A returning former Royal resident revives Gymkhana at Summerfest

ROYAL CITY - After about 20 years in western Washington, Cara Hoyt came home to Royal City to find that her favorite Summerfest activity - Gymkhana - was no more.

Hoyt, who is a teller at US Bank, couldn't let that fact stand. She sought Desert Duellers Gymkhana of Moses Lake, and that group will revive Gymkhana on Sunday, July 10, at Summerfest.

According to Hoyt, Gymkhana is a series of games (races) on horseback. There are Gymkhana clubs all over the country, she said. Desert Duellers was the logical choice.

Desert Duellers will be the sponsor, organizer and operator of Gymkhana. It will stage competitions in barres, poles, flags, figure 8, keyhole and dollar bill. The entry fee will be $10, and the games will start at 10 a.m.

Gymkhana will be held in an open area east of Lions Park and south of Camelia Street, starting at 10 a.m.  There will be high-point awards for each age group, pee-wee (10-U), junior (11-13), intermediate (14-17), senior (18-39) and adult (40-plus).

Hoyt participated in Gymkhana when she was a girl growing up in Royal City. She had a mutt horse named Trapper who carried her to victory on occasion.

"He was awesome. He was a good boy," she said.

"I was a 4-H kid," she added. "It was a way for us to do things outside of the fairs."

Hoyt was nearing 20 when she left Royal City for a career as a credit analyst in Seattle. Living in Auburn, she worked first for Cutter & Buck, a golf apparel and sportswear company, and then Fuji Film.

Last summer Hoyt came home when she married Royal City resident Pat Hoyt, whom she had known when she was a girl. She learned that Gymkhana was no longer a part of Summerfest and decided to do something about it.

Hoyt does not plan to participate as a rider this year. She will be busy helping Desert Duellers with preparations.

"I have to get the fences up,"  she said.