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Cavaric Continental Assembly Official Governing Document

The Cavaric Compact

The governing ruleset for all CCA-sanctioned competition across Cavara. No regional council may override what is written here. What the Compact says, stands.

Preamble

On the necessity of a shared framework.

The Cavaric Compact was not written because anyone wanted to write it. It was written because the circuit had grown beyond what informal agreement could hold. Shows meant different things in different regions. Results were disputed. Points were contested. The animals, who had no opinion on governance, kept competing anyway.

What follows is the minimum necessary framework agreed upon by the seven regional councils at Ashport. It has been amended twice. It has been argued about continuously. It governs every CCA-sanctioned show on the continent of Cavara, for horses and dogs alike, without exception and without regional variation. The Assembly does not apologise for its firmness on this point.

Article I General Rules — Applicable to All Shows
Sanctioning
All shows must be sanctioned by the CCA before results are accepted. Unsanctioned shows produce no points, titles, or circuit standing regardless of their size or perceived legitimacy.
CCA Authority
The Compact applies in full to every CCA-sanctioned show on the continent. No regional council, federation, or host body may suspend, modify, or selectively apply its provisions for any reason.
Class Minimums
A class must have a minimum of 3 entries to be valid. Classes falling below this threshold are cancelled. Entry fees for cancelled classes are returned in full.
Judging
Each class is presided over by a judge appointed by the host. Judges are a matter of tradition and regional culture — their presence is expected, their authority in the ring is absolute, and their credentials are their own affair. The Assembly does not certify judges.
Results
Results are recorded automatically by the CCA circuit system at the close of each sanctioned show. No manual submission is required. The circuit register is the sole authoritative record of placings, points, and title standing.
Points & Titles
Points are awarded under the Gemstone Title System. Points from any show not meeting the full requirements of this Compact are voided. The CCA points register is the sole authoritative record.

Show Hosting Guidelines

All hosts must meet the CCA's current show hosting guidelines at the time of sanctioning. These guidelines govern the minimum requirements for a show to be considered valid and are reviewed by the Assembly on a seasonal basis. Hosts are responsible for ensuring compliance at the time of application, not at the time of the show.

A show that meets guidelines at sanctioning but falls short on the day remains subject to rejection. The Assembly does not grant exceptions on the basis of effort or intent.

Article II Equine Show Rules

Equine shows may offer any combination of the recognised disciplines below. A show need not offer all disciplines to be sanctioned, but every class offered must fall within a recognised discipline. Classes outside this list require prior Assembly approval.

Conformation
Assessment of the animal's physical structure, breed standard adherence, and presentation. Classes may be divided by breed, type, age, or sex at the host's discretion. All-breeds and open conformation classes are permitted.
Dressage
Assessed on the harmony, precision, and technical correctness of horse and rider. Freestyle classes are permitted at host discretion. Judges in this discipline are considered among the most culturally influential on the circuit.
Show Jumping
Scored on faults and time. Course design must meet CCA minimum specifications for the declared height category. Jump-offs are permitted to resolve ties for first place only. Time faults apply at all levels.
Western & Trail
Includes reining, western pleasure, trail, and ranch riding. Classes must specify the western discipline at entry. Mixed western classes are permitted under the open category only. Equipment must meet CCA western tack guidelines.
Open / All Disciplines
Shows may offer open classes not tied to a specific discipline, provided judging criteria are declared in advance and applied consistently. Open classes count toward Gemstone points but do not contribute to discipline-specific rankings.
Breed Specific
Classes restricted to a single breed or breed group. The host must declare the eligible breeds at sanctioning. Animals entered outside the declared breed restriction are disqualified from that class without refund.

Equine Entry Requirements

All equine entries must be registered with a CCA-recognised breed or sport registry at the time of entry. Horses competing in discipline classes must be declared sound by the owner. The CCA does not conduct pre-show veterinary checks at regular shows — this obligation rests with the owner and is a condition of entry.

