Your arena. Your moment.
How to Film Your Ride
Give your judge a clear view, from your first step to your final halt. A phone and a little preparation go a long way.
Jump to the final checklist- Phone sideways
- Hooves to helmet in frame
- Placard or spoken introduction
- One unedited take
01 / BEFORE YOU START
Get your entry ready
- Register first. Upload your class video anytime after you register, until Nov 30, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
- Open your exact class requirements and assigned pattern. Check the division, gaits and full maneuver sequence before filming.
- Choose your introduction: show your entry placard, or say your name, filming date, horse's name and class clearly. No printer is needed for the spoken option. Keep the introduction and performance in the same continuous recording with the audio on.
- Clean the lens, charge your phone, and check available storage. Record a short test to check framing and light.
No printer? Introduce your ride out loud.
Instead of showing a printed placard, look toward the camera and say:
“My name is [your name]. Today is [month, day, year]. My horse is [horse's name], and we are entering [class name].”
Use the names and class on your entry. Speak clearly, leave the audio on, and continue straight into your performance without stopping or editing the recording. Register before filming and upload by Nov 30, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
02 / SET YOUR CAMERA
Make the whole performance easy to see
Camera position
- For rail classes, film from the center of the arena, safely clear of the horse's line of travel. For patterns, follow the class camera instructions and choose a safe view of all markers and the entire working area.
- Stand still and pan smoothly. Follow the horse, don’t chase it.
- Keep people and tripods out of the horse’s path. Test a fixed tripod or tracking camera across the entire pattern before recording.
- Stay far enough back to keep the whole arena working area in view.
Framing
- Keep the entire horse and rider in frame for the whole ride, hooves to helmet.
- Keep the full arena or working space in the shot so judges can see your geometry.
- Avoid zooming in so tight that transitions or the rail disappear from view.
- Start with a readable entry placard OR clearly say your name, filming date, horse's name and class. Keep the introduction and performance in the same take, with the audio on.
Whole horse and rider, hooves to helmet, with room to spare.
Too tight — legs and the rail are outside the frame.
One continuous, unedited clip
- Record each class as a single continuous take, from before your first movement to after your last.
- No cuts, splices, speed changes, filters, or overlays. Edited videos can’t be judged.
- If something goes wrong mid-ride, stop and re-film the whole class before the deadline.
Lighting
- Daylight is best. Film outdoors or in a bright, evenly lit arena.
- Keep the sun (or the brightest light) behind the camera, not behind the horse.
- Avoid dusk, heavy shadows, and backlit doorways that turn horse and rider into silhouettes.
Sun behind you — horse and rider are lit.
Sun behind the horse — a dark outline.
Orientation & quality
- Film in landscape (horizontal). Vertical videos crop out half the arena.
- 1080p at 30fps or better is ideal; most phones default to this.
- Clean the lens, lock focus/exposure on the horse if your phone allows it, and check your storage space before you start.
- Watch the clip before uploading: can you see the whole horse the whole time?
Hold the phone sideways — the whole arena fits.
Upright crops the arena — half the ride is lost.
03 / FILM YOUR CLASS
Different classes need different views
Your published class instructions take priority. Open them before filming, especially for walk-trot classes.
Rail classes
- For rail classes, place your camera operator in the center of the arena. Keep a safe distance from the horse's line of travel and leave the rail clear.
- Hold the phone sideways and turn smoothly from the center as the horse travels around the rail. Keep the whole horse and rider visible, including the feet, with enough arena in view to see the line of travel.
- Film in one direction. Walk-trot classes: walk for 30–60 seconds and trot/jog for 60–120 seconds, with a total video length of 90–180 seconds (1.5–3 minutes). Use walk and trot/jog only.
- Walk-trot-canter classes: walk for 30–60 seconds, trot/jog for 60–120 seconds and canter/lope for 60–120 seconds, with a total video length of 150–300 seconds (2.5–5 minutes). Keep the transitions in the same continuous recording.
- Start recording before the performance and keep one continuous take through the final halt. Check your class instructions for any specified timing before you film.
Ridden pattern classes
- Open your assigned pattern sheet and set out its markers before filming. Walk through the camera view to check that the start, every marker and the finish are visible.
- Place the camera outside the working area, where the operator can see the full pattern without standing in the horse's path. Use the class's specified camera position if one is provided.
- Film sideways in one continuous take. Pan gently to keep the whole horse and rider in frame; leave enough space around them to show circles, straight lines and the relationship to markers.
- Capture the complete sequence in the printed order, including transitions, turns, backing and the finish. Use only the gaits on your assigned sheet. Keep recording until the performance is finished.
Showmanship
- Set out the assigned pattern and identify the inspection area. Position the camera with a clear view of both the maneuver area and the inspection setup, following any class-specific viewpoint.
- Keep the entire horse and handler in frame, including the horse's feet and the handler's footwork. Leave room in the shot for turns, backing and the approach to inspection.
- Record the full printed sequence and inspection presentation in one continuous take. Pan smoothly when needed; do not stop the recording between maneuvers or crop out the handler.
Halter
- Choose a level, well-lit area with space for the class's movement requirements. Keep the horse, handler and all four feet visible; do not crop the ears or hooves.
- For the standing presentation, show clear full-body side, front and rear views. Keep the camera at a safe distance and use a slight angle if needed; never stand directly behind the horse or move into its path.
- For movement, position the camera so the horse can travel safely toward, away from and across the view as required by the class. Keep the feet visible throughout.
- Follow the class's presentation order and requested gaits. Record standing views and movement in one continuous take, panning slowly and allowing each view to be seen clearly.
04 / CHECK & UPLOAD
Watch it once before you submit
Review the beginning, every maneuver and the finish. Then check:
- The placard is readable OR the spoken introduction clearly gives your name, filming date, horse’s name and class, matching this entry.
- The whole horse and rider or handler stay visible, including the feet.
- Every required gait, maneuver and finish is shown clearly.
- The video is one continuous take with no cuts, filters, overlays or speed changes.
- The correct clip is attached to the correct class, and the upload has finished.
Keep your original file until judging is complete. If an upload fails, check the entry's status before trying again. Contact the organizer if you cannot confirm submission before the deadline.
Read the show rules