AJ Felix Wins 2026 Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final
Felix took first place in the West Coast final of the USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal class in Thermal, California.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Equestrian
AJ Felix won the 2026 USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final-West on November 8, 2026, at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California. Naomi Ries finished second and Georgia Bass finished third in the field of 70 riders.
Why it matters
The final served as a year-end championship for junior hunter seat riders in the West and was held as part of the National Sunshine Series. Felix's win places him at the top of a competitive regional field that advanced riders to the national stage of the medal competition.
The final field of 70 riders was narrowed to the top 20 percent after the first-round course, with Felix scoring 88 in the final ride-off against Ries's 82. The source does not provide prior-year comparisons for the final.
The players
AJ Felix
Felix is a junior hunter seat rider from Woodland, California, who won the 2026 USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final-West.
Desert International Horse Park
The Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California, is a equestrian venue that hosted the National Sunshine Series and the final.
The details
Felix rode Early Moon du Favril, a 12-year-old Selle français gelding owned by Greenley Achuck, through the flat phase and later rode S&L Playtime in the final ride-off. In the bracket phase the top four riders competed aboard horses other than their own, and the first-round course was designed by Colm Quinn.
Timeline
November 8, 2026: The USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final-West was held and won by Felix.
Season Trajectory
The USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal program feeds the junior hunter seat pipeline, and the Final-West serves as a regional stepping stone within that structure. Felix's win positions him within the program's series of regional finals that lead toward national recognition.
Felix's 88 in the final ride-off was the highest score of the final round. Riders aiming for the medal should note that only the top 20 percent of first-round riders advanced to the flat phase.
The takeaway
Regional finals like this one show how junior hunter seat riders are ranked across a wide geographic area and how a single round of scoring can reshape a championship.
Further reading
Explore more Equestrian coverage for context on regional junior competition in California.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chronofhorse.
