Handling both the heat of competition and the heat of broiling temperatures with a feel like triple digits, Christian Simonson took the Neue Schule/USEF Intermediate I championship on Son of a Lady during the Dressage Festival of Champions on Thursday at the Lamplight Equestrian Center.
“I don’t think I’ve ever ridden in such conditions before,” said Christian, who had two horses in the division’s freestyle finale. At 5 p.m., about 40 minutes after the class began, the temperature at the venue outside of Chicago was 95 degrees with 54 percent humidity, which meant it felt like 109 degrees.
Christian left his jacket on the sidelines because of the extreme heat at Lamplight. (Photo by Leslie Potter/USEF)
Christian wore his shadbelly while riding his first mount, Zeaball Diawind, but for his second horse, he dispensed with a coat, as did others in the class of 12.
Dealing with such high temperatures can wreak havoc on concentration.
“I was sending some texts to Adrienne that weren’t coherent,” admitted Christian, referring to his trainer, Adrienne Lyle.
But he was proud of how his horses powered through the test under less-than-optimum conditions.
Christian Simonson and Son of a Lady in the I-1 on Tuesday. (Photo by Leslie Potter/U.S. Equestrian).
“It’s a hard feeling to describe, but it’s one of the coolest feelings ever, when you feel them digging for you and trying and really pushing,” he said.
This was an observation event for the Pan American Games, to be held this autumn in Chile, so short-listed Christian recognized that everything was on the line.
As Christian enjoyed some pizza on a golf cart after the victory ceremony, he reflected, “I really wanted to do well and I knew each day I had to deliver. Where I hoped I’d be is up at the front of the pack.”
And that’s just where he ended up. The 21-year-old Californian took the title with an overall score of 73.269 percent, while reserve champion Nora Batchelder on Nova scored 72.130.
Christian won both the Prix St. Georges and the Intermediate I with Son of a Lady, but was second in the freestyle with 74.015 percent to Charlotte Jorst on Zhaplin Langholt (75.610.) Charlotte finished third overall in the championship.
The tricolor sash around Sonny’s neck was the culmination of a major effort. (Learn more about Christian by clicking on this link.)
“It’s been a year-and-a-half plan with Adrienne to get to this point, it’s taken a lot of support from Team River Grove. It felt a little bit beyond my grasp of making this team and competing against the adults. By doing it, I’ve learned so much and learned so much from Adrienne also about how to go through these events. It’s been such an amazing experience with such special horses.”
Adrienne once won the same title that Christian earned at the championship. He noted he’ll miss Adrienne at the Pan Ams, because they’re a week after she’s scheduled to deliver her baby girl.
“But that’s much more important than any competition,” he was quick to mention.
He thanked his team, including vets, farriers and grooms for “a monumental effort. I feel extremely grateful to be in this position at a young age.”
Click here for the freestyle results.
