Will Simpson and The Dude take first in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix Friday, January 22, 2015. (c) ESI Photography

Thermal, California (January 25, 2015): Competition in the Grand Prix ring is heating up at HITS Desert Horse Park, as Will Simpson stretched his streak to three with a win in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix with Monarch International’s The Dude.Forty-one starters took to the SmartPak track but only thirteen left all the jumps up and qualified for the jump off. Simpson and The Dude, who won $7,500 for their effort, were the fastest with a jump off time of 39.562, but by just less than a second over second place winner Christian Heineking, riding Charika for Isabella Terry with a time of 40.312. Simpson, riding another Monarch International-owned horse, Katie Riddle, came in a close third with no faults in 40.675.“This circuit is heating up already with these jumpers,” said Simpson. “The Dude felt so good in the victory gallop, I think he thought he was going back in to do it all over again. One good horse elevates the entire string and I have two right now – pretty sweet. The nice part, too, is that Hannah Heidegger (who trains with Simpson and came in sixth on Monarch International’s Geledimar with a time of 45.346) is putting pressure on me to stay on top of it all, too. She is right in there just about every time now, too.”Heineking, riding Chakira to the second place win, said, “The jump off was technical enough and with thirteen in it, you had to be on your game. I liked the course and it looks like the HITS circuit here this year is going to be special. I really look forward to coming from Texas for these competitions. It’s going to be a horse race in some of these.”About SmartPakSmartPaks are custom made, pre-measured daily dose Paks of your horse’s supplements. They are clearly labeled with your horse’s name for fast, accurate feeding every time. Tightly sealed to protect potency, SmartPaks ensure that your horse always has the freshest supplements available. SmartPaks over $40 are delivered free automatically every 28 days, so you never worry about running out.$25,000 SmartPak Grand PrixPlace     Horse     Owner Rider  Prize  Round 1 Faults  JO Faults  JO Time   1 The Dude  Monarch International  William Simpson   $7,500 0 0 39.5622 Charika  Isabelle Terry  Christian Heineking     $5,500  0 0 40.3123 Katie Riddle     Monarch International  William Simpson     $3,250     0 0 40.6754 Quidam Blue     Juniper Farms & Equitop Farm   Jill Henselwood     $2,000     0 0 41.0205 Zilox T  Haley Farms, LLC  Tiffany Sullivan     $1,500     0 0  45.0356 Geledimar  Monarch International  Hannah Heidegger $1,200 0 0 45.3467 Conejito  Carol Wright  Carol Wright     $1,000     0 0  47.1808 Chantico  Forest View Farm & Karen Ball  John Pearce     $750 0     4 43.6909 Tembla  Signe Ostby   Karl Cook  $750 0 4 44.39310 Terrific  John Anderson  John Anderson $500     0 8 41.66411 Nakich Double Dutch     Madeleine Louise Wilson Nayel Nassar $500 0 8 42.72412 Acita  Nayel Nassar     Nayel Nassar  $500  0 12 43.521