"Out of Control" Will Simpson Wins Again! Claims 9th HITS Thermal Grand Prix

Thermal, California (March 13, 2015) – As equestrians prepare for Sunday's AIG $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS Thermal, Olympic Gold Medalist Will Simpson claimed his ninth Grand Prix victory at HITS Desert Horse Park this season. His latest win came on Katie Riddle, owned by Monarch International, in the $25,000 SmartPak Wild Card Grand Prix on Friday afternoon.

"It's out of control," said Simpson, after trumping a field of 38 riders. Simpson will ride S.F. Ariantha, owned by Olivia Cox-Fill, in Sunday's match.

No rider made it double-clear in Friday's class. Simpson and Katie Riddle were first to go and were very fast, in a time of 32.641, but had the “A” element of the combination down.  The combination proved to be almost every riders’ nemesis in the jump-off, and it became the focus of the remaining riders’ warm-up preparation. 

"I used a little too much extra leg there," Simpson said of the tricky combination. But his aggressive ride, even with the rail, was worth it. "It was a very quick jump-off," he continued, but his fast time held up through the rest of the round.

Simpson’s son, 13-year-old Ty, came out and joined him at HITS Thermal on Friday and will be there for the Million. “He brought me really good luck on Friday the 13th,” Will said. S.F. Ariantha also qualified for Friday's jump-off, but Simpson decided to give her a rest so she would be fresh for Sunday's Million and so did not return for the speed round. The pair, nonetheless, placed seventh in the class.

Five other riders made it to the jump-off, with the second through fourth place spots going to other four-faulters. Richard Spooner placed second on Chivas Z, owned by SN Stables, LLC, in 32.758 — just a tenth of a second behind Simpson; Kilian McGrath took third on BB Casablanca, owned by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman, in 36.930; and Chris Pratt rounded out fourth on Zetro Sent, owned by the Epic Group, LLC, in 40.105.

Marina Azevedo, of Brazil, designed the course.

General admission tickets are on sale now for the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by MortgageCall, Sunday, March 15! General Admission tickets are $10 per person. Children under 12 are free. Tickets are available at the Main Gate on the day of the show. For more spectator information, click here.

(c) ESI Photography
Will Simpson and Katie Riddle, owned by Monarch International, won Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Wild Card Grand Prix at HITS Thermal.

$25,000 SmartPak Wild Card Grand Prix - HITS Thermal - Week VIII

About HITS, Inc.
HITS, Inc. produces high quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the Village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York, and Virginia.

While hosting the richest weekend in show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson, HITS also formed the Triple Crown of Show Jumping. This includes the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Mortgage Call, in Thermal, California, the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida, and Saugerties $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Wells Fargo, in Saugerties, New York.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.