Thermal, California: Will Simpson won his second Grand Prix victory in the first week of HITS Thermal Desert Circuit I, this time on Katie Riddle, owned by Monarch International and the Von Heidegger family, in the $50,000 Equine Couture/TuffRider Grand Prix.

Simpson and Katie Riddle jumped with no faults in both the first round and jump off, with a time of 43.070 to win $15,000, topping a final field of 12 riders on Sunday. Second place went to Jaclyn Duff from Edmonton, Alberta, who jumped clear in both rounds on her own Pater Noster, with a jump off time of 43.759, taking home a prize of $11,000.

Discussing Sunday’s win and Katie Riddle, Simpson said, “The courses all week have been perfect for the welcome week leading into a big circuit. Horses have been on winter break but every horse I have seen this week has gotten better and better.”

“Competing with the best of these riders only makes you better,” said second-place finisher Duff. “They push you and leave no room to pull on the reins.”

John Pearce of Bermuda Dunes, California, placed third on his own Son of a Gun, with a clean round in the jump off time of 44.088, to win $6,500. Simpson, on The Dude, finished ninth in the class. Simpson topped the leaderboard earlier in the week in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix on The Dude, also owned by Monarch International. Florencio Hernandez, of Mexico City, Mexico, designed the Grand Prix course.

(c) ESI Photography
William Simpson and Katie Riddle jump to victory in the $50,000 

© ESI Photography
Will Simpson and Katie Riddle presented with the blue for their second Grand Prix win of Desert Circuit I.