Destination Defender gave Temecula Valley an unforgettable weekend.
Defender is one of the most respected names in the world of off-road sport, a brand with a proud British heritage and a near-limitless spirit of adventure. Defender vehicles were designed with the goal of being able to go anywhere. They are known for their performance, reliability and, particularly in the new generation of Defender off-road vehicles, a range of cutting-edge technology that turns epic off-the-beaten-path adventures into an effortless act of wanderlust.
Each year, Defender brings together the most passionate members of its community for Destination Defender, a series of festivals that bring the brand’s enduring spirit of adventure to some of the country’s best outdoor destinations. This year’s Destination Defender West took place in California’s beautiful Temecula Valley, a mountainous wine paradise southeast of Los Angeles. We had the chance to join Defender in Temecula for the latest Destination Defender and our experience was one we won’t soon forget.
An unlikely occurrence for Southern California, rain dampened the Galway Downs Equestrian Center where the festival was held all weekend, but the outdoor spirit of Defender enthusiasts and the festival itself did not let wet and cold weather threaten. Our time on site began with an off-road driving experience where we got behind the wheel of the Defender 130 and completed a demonstration course that would put any off-road capable SUV through its paces.
Thanks to features such as hill descent control, an electronic active differential with torque vectoring, adjustable ride height and the 3D surround camera that helps detect obstacles and distances around the wheels and in front of the vehicle when the windshield is insufficient, the Defender 130 easily tackled steep inclines, rocks, slaloms and even a bridge made of two narrow boards.
After this driving experience, it was our turn to take the passenger seat as the flagship performance Defender OCTA was driven by instructor Davy Jones, whose qualifications include winning the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans. Powered by a sonorous 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the OCTA has an impressive output of 626 horsepower. On dirt roads that the rain turned to mud, Jones demonstrated its exciting off-road launch control, its OCTA mode, which helps the car remain stable, confident and comfortable on rough terrain at high speeds, and even its luxurious Body and Soul Audio, which allows passengers to feel music through speakers in the seats.
Grammy-winning Icelandic rock band Kaleo held a private concert for the event, and even the rain and mud didn’t stop fans from enjoying the band’s hits. The biggest highlight of the event, however, was the Defender Service Awards Gala, the conclusion of this year’s Defender Service Awards presented by Chase, where outstanding charities receive funds and a customized Defender 130 from the brand and the awards’ sponsors, all with the aim of expanding their noble missions.
At this year’s fifth annual awards ceremony, the Defender Service Awards recognized organizations in five categories: the Animal, Wildlife and Marine Welfare Award presented by Disney, the Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award presented by Hearts & Science, the Community Service Award presented by ei3, the Search, Rescue and Emergency Support Services Award presented by PELICAN, and the Outdoor Accessibility and Education Award presented by OUTSIDE Interactive Inc., as well as a Defender Service Awards Honoree Award presented by S&P Global Mobility for previous finalists.
Each finalist had an incredible story and mission behind their tireless work and tremendous efforts to better the surrounding community, and not only did the 30 category finalists each receive $5,000 from Chase this year, but the second-place finalists in each category also received $10,000 each from Artemis Cars, a Premier Partner of the Defender Service Awards, and other sponsors.
However, category winners each received $30,000 in funding to support their organizations’ missions, as well as a customized Defender 130 to expand their causes. These were the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society in Vancouver (Canada) for the Animal, Wildlife and Marine Welfare Award, Jason’s Box in Paris (Kentucky) for the Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award, Feeding Northeast Florida in Jacksonville (Florida) for the Community Service Award, Chilliwack Search & Rescue in Chilliwack (Canada) for the Search, Rescue and Emergency Support Services Award, Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada in Dorval (Canada) for the Outdoor Accessibility and Education Award and West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton, Rhode Island for the Defender Service Awards Honoree Award.
The full list of Defender Service Awards 2025 finalists is:
Animal, Wildlife and Marine Conservation Award – presented by Disney
- HIT Living Foundation – Los Angeles, CA
- Marine Mammals of Maine – Brunswick, ME
- The Gentle Barn – Santa Clarita, CA
- Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society – Vancouver, BC
- WildCare Oklahoma – Classy, ​​OK
- Feeding Northeast Florida – Jacksonville, FL
- Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula – Pacific Grove, CA
- Meta House, Inc. – Milwaukee, WI
- Red Feather Development Group – Flagstaff, AZ
- The Food Brigade – Paramus, NJ
Search, Rescue and Emergency Support Services Award – presented by Pelican
- Amwell Valley Ambulance Corps – Ringoes, NJ
- Boulder Emergency Squad – Boulder, CO
- Chilliwack Search & Rescue – Chilliwack, BC
- Pemberton Search & Rescue – Pemberton, BC
- Sunshine Coast Search & Rescue – Sechelt, BC
Veteran & Civil Servant Outreach Award – presented by Hearts & Science
- Combat Recovery Foundation – Loveland, CO
- Jason’s Box – Paris, KY
- Minnesota Veterans Assistance Council – St. Paul, MN
- Project Sanctuary – Pagosa Springs, CO
- Protecting Soldiers – San Diego, California
Outdoor Accessibility & Education Award – presented by Outside Interactive Inc.
- Adaptive Adventures – Westminster, CO
- Catalyst Sports Inc. – Atlanta, GA
- City Kids Wilderness Project, Inc. – Washington, DC
- North Carolina Adapted Sports – Cary, NC
- Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada – Dorval, QC
With an incredible weekend of outdoor celebrations, off-road driving, live music and bold philanthropy totaling $390,000 in prize money donated to charities, this year’s Destination Defender was undoubtedly a weekend to remember.
