Does my gelding need papers to compete?

It depends on what you are wanting to do. English or western style riding. For most english events, you do need a lot of equipment, although not a ton, and most shows that are worth competing for want you to have your horse registered. Western style riding is slightly different. You can get by with the basics and most western shows don't require that you be registered with an organization. It really depends on what your final goal is. If you are wanting to work your way to the top, then western events in most areas will be fine. English tends to be slightly more picky. Hope that helps.