In addition, two athlete-and-horse combinations will represent the U.S. in CDIY competition at CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival.
Simonson will also compete in the CDI1* with Zeaball Diawind, a 2012 Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Christina Morgan.
April 16, 2023 – Ocala, Fla. – On the final day of the World Equestrian Center April Dressage CDI3* sponsored by Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage on Sunday, April 16, 2023, Olympian Ashley Holzer (USA) and young rider Christian Simonson were victorious at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC).
Christian Simonson (USA) repeated his top-two performances from Thursday’s Prix St Georges on Friday in the Intermediate I CDI1*.
Three familiar faces and two newcomers have been announced as the riders selected to the U.S. Dressage European Young Rider Tour and U.S. Dressage European U25 Tour.
Three American young riders and three Under 25 Grand Prix riders will compete in Europe this spring to gain experience and exposure.
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.
American Christian Simonson made a winning come back on Zeaball Diawind, his 2021 North American Young Riders gold medal winning mount, after an almost one-year break from international competition.
The 20-year old Simonson is a student of U.S. Olympic team rider Adrienne Lyle and has team trainer Debbie McDonald and Lyle’s sponsor Betsy Juliano enthusiastically rooting for him with every ride. Christian is one of America’s most talented young riders at the moment with a strong support system behind him and his steps seem closely followed by the selectors.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation has announced the combinations selected to represent The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team and U.S. Dressage U25 Teams at the FEI Dressage Nations Cup USA to take place Feb. 23-26 in Wellington, Florida. This will be the first team outing of the 2023 competition season.
The following combinations have been selected to represent The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team and are listed in alphabetical order. The team will be supported by Debbie McDonald and George Williams, serving as technical advisor and chef d’equipe, respectively.
Susie Dutta (Wellington, Florida) and Don Design DC, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Susie and Tim Dutta
Charlotte Jorst (Reno, Nevada) and Zhaplin Langholt, a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Kastel Denmark
Anna Marek (Dunnellon, Florida) and Duvel, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Cynthia Davila
Christian Simonson (Ventura, California) and Son Of A Lady, a 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Christina Morgan and Clifton Simonson
USA’s under-25 star Christian Simonson, based in Wellington where he is coached by Adrienne Lyle, took gold on Son of a Lady in the CDIO3* Intermediate 1 Freestyle on a personal best 78.445%.
Christian Simonson (Ventura, Calif.) and Son of a Lady, a 2011 Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Christina Morgan and Clifton Simonson, were the top scoring U.S. combination on Friday, receiving a 72.706% from the judging panel in the FEI Intermediate I for a second place finish, marking a successful debut for the senior team in international competition.
“This was my first Nations Cup and it was really exciting,” Simonson said. “Being able to represent your nation is like nothing else I’ve really felt. It’s a real honor. It was just an amazing competition.
“It was similar to a lot of the Young Riders Nations Cups, and I’m really grateful that [US Equestrian] has invested in giving us that time and experience. I think this kind of weekend and my personal performance was a reflection of how much time and effort they’re putting into young athletes. It’s been an amazing competition and to be able to do it with such fierce competition, and also with friends, is really fun as well.”
WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb.24, 2023–Germany won the CDIO3* Nations Cup Friday for the third straight year to kick off the trans-Atlantic series. USA took silver and Sweden bronze.
Final standings of the two-day mixed Big and Small Tour combinations were: 1. Germany 437.844; 2. USA 427.285; 3. Sweden 414.498; 4. Canada 409.193; 5. Australia 397.201; 6. Argentina 319.938.
Highest score for the German team on the second day in the Grand Prix Special was their youngest rider, 22-year-old Felicitas Hendricks on Drombusch at 72.234%. An additional 1.5% was added to Big Tour horses. It was the first senior Nations Cup for Felicitas.
For USA, Christian Simonson on Son of a Lady, on his first senior Nations Cup team, was the top combination on a personal best 72.706% in Intermediate 1 the second day. Christian, successful in youth divisions, began competing the 12-year-old in Europe last June. He is based in Wellington with Adrienne Lyle.