The highest-ranked U.S. dressage rider in the FEI standings, Christian Simonson, keeps accumulating honors.
Although he had never ridden a Grand Prix Special on Fleau De Baian, known as Felix, he won on his first try Saturday at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Christian topped the Modon CDI3* Grand Prix Special aboard the 16-year-old stallion by Jazz.
Christian Simonson and Fleau de Baian. (Centre Line Media photo)
Despite mistakes in both lines of changes on the diagonal, his other marks were high enough to give him a total of 70 percent. It was the first CDI victory for the pairing since Christian took over the ride in 2023 from Dutch star Adelinde Cornelissen, who rode Fleau De Baian’s full brother, Parzival, at two Olympics.
The win was special for Christian, number nine in the world, since he and Felix were eliminated for a blood speck in the horse’s mouth at the conclusion of his Grand Prix test during two weeks ago.
“Horses are always a learning process, and with Felix, I’ve learned an immense amount…already,” said the 23-year-old rider.
He called it a testament to his trainer, Adrienne Lyle, and their team.
“We can deconstruct what happened and look at how we can best understand it and move forward,” he said.
“Today was a good reflection of our mentality to always try to do right by our horses, understand them better and present them better.”
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