PEARCE Simone

General
AUSTRALIA TO EUROPE
In 2010 she left Australia to pursue a modelling career in Europe, but after a few weeks in Spain she began to miss horses and took up a student position at a stable in the Netherlands. After working at various stables in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, she settled in Germany in September 2018 to join training centre and stud farm Gestut Sprehe. "Here I have such a consistent routine, and a long term plan tailored to every horse. I love being able to look one year into the future with a big goal and be able to set lots of little achievable goals along the way. It's been challenging for sure, but I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to develop my riding across a broad range of horses. I really love that there is time to develop the horses without any pressure. Sprehe really has the focus on grand prix, no matter how long that takes. As a rider this is the most positive environment to produce horses in." (horsemagazine.com, 25 Jun 2015; piaffe.co.uk, 01 Sep 2020; eurodressage.com, 05 Jul 2020)

SAFETY FIRST
She has backed an International Equestrian Federation [FEI] ruling that went into force in January 2021, requiring dressage riders to wear helmets. The International Dressage Riders Club, representing a number of elite athletes who wanted to continue wearing traditional top hats, petitioned unsuccessfully to get the ruling reversed by FEI. "I think it's very selfish and irresponsible to publicly encourage young riders to ride without a helmet in any situation. We as professionals have a duty to be positive role models to the younger generations and to the equestrian community alike. I understand the argument that the rate of accidents in the competition arena is very low, however it is possible so why not eliminate any risk? Just last year [2018] I had a terrible riding accident myself. I can't imagine what more could have happened if I wasn't wearing my helmet, I really think it might have saved me that day. The equestrian sport at any level comes with so many risks and I don't understand why some people think that looking good could ever justify putting someone's safety at jeopardy." (horsetalk.co.nz, 20 Nov 2021; dressage-news.com, 25 Oct 2020)