Annville, PA — September 18, 2014 — The North American League (NAL) season concluded on August 31, and the top finishers in each of the league’s five divisions are now qualified to compete in the NAL National Finals which will take place at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, October 9-18, and the NAL West Coast Finals which will take place at the Las Vegas National Horse Show, November 11-16.

The NAL offers a great opportunity for competitors across the country to compete in five divisions including Adult Hunter; Children’s Hunter; Adult Jumper Presented by SmartPak; Children’s Jumper Presented by EquiFit; and Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Presented by UltrOZ. The qualifying season for the NAL runs from September 1 through August 31. Anyone can compete in NAL qualifying classes, but only current members are awarded points. Joining the NAL is the best way for riders to get the points necessary to make it to the finals. Annual memberships are only $40 per rider.

In the National standings, the winners in the five NAL divisions were Brook Cole (Adult Hunter Division); Alyssa Scholefield (Children’s Hunter Division); Nancy Hooker (Adult Jumper Division Presented by SmartPak); Taegan Long (Children’s Jumper Division Presented by EquiFit); and Cloe Hymowitz (Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Division Presented by UltrOZ).

Brooke Cole, a 24-year-old from Rockville, VA, won this year’s NAL Adult Hunter Division with her horse, Poetic Justis with an impressive total of 6,754 points. She is excited to be to going to Harrisburg for the NAL Finals with ‘PJ’ for the first time this year.

Alyssa Scholefield of Atlanta, GA, and her horse, Moon River clinched the Children’s Hunter division with 3,771 points. She began to compete in the Children’s Hunters this year, and entered the NAL for the first time. Scholefield says her biggest accomplishment was winning the Children’s Hunter Classic which qualified her for the NAL Finals, and she is looking forward to competing at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show for the first time.           

Winner of the NAL Adult Jumper Division Presented by SmartPak is Nancy Hooker of Wellington, FL, and her horse, Corianos Boy with 5,940 points. This is an extra special accomplishment as this is Hooker’s first year competing in the jumpers after many years in the hunter ring. Hooker is looking forward to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show and the chance to compete in the NAL Finals with her daughter, Heather, who will be riding in the Low Amateur-Owner Jumper division.

Taegan Long of Medford, NJ, and her horse, Pocohontas finished at the top of the standings in the NAL Children’s Jumper Division presented by EquiFit. They topped the division with 4,850 points. A great point of pride for Long was being Circuit Reserve Champion in the High Children’s Jumpers at WEF this past winter, her first time ever competing in the jumpers and the NAL.

Cloe Hymowitz of New York, NY and her horse, Bon Vivant topped the NAL’s Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Division presented by UltrOZ with an astounding 7,784 points. Hymowitz began riding when she was three-years-old and started competing in the NAL when she was fourteen. Hymowitz is no stranger to success in the NAL. Last year at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, she placed third in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Finals.

Winners of the West Coast standings in the five NAL divisions were Melanie Jeanes (Adult Hunter Division); Sarah Portell (Children’s Hunter Division); Emily Straw-Colella (Adult Jumper Division Presented by SmartPak); Tyler Mayer (Children’s Jumper Division Presented by EquiFit); and Emma Sargent (Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Division Presented by UltrOZ).

Melanie Jeanes, of Dallas, TX, won the NAL’s West Coast Adult Hunter division aboard Carrera with a total of 3,355 points. Jeanes began showing on the A circuit at the age of 12, and just this year began showing in the NAL. After a Hunter Classic win in Kentucky that resulted in her first victory lap ever, she is excited to make her way to Pennsylvania for the Finals.

Sarah Portell, of Chesterfield, MO, won the NAL’s West Coast Children’s Hunter Division aboard Cheveaux, with a total of 2,010 points. Sarah has been riding for a total of nine years, but she began her NAL career just this year. She now has earned the chance to compete in the NAL West Coast Finals at the Las Vegas National Horse Show for the first time ever this year.

Winner of the NAL West Coast Adult Jumper Division, Presented by SmartPak is Emily Straw-Colella, of Overland, KS, and her horse, Filibuster with 2,045 points. She began showing in the Adult Hunter division of the NAL in 2005, and in 2006 she made the switch to Adult Jumpers with Filibuster.

Tyler Mayer, 16, of McKinney, TX, and her horse, Windelinde won the NAL West Coast Children’s Jumper Division Presented by EquiFit with a total of 3,513 points. Mayer began riding at the age of 6 and just started showing in the NAL this year. She won five NAL High Children’s Jumper Classics and was awarded Circuit Champion at Wellington this past winter.

Emma Sargent, of Cedar Grove, WI, won the NAL West Coast Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Division Presented by UltrOZ aboard Amazing with a total of 2,183 points. The pair won Low Junior/Amateur classes at the Lake St. Louis Hunter Jumper Holiday Horse Show in Missouri, and at the Horse Show By The Bay Series II in Michigan.

For more information regarding the North American League series please call (717) 867-5643, email to NAL@Ryegate.com or visit www.ryegate.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NALFinals.