We Warned You About Indian Rock

Qualifier 3 of the US Equestrian Open of Dressage concluded Friday night in Wellington with a result that felt both expected, yet historic. Christian Simonson and Indian Rock delivered an 81.445 percent Grand Prix Freestyle, setting a new personal best for the pair and the highest score recorded in Open Series history to date.

The win marked Simonson’s second victory of the season and extended an eight-start winning streak that now spans multiple venues and levels. While Indian Rock has scored higher in the past with his previous rider, Emmelie Scholtens, Friday’s test represented a new high point for this partnership, one that continues to progress at a notable pace.

From the opening line, the freestyle had a sense of ease that carried through the test. That impression was reflected across the panel, with all five judges placing the combination first and awarding marks that reinforced both the technical quality and overall impression. The final score edged past Simonson and Indian Rock’s previous Open Series record of 81.405 percent, set last season.

A day earlier, Simonson and Indian Rock scored 76.043 percent in the Grand Prix, the highest mark by an American rider at that level since Adrienne Lyle and Salvino posted 77 percent on the same grounds three years ago. Together, the two scores place Simonson and Indian Rock atop a small but growing group of younger American riders now producing internationally competitive numbers with increasing regularity.

The result also carried practical consequences. With the win, Simonson and Indian Rock clinched their qualification for the FEI Dressage World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas this spring, becoming the first American combination to do so this season. It is another milestone in what has been a rapid ascent for the 23-year-old rider, who climbed from No. 151 to No. 15 in the world rankings this month, now the highest-ranked American rider globally.

“At the end of the test I was shaking my head in absolute disbelief,” Simonson said.

“Since I started riding, I’ve been coming to this show and always hoped that one day I could do Friday Night Stars because it’s the epitome of amazing dressage freestyles in Florida. So, on that last centre line, I was just thinking, ‘Whoa, this is me doing this with the Indian Rock. I can’t believe it.’”

Behind the winners, Geñay Vaughn and Gino finished second on 75.790 percent, backing up their December win in California with a solid result in a deeper field. Ashley Holzer and Hawtins San Floriana took third on 75.010 percent, narrowly ahead of Caroline Darcourt and Lord Django, who posted a 74.695 percent freestyle at the venue where they once set their career high.

With three qualifiers now complete, the Open Series leaderboard has begun to take shape. Simonson leads with 40 points, followed by Vaughn on 30, while the remaining positions reflect a mix of single starts and early-season exploration.

For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at USEquestrianOpen@usef.org.

For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at cweilminster@usef.org. 

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