THERMAL, Calif. – The North American League West Coast Finals made their successful Desert International Horse Park debut during National Sunshine Series 1, held October 29 – November 2, 2025.
Riders qualified for the finals by competing in NAL classes held throughout the year at horse shows across the U.S. and Canada, and this weekend, six of those riders rose to the top to be crowned West Coast champions.
$10,000 NAL 1.15m Junior Jumper Final
Friday night, October 31, might have marked 14-year-old Ellington Vasan’s first time jumping under the lights, but one would have never guessed that watching her expertly maneuver Secret Fernhill to the win in the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Junior Jumper Final.
The duo was one of four entries to navigate the Guilherme Jorge-designed course without fault to advance to the jump-off round. There, Vasan kept her turns tight to take the win by more than two seconds, crossing the finish in 32.247 seconds. Second place with a time of 34.633 seconds went to Ripley Ehrlich and Hermes, and Lillian Loftin and Champs Elysees rounded out the top three on a time of 35.556 seconds.
“This is a very meaningful win for me and Secret Fernhill because it marks the last class that I’ll do on this horse before he goes on to teach the next set of kids, which will be both my younger siblings,” said Vasan of the 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, owned by EV Equestrian LLC, that will next be ridden by Vasan’s 12-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister.
“The first round, I walked it, and I was really excited,” continued Vasan, who trains with Olivia Dawson Grove and the team at Dawson Grove Farm. “It’s a nice experience to be under the lights, and it’s interesting to see how my horse, who is usually so reliable, got pretty strong and was pretty excited to be under the lights. It’s so interesting when you think about how a horse could usually be quiet and then gets excited when there’s all the people watching, and it’s dark. It’s a very intense environment for them.”
For Vasan – who has big riding goals for the future – that opportunity to jump in DIHP’s Grand Prix Stadium in a nighttime atmosphere was one of her favorite parts of the NAL Finals experience.
“The only way to practice riding under the lights is by riding under the lights!” concluded Vasan. “It’s great experience. If I want to jump grand prix classes when I’m older, I’ve got this under my belt and can remember what this was like and use that. I can remember what mental prep I did and how I set myself up for success.”
For full results of the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Junior Jumper Final, click here.
$10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final, presented by SmartPak
With the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final, presented by SmartPak, taking place under the lights of the Grand Prix Stadium on Friday night, October 31, the excitement and tension were high— and Samia Staehle and Foxtrot Semilly rose to the occasion.
Fourteen entries took on the first-round course, designed by Guilherme Jorge, and of those entries, five advanced to the jump-off—including two horses ridden by Staehle. While Staehle’s first jump-off ride aboard Chaka Chaka 3 did not go quite as well as she had hoped, she learned from her mistakes and came back to lay down the winning ride aboard her own Foxtrot Semilly.
“[On Chaka Chaka 3], I was a little stuck on counts and a little ahead of my own game,” explained Staehle. “So, the second time around with [Foxtrot Semilly], I decided to just ride my ride and go for smooth and try to make some quality turns and let him go a little bit. Staying true to myself really paid off because that’s how we ended up with a good time!”
That time of 35.657 seconds proved to be more than a second faster than what the pair needed to take home the win. Finishing in second place was Trish Jacobs who rode Dreamin Blue to a time of 36.791 seconds. Earning third place with a time of 38.822 seconds were Tara Brown and Harina Touch W.
“Thank you [to DIHP and the NAL] for giving us the opportunity to have this experience at this height because not only was it a lot of fun, but it was just this huge education,” said Staehle of competing under the lights. “Who knew how different it could feel? I didn’t expect such a different feel. It’s such a different atmosphere, and all the horses feel it as well. I think it took a lot more focus than I expected, and it was good to have done it!”
Click here to view complete results from the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final, presented by SmartPak.
$10,000 NAL 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final, presented by Parlanti
A field of 30 qualified horses and riders contested Sunday, November 2’s $10,000 NAL 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final, presented by Parlanti, before Megan Sweeney emerged as the new NAL champion.
Sweeney and her own Yalambi’s Grazi stopped the clock in 34.406 seconds to take the win following a 12-horse jump-off. Second place, with a very close time of 34.689 seconds, went to Kendall Wallin and My Boy Blue, and Maggie Kehring and Silas DS Z finished in the third-place position.
