The Ontario Collegiate Equestrian Association (OCEA) is a university equestrian league in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was developed to give Ontario post-secondary students an opportunity to participate in equestrian sports while continuing their education. The OCEA welcomes riders of all skill levels, offering hunter seat equitation classes from beginner to advanced riders. The OCEA is team-focused, but allows for personal growth and learning. It allows any post-secondary student to participate in horse shows regardless of the rider's beginning skill level, financial status, or past riding experience. Both men and women are eligible to compete. There are 18 participating universities. Two colleges, Cambrian College and Georgian College, joined for the 2016–2017 season. The league was modelled after the American IHSA.
Competition
Riders compete in Hunter Seat Equitation. There are 4 different levels of competition: Entry, Novice, Intermediate, and Open. All riders compete both on the flat and over fences. Unlike the majority of equestrian competitions, it is a "catch ride" where riders generally have not ridden their horse before entering the ring. Horses are donated by the show hosts and assigned randomly by a draw. Competitors watch as their horses are schooled by experienced volunteers and then mount their horse for competition. Each member school is responsible for hosting one horse show per year.
Schools
Currently, 17 universities and two colleges in Ontario as well as one Quebec university have participating teams. They are divided into three zones according to geographic proximity.
East Zone:
Carleton University, Ottawa
McGill University, Montreal
Queen's University, Kingston
Trent University, Peterborough
University of Ottawa, Ottawa
University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa
Central Zone:
Georgian College, Barrie
Lakehead University, Thunder Bay
Laurentian University and Cambrian College, Sudbury
Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto
York University, Toronto
University of Guelph, Guelph
University of Toronto, Toronto
West Zone:
Brock University, St. Catharines
McMaster University, Hamilton
University of Waterloo, Waterloo
University of Western Ontario, London
University of Windsor, Windsor
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo
Divisions
There are four divisions, each with an over fences and under saddle class. Riders in the Open division compete over a course of jumps set at 3', while Intermediate competes at 2'6", Novice 2'3" and Entry 18". Divisions are based upon ability and experience to allow riders compete against people of similar skill levels. Generally, the division qualifications are as follows:
Open: winning three first place ribbons in an equitation over fences at a height of 3'3", or placing six times in an equitation, hunter over fences, or jumper class at a height of 3'6".
Intermediate: winning three first place ribbons in an equitation over fences at a height of 2'9", or placing six times in an equitation, hunter over fences, or jumper class at a height of 3'.
Novice: winning three first place ribbons in an equitation over fences at a height of 2'6", or placing six times in an equitation, hunter over fences, or jumper class at a height of 2'9".
Entry: being part of a lesson program, where the rider has been jumping a height of 2' or higher for at least four months.
Judging
Riders are judged on their equitation, meaning that each rider is individually judged on his or her effectiveness as a rider, ability to look aesthically pleasing (i.e. posture and positioning on the horse), and ability to make riding a horse seem easy and effortless.
Individual ribbons correspond to points, which combine for a team score. Teams receive points from their highest place rider in a given class. Riders who win three first place ribbons over fences in a season must move up a division the following season.
Points are awarded as follows:
1st place: 8 points
2nd place: 7 points
3rd place: 6 points
4th place: 5 points
5th place: 4 points
6th place: 3 point
7th place: 2 point
8th place: 1 point
Each show names a high point rider, high point school, and division grand and reserve champions for each division. Spirit awards and sportsmanship awards are awarded at the discretion of the host school.