Nicole McMillion Masters 2025 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West
From the start of the riders’ meeting for the 2025 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West, judges Lillie Keenan and Jimmy Torano emphasized the importance of not giving up and continuing to fight for the win, even if the first few phases did not play out quite as hoped.
Nicole McMillion took those words to heart and did just that. The 21-year-old from Huntington Beach, Calif. moved from seventh place to the top of the leaderboard to be crowned the new 2025 champion on November 8, during National Sunshine Series 2 at Desert International Horse Park.
“I’m over the moon right now!” said McMillion, who rode Change Up PS to the win. “It was my last year to do this final. I flew back from college [at Texas A&M] to do it. I think this is my fourth year now competing [in the Talent Search]. I’ve always loved it. It’s always been my favorite class to compete in, so it’s a true honor!”
The Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West kicked off on Friday morning, November 7, with the flat and gymnastics phases. This year, following a new format, each rider had to complete an individual flatwork pattern, followed immediately by a gymnastics test. Keenan and Torano designed the flat and gymnastics work to mimic what they themselves may do to warm-up their horses before a major competition, incorporating serpentines, shoulder-ins and trot and canter extensions, flying changes and other exercises.
Following the conclusion of Friday’s opening phases, Katalina Raiszadeh held the lead, and Shiloh Roseboom and Sophia Blake sat in second and third, respectively. McMillion held seventh place – but with the most heavily weighted phase still to come, it was still very much anybody’s game.
Saturday morning kicked off with the jumping phase, where McMillion moved into fourth place to secure her spot in the final work-off. There, she was joined by Roseboom, Blake and Raiszadeh, as the top four each took turns competing aboard one another’s horses.
“We said in the early meetings, ‘Don’t give up, keep fighting, keep digging,’” said Torano. “I think everyone started to understand that.”
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