WELLINGTON, Fla.--U.S. 2008 Olympic team gold medalist Will Simpson swept the top two placings in the $32,000, CSI3* Speed on Saturday, Nov. 16 during the ESP Pre-Charity week at Florida’s Wellington International.
Will Simpson on Chacco P (Photo by Cassidy Klein)Winning aboard veteran mount Chacco P, Simpson was second with up-and-coming 9-year-old Keminko N.
Simpson on Chacco P, despite going early, third in the field of 34 over the course set by Hector Loyola of Puerto Rico, had the unbeatable time of 60.34 seconds.
He placed second on Keminko N, finishing in 61.39 seconds, and Alessandra Volpi on Berlinda was third in 61.5 seconds.
"He's in perfect condition and there’s no slowing down, he feels like he will go until he's 20," said Simpson of the 15-year-old Chacco P..
“He was on fire today; he's so fast with his feet,”said Simpson. “He's 18-hands, yet he can turn on a dime. He's a real fun horse to ride in the speed classes.”
"Keminko N is very green," said Simpson. "He’s 9 but he feels more like a 7-year-old."
“HE'S COME UP through the ranks and he's a real fighter,” said Simpson. “At first, I thought he was long-strided, but now I can leave strides out anywhere. You can also see in his eyes that he loves the sport and being out there competing."
With two top finishes early in the season, Simpson plans to return to Wellington during the Winter Equestrian Festival and compete in one of four five-star shows during the 2025 season.
“It is very exciting for me to be here in Wellington,” said Simpson, who recently relocated to Ocala, Fla., after basing the last 40 years of his career in California. “This is one of the reasons; it's a quick jaunt here and it’s very nice to be able to come down and show because I've got a couple of nice horses that I want to stay competitive with for a few more years.”
Also in the International Ring on Friday, Lillie Keenan on Le Louvre V5 won the 1.40m, and Canada’s Mikayla Sancho on OBF Marcus won the Junior/Amateur 1.40m.
