With horse shows and events canceling due to the recent threat of COVID-19 and “social distancing,” we have started looking for other options so that we can continue showing during this time.
Online Dressage Tests & Horse Showing
While it doesn’t seem to have a ton of traction quite yet, with the page having only 811 likes, Dressage Show Online offers a way that we can continue to show during this lockdown of sorts. Here is the process to showing online:
- Register on www.dressageshowonline.com and complete the rider information. Once the registration goes through, you will be emailed a Hold Harmless agreement that you will need to sign and send back before it will allow you to register for any shows.
- After registering you will be able to start uploading videos to submit to the judges.
- You can then buy an entry into a class and upload your video test at another time or you can video your test and purchase your class entry and then upload your video immediately. Either way works.
- After you upload your video, your videoed dressage test will then be viewed by the judge and scored. Your score and comments will be available on the website.
- Just so you are aware, it takes about 5 days for the completed score sheet to be made available to participants.
- You will receive an email once your score sheet is ready.
- There is a live scoreboard that is updated throughout the mont as tests are scored and submitted.
- At the end of the month, after all of the classes are completed, we will review the final scoreboard and this is when ribbons will be mailed out to winners.
Dressage Show Online Horse Show Calendar
How to Film Your Dressage Test
There are a few requirements that are essential to filming your dressage test. First and foremost, you must make sure that your video has audio. Any video that is submitted that does not have sound will be rejected immediately. It is important that natural sounds can be heard during the test, ie the horse, the rider, nature, etc.
If possible, you will want to try to make sure that your dressage test is being filmed on a camera that is on a tripod so that there is minimal movement so that the video is steady.
You will also want to make sure that the video is being filmed at the judge’s position or at letter C outside of the arena. This should ensure that the judge can see both the whole horse and rider.
Also, it is important that all of the dressage letters are visible and that you start filming before the horse and rider start their test by entering at A. If possible, you want to try to make the horse and the rider always the center focus of the frame.
Try not to zoom in and out, but keep in mind that some zooming may be useful when you want to make sure the judge can see the horse and rider when they are at the far end of the riding arena.
Here is our recommended video recording equipment to film your ride to enter the next virtual show:
About Equine Sport Association
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