Hometown: Ventura, Calif. Birthday: 8/26/2002 Sport/Disciplines: Dressage

Christian Simonson started riding at the age of six and competing at national dressage shows at the age of 13. He moved up the levels and began competing in FEI competitions in 2016, which was the start of an illustrious youth career.

Simonson attended four FEI North American Youth Championships, earning junior team gold and individual silver with Herzkonig in 2017, young rider team silver with FRH Rassolini in 2018, and young rider team gold, individual gold, and freestyle gold with Zeaball Diawind in 2021. Simonson rode Zeaball Diawind to the Horseware Ireland/USEF Young Rider Dressage National Championship title at the 2021 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. He competed three times at Future Champions CDIY in Hagen, Germany, from 2021 through 2023 as part of the U.S. Dressage Young Rider European Tour, helping collect team bronze in 2021 with Zeaball Diawind and in 2023 with Son of a Lady. Also, Simonson rode in the CDIY division at the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival in 2022 and 2023, finishing third in the FEI Young Riders Freestyle both times with Son of a Lady.

In 2023, Simonson made his senior team debut at the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ USA, winning team silver and individual gold in the FEI Intermediate I Freestyle with Son of a Lady. Later, the pair won the Neue Schule/USEF Intermediaire I Dressage National Championship at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions.