$30.000 GP Thermal 2015, (USA)
25/02/2015
Will Simpson Takes 8th Grand Prix Win at HITS Thermal
Thermal, California (February 22, 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.
iJump Sports contributed to this report.
(c) ESI Photography
Will Simpson and The Dude, owned by Monarch International, win the $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix Sunday, February 22, at HITS Thermal.
(c) ESI Photography
Will Simpson and The Dude, owned by Monarch International, take home the blue ribbon from the $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix Sunday, February 22, at HITS Thermal.
$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 | * | * |
Allyssa Hecht and Calvatos Z Win $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic – High, presented by Vetera (R) Vaccines