“It feels really amazing! I’m really, really happy,” said Sweeney of her win. “I’ve for sure put in a lot of hard work the past couple months because I’ve kind of been in a slump a little bit. It’s really nice to have my work pay off and have these amazing horses here with me. I’m so grateful. I’m so lucky. I’m really thankful for all of my trainers, my horses and my parents for allowing me to be here today.”
In speaking of her winning mount, the 14-year-old Warmblood gelding Yalambi’s Grazi, Sweeney continued, “I’ve had him for about two years now. He’s my best friend…He’s always there beside me, and he’s always really forgiving of my mistakes. I’m really grateful for him that he has that attitude. He’s very, very quick. So, one thing that I need to work on is always slowing him down so that way he jumps up rather than flat. I really think I succeeded in that today. He’s just such a sweet soul.”
Full results from the $10,000 NAL 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final, presented by Parlanti, are available here.
$10,000 NAL 1.25m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final
For Anna Le Grix, Sunday, November 2, not only marked a major NAL win, it also marked the 15-year-old’s first 1.25m victory. The San Francisco, Calif.-native piloted Magic straight to the top of a competitive 53-horse field to earn the win in the $10,000 NAL 1.25m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final.
“I’m really happy!” said Le Grix, who trains with Sarah Moberg. “I’ve been doing the 1.20-1.25m for maybe a little bit over a year, but when I first got Magic three years ago, we were doing the 0.90m. So, he’s taken me all the way up here. He’s perfect. He’s just the sweetest horse ever!”
With the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding, Le Grix laid down a speedy jump-off time of 35.487 seconds. That time would prove uncatchable by any of the 21 other entries that also qualified to jump off over the Colm Quinn-designed short course. Coming the closest to catching Le Grix was Michelle Berry who finished in second with a time of 35.526 seconds aboard Traver’s Girl HS. Third place on a time of 36.440 seconds went to Ashlin Goodwin and MTM Emilia Air Heart.
“In the jump-off, I think where I made up the most time was my turns,” explained Le Grix. “A lot of the quick ones were taking strides out, which I did as well, but my turn from two to three was very quick. I think that’s what gave me the fastest time. [Sarah Moberg] is incredible. She’s always finding the little things to make us a little bit better, a little bit quicker.”
For full results from the $10,000 NAL 1.25m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final, click here.
$5,000 NAL Adult Hunter Final, presented by R & R Hunter Horses, and $5,000 NAL Children’s Hunter Final
The final NAL championship honors of the week were awarded in the hunter rings to Lee Sickel and Qoriolis Effect SCF in the $5,000 NAL Children’s Hunter Final and to Bailey Rose and Songbird in the $5,000 NAL Adult Hunter Final, presented by R & R Hunter Horses.
On their way to the Children’s Final win, Sickel and Qoriolis Effect SCF, a 9-year-old American-bred Belgian Warmblood owned by Cowtown Barn, LLC, earned high scores of 87 and 88 for winning 175 total.
Victoria Fuglesang and Chakira brought home second place with a score of 171 (85+86), and a score of 168 (83+85) earned Evie Becky and Twain third place. View full results from the $5,000 NAL Children’s Hunter Final here.
In the $5,000 NAL Adult Hunter Final, scores of 88 and 86 for a 174 total are what it took for Rose and Songbird to clinch the win.
“I just started with him at Capital Challenge [last month],” said Rose of the 8-year-old Swedish Warmblood, owned by Rose Hill Farm LA, LLC. “That was my first time showing him. He’s my grandma’s horse. She bought him to be kind of a green project, and then we just worked out. I’m so grateful! He’s such a good boy for how young he is and everything. He’s a sweetie pie.”
Rose was extra grateful for the NAL win on Sunday, as it came just days after she broke bones in both of her hands.
“It’s absolutely incredible!” said Rose. “On Monday, I had a freak accident at home and fell down holding a 50-pound garden stone. The dogs knocked me down, and I fell onto it. That was kind of hard. I have two broken fingers and a couple of broken knuckles. I just don’t close a couple of my fingers, but [Songbird] is an angel!”
Finishing in second place behind Songbird were Stephanie Goodson and Quantum Leap with scores of 87 and 85.5 for a 172.5 total. Taking third in the 24-horse field were Cathy Morris-Schmitt and Hobbs. For the complete class results, click here.
To learn more about the North American League, visit www.ryegate.com, and follow the NAL on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NALFinals.