Colt starting competition streams live from Holmes County fairgrounds

Three colts, three trainers and three days of work will put the Holmes County Fairgrounds in the spotlight, with a full livestream letting viewers follow every turn from Millersburg. The lineup tied to The Horseman's Mission includes Ray Raber, Ruby Raber, Ezra Yoder, Jonathan Schlabach, Matt Oswald, Brenton Schlabach, Mary Kurtz and John A. Miller, giving the weekend a roster local horse fans will recognize.

The competition is built around pressure and precision. Each trainer gets 1.5 hours a day with a colt, and the work is judged by a panel of judges, turning every cue, response and correction into part of the show. That format is what makes colt starting so visually compelling: an untouched horse has to be read, settled and started under time limits, with no room to hide a bad decision or a calm breakthrough.

The Horseman's Mission is based at the Holmes County Fairgrounds, 8880 OH-39 in Millersburg, and the event fits naturally in a county that tourism materials describe as the center of Ohio’s largest Amish settlement. In a place where horse-drawn buggies and agricultural traditions shape daily life, a colt-starting competition is more than entertainment. It is a public display of a skill set that still matters in Amish Country, and it gives visitors another reason to spend a weekend in Millersburg rather than just pass through.

Organizers say daytime tickets will be sold at the door, with adults priced at $20 per day or $50 for a three-day pass, and Saturday admission is free. Some evening tickets must be purchased in advance. Camping will be available at the fairgrounds for $50 a night with full hookup, and shuttle service will be available from area motels, signs that the event is built to pull in both day-trippers and overnight guests.

The Horseman's Mission says its broader purpose is to showcase horsemanship and training talent while emphasizing communication, feel and fellowship. A family-friendly evening performance called Mission Accomplished will add demonstrations and entertainment, while the larger calendar points to a 7th annual event and select horse sale in October 2026. For Holmes County, that mix of competition, sale and performance extends the horse-country draw well beyond the fairgrounds and into the wider tourism economy.