championship. The new CMSA Classic Events give us that opportunity. We increased the points on some events to help contestants obtain points for World qualification while at the same time giving those events the status levels they deserve.  Keep in mind CMSA offers 6 events with no qualifications required to attend. Only the World requires qualification.

2: Helping Local Affiliates -
Knowing that fuel cost will have a bearing on our members and travel may be off, it will put the spot light on local clubs. It stands to reason the local club’s attendance will increase. To help local affiliates CMSA now allows local clubs to host an unlimited number of WPQ’s and Double WPQ’s events. When we go back and break down the clubs on individual basis in 2007, some affiliates didn’t put on very many events. In those areas we didn’t find a lot of growth. Nor did we find large numbers of points per person, unless they were travelers. To grow we must expose people to our sport with demonstrations, local WPQ’s, and local practices. To help support that, CMSA will start issuing “Day Memberships”. This will allow interested people, who want to try our sport before jumping in a chance to see if they like it. This day contestant will also count as a point in the event. (Thanks to JoeEstes Wyatt for bring this to our attention.) With the fuel crunch this should stimulate the local clubs to put on matches together. One club on Saturday and another on Sunday, or better yet a third one on Friday night, cutting the cost of fuel down and producing three events offering six times the points to those contestants.  Border War Challenges should be on the club’s agenda for 2008.

The best one yet is from Kin Barker. “Back to the Basic Shoots” is what Kin calls the WPQ’s he’s putting on at bare bones cost. No money to win, no buckles, no prizes, balloons are set by horseback and people are having fun, with bragging rights and earning CMSA points at the same time. It’s like practice with points. Better yet, Kin’s club is growing with  many new members, many thanks to Kin.

I hope we haven’t forgotten, on a local level, we do this for fun and not to keep up with the Joneses.  Money, buckles, and prizes are just added features for an event, but it is not mandatory.  Fun and Family should always come first. Take the time to remember back and you’ll find that nearly all of us started at a local level. How about making it possible for someone else to enjoy our sport, while you’re earning points to go to the World and having fun doing it? 

3: Making the ‘Points Race’ Matter!
CMSA and a new major sponsor are going together to bring you, the contestant, something never done in the history of the CMSA. This will be huge and help drive attendance to all CMSA sanctioned events. This will include every CMSA member. All classes will play a major role in this promotion. It is unheard of in other equestrian associations and believe me, you will be proud to be a part of CMSA. When all the I’s are dotted and all the T’s are crossed, we will send out the details in an electronic news letter to notify every member. CMSA is serious about all levels of contestants and the CMSA is serious about growth.   

Qualifying - Points for the World
With our World moving to a more central location; Amarillo, TX, many are predicting four to five hundred entries. We realized when raising the qualification requirements, some people would believe it was to hold down entries.  That is not the case.  The CMSA would love to have the opportunity to host such an event and have the right facility to do it in, but the fact is that for many years we have struggled with the question of World qualification.  Most competitors who seriously compete both nationally and locally have told the board that it was so easy to qualify that it was a joke to have 200 or even 300 points as the benchmark.  But it was just recently that the technology has been developed to track multiple level qualifications.  The board agreed that it had to be fair to all levels.  The only way was a graduating scale.

The original idea was to base it upon a 300 point jump from 1 at 300, 2 at 600, 3 at 900 and so on, but after we posted this information and listening to YOU the member and competitor we realized that the board had made a mistake.  We had not taken into account some of the areas like the Northeast, mountain west as well as new areas of the country that due to geography or demographics, simply don’t have the numbers to support this.  In addition.  So after listening to those who matter most – the members.  The board of directors have settled on what we believe to be both fair and attainable in any area.

Here is the new graduated World Point Qualifying Scale:

Some may still feel that it’s too easy, but the board agreed this was the most fair beginning. 

You may be thinking, “What happens if I qualify for the World as a M3 and two weeks before the World I move to a M4?” We addressed that with a date of qualification before the World.  If you are qualified as of that date you will be eligible to compete in the World regardless of move ups after.  For example:  You will qualify on a certain date (Oct 6th,2008) as a M3 and the next week move to a M4 and don’t have the time to get the extra points. You are in, and will shoot as a M4, because you became a M4 after the qualification date.

“Can I move back a class?” Yes, use the system. If you have received no class wins in one year, you are eligible to request to move back.  You move back one class and your points go with you. If travel is limited due to gas prices like everyone predicts, local club events, along with at least one of the major CMSA events, will be your ticket to the 2008 World.  Fact is this – if you finish 225th out of 250 at the Nationals you would receive 175 points!  Finish in the middle of the pack at a regional with 100 entries and you’re qualified!

Club participation in 2008:
As an incentive to local clubs to recruit new members and host more events for our CMSA contestants the CMSA has teamed up with several of our suppliers and will hold a Regional recruiting challenge.  One club will be crowned the Number One Recruiting CMSA Club for 2008 at the CMSA World.  EVERY region will also have a very nice prize to the club that recruits the most new members.  The contest will begin on February 16th, 2008 and run through November 1st, 2008. The clubs who bring in the most new members (regular, associate, life, or day members) will take the honors and the prizes!  Day members only count once if they become a regular member in the future. Details and prizes will be forthcoming.

The CMSA World Championship is a special event and stands above all other events in mounted shooting. It is the only event that requires qualification to earn the right to compete. Without these new standards it would be just like any other WPQ, nothing special.  Winning would only mean you beat who ‘happened to show up’.

When you qualify for the CMSA World you are the best in your class and only the best will have made it there. To win your class, your division, or the World, is like no other win, for you have beaten the best of the best. The CMSA World Event gives back, in its own way, to those who qualify. You are a gladiator in the arena with your head held high with pride and prestige in your well deserved accomplishment.  Through your hard work and effort, you will have earned the right to be at the 2008 World Championship. Our World Qualifying System should not be called a “joke”, or known as the only equestrian sport that you can buy your way to the World. Now the standards have been set. Our CMSA World Championship will now take on the honor and prestige it has deserved for many years. The rest is up to you.

On behalf of the CMSA Board of Directors, Good luck and God Bless

Dan Plaster, CMSA President