32 SIDELINES JANUARY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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National Preview
and LA National
Align the Stars
By Jennifer Walker
The stars of today and tomorrow had the chance to end
the year on a grand note, with medal fnals, the West Coast
Pony Finals, a World Cup Qualifer, the Celebrate Jumpers!
banquet, and more at LEG’s National Preview (Nov 9-13)
and LA National (Nov 16-20).
The highlight of the two weeks was the Legisequine.com
$50,000 Grand Prix of Los Angeles, won by Rich Fellers
and Flexible in an exciting jump off. “I thought the course
was very good and appropriate for a jump off,” Fellers
commented. “Flexible was very fresh, but he settled in and
jumped well. He felt good.”
Medal Finals
Between the two shows, some of the most competitive
medal fnals on the West Coast name their champions.
This year’s winner of the WCE Junior-Amateur Medal
Final after three intense rounds was Demi Stiegler (Robyn
Stiegler and Archie Cox, trainers), who also won this year’s
Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Final. “My
heart was going a million miles a minute!” Demi exclaimed.
The West Coast Pony Finals is the largest gathering of
ponies on the West Coast. Grady Lyman (Alicia Saxton,
trainer) and her A Hoof And A Prayer were this year’s grand
champions after winning the Large Pony section. “We were
very excited,” Grady’s trainer Alicia shared. “This was her
third year doing the West Coast Pony Finals, and last year
she was reserve champion in the Large Pony section.”
Emily Hoham (Judy Nielson, trainer) and her Fly Girl were
the Pony Jumper Final Champion.
The National Preview and LA National were an exciting
conclusion to the 2011 show season, and 2012 promises
to be another great year, including a new year-end
championship combining National Preview, LA National,
and Las Vegas National in one circuit.
Emily Hoham and Fly Girl were the tops in Pony Jumpers,
taking home the championship
Rich Fellers and Flexible took home the top prize in the $50,000
Grand Prix of Los Angeles, in an exciting jump off
WCE Junior-Amateur Medal Final winner, after three intense
rounds, was Demi Stiegler, who also won this year’s Platinum
Performance/USEF Talent Search Final
All photos by Flying Horse Photography
Grady Lyman and A Hoof And A Prayer were grand champions
in the pony ring, after dominating the Large Pony division