February 25, 2015–Topping a field of 62 riders, Will Simpson once again took home a blue ribbon from the HITS Grand Prix Ring, winning Sunday’s $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix – his eighth Grand Prix victory this circuit – aboard The Dude, owned by Monarch International.
Topping nine other horses that made it to the jump-off, and three who went double-clear, Simpson finished with a time of 40.007 with little room for error. The second and third place finishers – Lisa Carlsen on World’s Judgment owned by Alycia Hayes, and Richard Spooner on Cristallo owned by Show Jumping Syndications International’s – also finished clear, and both less than a half-second behind Simpson’s time at 40.192 and 40.455, respectively.
Simpson said of The Dude “He just will not be denied. Something has recently happened in his brain and he thinks he owns the place. He sets his sights on a clear round each time we come to this ring. He is a very, very special horse in a lot of ways. He has the entire team convinced we can do anything.”
Olympian Simpson’s total Grand Prix earnings so far during this Circuit total $81,700, including $9,000 in Sunday’s Grand Prix and Thursday’s $34,000 HITS Desert Classic, presented by Michael and Kenzie 1911, which he also won. Simpson finished out a great week for Monarch International, which is owned by the Heidegger family. Hannah Heidegger, whom he trains, placed second on Monarch’s Geledimar in Saturday’s $50,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix CSI2*-W FEI World Cup Qualifier.
$30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix
Place Horse Owner Rider Prize R.1 Faults JO Faults JO Time
1 The Dude Monarch International Will Simpson $9,000 0 0 40.007
2 World’s Judgment Alycia Hayes Lisa Carlsen $6,600 0 0 40.192
3 Cristallo Show Jumping Syndications Int’l Richard Spooner $3,900 0 0 40.455
4 Prunella D’Ariel Federico Fernandez Senderos Paola Amilibia $2,400 0 0 48.400
5 S.F. Ariantha Olivia Cox-Fill Will Simpson $1,800 0 4 37.374
6 Asb Conquistador Signe Ostby Eric Navet $1,500 0 4 39.342
7 Tembla Signe Ostby Karl Cook $1,200 0 4 40.128
8 Gitano Federico Fernandez Senderos Federico Fernandez Sendersos $900 0 4 40.152
9 Going Global Caledonia Stables Greg Broderick $900 0 4 42.354
10 The Governor Mattias Ekeroth, LLC Mattias Ekeroth $600 0 4 45.724
11 Chivas Z Richard Spooner Richard Spooner $600 2 * *
12 Bybalia SMH Stal Minion Jeffrey Fields $600 2 * *
