US Equestrian announced the athlete-and-horse combinations that have been named to the U.S. Dressage Team for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, as well as the first reserve combination.
Christian Simonson and the Danish warmblood Son of a Lady became the Small Tour Champions at the 2023 U.S. Dressage Championships at Lamplight equestrian centre in Wayne, ILL. The pair won the first two rounds and placed second in the freestyle.
In the face of sweltering temperatures and stiff competition in the Neue Schule/USEF Intermediaire I Dressage National Championship, Christian Simonson and Son Of A Lady kept their cool today to earn the national championship title with a score of 73.26%.
WAYNE, Illinois, Aug. 24, 2023–Christian Simonson on Son of a Lady captured the Festival of Champions Intermediate 1 championship Thursday after placing second to Charlotte Jorst in the freestyle.
The 20-year-old Christian based in Wellington, Florida scored 74.015% on the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding but the winning results of the Prix St. Georges and the Intermediate, the first two of three phases for the championship, was enough to earn him the title and possibly his first senior championship team. He is long listed for the Pan American Games on Son of a Lady.
Christian Simonson on Son of a Lady won the Festival of Champions Intermediate 1 Tuesday to extend their lead in the national championship in what the 20-year-old rider believes reflects development of a new generation of American riders.
Upon US Equestrian’s announcement of the horse/rider combos named to the Short List for the US Dressage Team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, USDF would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and wish the best of luck to all the athletes and their mounts!
One who attracted attention is Christian Simonson, the 20-year-old busy making a name for himself not only in the Under 25 category, but in open classes as well. He’s got the ability, he’s got the horses and most important, he’s got the work ethic. His dedication is paying off in many ways. In January, the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation presented him with its Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy, given to a junior or young rider in an Olympic discipline who exemplifies the Team’s ideals of sportsmanship and horsemanship.
The U.S. Dressage Young Rider Team had a solid performance in the Future Champions CDIOY Hagen Nations Cup among a talented group of European competitors. Chef d’Equipe George Williams guided Kat Fuqua and Dreamgirl, Erin Nichols and Elian Royale, and Christian Simonson and Son of a Lady to a team bronze medal. Germany won gold with 216.372% with Denmark collecting silver on 215.196% and the U.S. rounding out the podium with 207.255%.
Christian Simonson, based in Wellington, Florida, was the top placed USA rider on the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding Son of a Lady on 69.951%.
Christian also rode Zeaball Diawind in the individual Young Rider competition for fourth place on 70.735%.