Article III Canine Show Rules

Canine shows operate under the same general sanctioning requirements as equine shows. The disciplines recognised for canine competition are listed below. A show may offer one or several; no minimum discipline count is required for sanctioning.

Conformation
Assessment of structure, breed standard, and presentation. Classes may be divided by breed, group, age, or sex. Best in Show and Best in Group classes are permitted at host discretion and must be drawn from the day's class winners only.
Agility
Scored on time and faults across a declared course. Course design must meet CCA minimum specifications for the height category. Height categories are determined by the dog's measured height at the withers, recorded at entry.
Obedience
Assessed on precision, responsiveness, and handler communication. Novice, open, and utility levels are each treated as separate disciplines for points purposes.
Open / All Disciplines
Open classes not tied to a specific canine discipline are permitted provided judging criteria are declared in advance. Open classes count toward Gemstone points but not toward discipline-specific rankings.
Breed Specific
Classes restricted to a single breed or breed group. Eligible breeds must be declared at sanctioning. Dogs entered outside the declared restriction are disqualified from that class without refund.

Canine Entry Requirements

All canine entries must be registered with a CCA-recognised breed registry at the time of entry. Dogs competing in performance disciplines must be declared fit to compete by the owner. As with equine shows, pre-show health checks are the owner's responsibility and a condition of entry.

Article IV Championship Shows

Not every show is the same. Some are meant to be harder to enter.

Championship shows operate under all provisions of the Cavaric Compact and carry additional entry requirements. They exist to distinguish the circuit's most competitive events from the broader show calendar. Championship status is granted by the Assembly at sanctioning and cannot be self-declared by a host.

CCA-granted status only Higher entry bar Standard Gemstone points apply Show size bonus applies

Entry Requirements — Championship Level

Qualification Required
Animals must have earned a minimum qualifying score or placing at a CCA-sanctioned regular show within the current or immediately preceding season. Qualification criteria are set per discipline and published by the Assembly before each season opens.
Minimum Gemstone Standing
Animals entering a championship show must hold a minimum of a Quartz title in the relevant species track. Animals without a Gemstone title at the time of entry are ineligible regardless of qualifying score.
Entry Verification
Championship hosts must verify entry eligibility before the show opens. Results submitted for animals that did not meet entry requirements at the time of the show are voided by the Assembly without exception.

Points at Championship Shows

Championship shows award points under the standard Gemstone Title System. No championship multiplier applies. The show size bonus applies as normal based on entries per class. The prestige of a championship placing is its own reward — the Compact does not inflate points to manufacture significance.

Article V Rejected Shows
Grounds for Rejection
A show is rejected when it is found not to have met the CCA's current show hosting guidelines at the time of the event. The guidelines are the sole reference point. No other grounds for rejection exist under the Compact.
Points Are Voided
All points that would have been awarded from a rejected show are voided in full. Partial points are not awarded. Points already recorded pending submission review are removed from the register upon rejection. Owners are notified by the Assembly.
One Resubmission
A rejected show may be resubmitted once, within 14 days of the rejection notice, if the host believes the rejection was made in error. The resubmission must include supporting documentation addressing the specific grounds cited. A second rejection is final.

Resubmission Process

To resubmit a rejected show, the host must contact the Assembly within 14 days of the rejection notice. The resubmission must clearly identify the grounds cited in the rejection and provide documentation demonstrating that the show did in fact meet the relevant hosting guidelines.

The Assembly will review resubmissions within 14 days of receipt. If the resubmission is accepted, points are recorded as of the original show date. If rejected, the finding is final and points remain voided. The Assembly's decision on resubmission is not subject to further review.

Responsibility

It is the host's responsibility to ensure their show meets the CCA hosting guidelines before the show takes place — not after results are submitted. The Assembly strongly encourages hosts to review the current guidelines at the point of sanctioning application and again before the show date. Rejected shows are noted on the host's record and are taken into account when future sanctioning applications are considered.