Welcome to Ontario Virtual Horse Shows! 

Our vision, and goal, is to foster a love of horse competition in Ontario by providing an accessible, affordable, and supportive virtual platform.  Our series offers riders the opportunity to grow their skills and confidence in a low-pressure environment, while preparing them to start, or return to, recognized in-person shows when they're ready, without replacing the traditional show experience.

We welcome sponsors, judges, suggestions and all comments as we continue to learn and grow in 2025.

why virtual? why OVHSS?

Here are a few reasons riders are choosing virtual horse showing with OVHSS:

• SCHEDULING FLEXIBILITY.  Test videos need to be received at OVHSS on the designated show dates, but entries can be filmed at any point up to (and including) show day.  You can work around the weather, life, and your videographer's schedule.  Keep in mind the videographer need only be a friend with a cell phone.

• LOW STRESS, GREATER FREEDOM.  Feel free to redo your test (the whole thing, please) if you make a major mistake, or if you just want to give it another go.  You get to choose which single take - your "personal best" of the moment - to submit to OVHSS.

• OPTIONS FOR TURNOUT.  Dress up or not!  OVHSS only asks that you and your horse be turned out in a neat and tidy fashion.  Show clothes are not required, nor is braiding.  If that's your thing, however, go for it!  Please note that in certain disciplines, such as Dressage, judges do not expect to see boots on horses.  

• SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FINANCIAL COMMITMENT.  If you have a reasonable setup at your home or home barn, there are no trailering, stabling, or hotel charges - nor are membership fees required - to show virtually with OVHSS.

• GREAT SCHOOLING OPPORTUNITY.  Watch yourself ride ... and improve!  Go over your test videos before you submit, and then again afterwards, with the judges' comments in hand.  OVHSS has aimed to schedule the show dates far enough apart so that riders have in-between time to work on judges' feedback.  Archive your rounds and analyze them (maybe with your coach), charting your progress from show to show through the OVHSS.

• PRESERVE YOUR SHOW MEMORIES.  Create a virtual scrapbook of your ENTIRE show experience - including a permanent record of the judges' comments - to footnote your OVHSS show ribbons.

• BUILD CONFIDENCE AS YOU GAIN SHOW EXPERIENCE.  When you aren't sure about that level up and would like to experiment, or even try out an entirely new discipline, virtual showing through OVHSS is the perfect means for you to "go for it" in your home environment.

• CREATE SOME FUN (AND LEARNING) BASED CAMARADERIE AT YOUR BARN.  If your videographer is a horse person, offer to trade places!  Encourage them to let you record their own OVHSS submission in their favorite equestrian discipline.  Go Team!

Contact us with any questions!

ontariovirtualhorseshows@gmail.com