NEW TEAM RIDER

Simone Pearce

Welcome to the family, Simone!

It is with great pleasure that we can present Simone Pearce as one of Maya Delorez’s new team riders. Simone is an Australian dressage rider based in Germany, who started her career as a working student and groom in the Netherlands.

Her track record is now long and impressive, including representing Australia in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. If you ask us, we strongly believe that Simone is on an unstoppable rise to the top and we’re excited to follow her journey onwards!

“Maya Delorez is the perfect combination of sporty equestrian style and modern wearable fashion. I absolutely love its athletic aesthetic as well as its functional practicality!” – Simone Pearce


ABOUT SIMONE
  • Age: 32 years old (Born in July, 1991)
  • Lives in: Germany
  • From: Australia
  • Occupation: Dressage rider
  • Instagram: @Simone Pearce Dressage

QUICK CHAT 💬

For someone who doesn’t know, who is Simone Pearce?
“I’m an absolute animal-loving horse enthusiast with a huge passion for dressage! I grew up in rural Australia only dreaming of one day getting to experience dressage like I had seen at the Olympics on the tv and I’ve spent the last 12 years working my way up from a working student and groom to now reaching my childhood dream of competing at the Olympics.”

How did everything start? When did you first come in contact with horses? 
“I originally started riding when I was just 1 year old on my family’s cattle farm. At that time it had nothing to do with dressage. I grew up doing cattle mustering, pony club, and camping in the bush with my ponies in the summer holidays – a world away from where I am now… But always with a huge love for horses!”

When did you begin to focus on dressage?
“I really started to focus on dressage when I came to Europe and sort of “fell into” a job as a working student/groom in the Netherlands. I got to groom on some big shows there and I was so inspired by the amazing riding and the beautifully educated horses that I decided to defer my university studies and start working towards a career in the equestrian industry.”

Can you walk us through a typical day in your life?

  • I wake up at 06:00 – first things first; a coffee and then I take my dog for a walk. 
  • 07:00 – I’m in the stable and on my first horse by 7:15. Then, I ride two horses. Usually, I like to train with my most “important” competition horses first.
  • Between 08:30- 9:00 I take a 30-minute lunch break which usually consists of playing with the chihuahuas again. 
  • Between 9:00-12:30 I will ride 4-5 more horses depending on how much training is required. The training intensity varies from day to day and according to what we have coming up. 
  • From 13:30-16:30 I go riding again (usually around 4 horses, depending on the circumstances). Sometimes we are training, sometimes jogging, or out on the canter track, jumping, in the forest – I really try to mix it up and keep it interesting for the horses. 
  • Then at around 16:30 I usually give a lesson to one of the other girls riding in the stable. 
  • When I’ve finished the work in the stable I take my dog for a walk again, mostly down to the other stable to visit my mare and foal. 
  • After that I’m just chilling, having dinner, watching Netflix and maybe a little cheeky online shopping!

What keeps you motivated? 
“Sometimes the industry is really hard and I feel like I’m still so far from my goals and never going to catch that extra lucky break. But honestly, one great training session where I get to teach a horse something new and I get that feeling that everything just clicks and the horse and I are having fun and unified as one – and I’m full of inspiration and motivation again. I think it’s always the horses that motivate us!”

Can you give us your best tips for young riders out there who dream of a successful competitive career in equestrian sports?
“You have to be willing to work hard and be willing to fight and give your all to every opportunity that you get!”

What are some of the challenges you have faced, and the lessons you have learned throughout your career?
“I’ve been alone here in Europe since I was 18. Always kind of fumbling through life and trying to build myself up and find my way to better, more prosperous situations – so I often struggle with feeling a lack of support. In an industry with so much money and politics, that can be a really overwhelming feeling to overcome but I always just try to focus on my own journey and not compare myself with others.”

Your top goals at the moment?
“On a professional level I would love to find the perfect dance partner and be able to break into the top 15 in the world! Of course, the Paris Olympics are on everyone’s mind too… 

On a personal level, I am always aiming to get myself in a position where I am able to be happy, content and continuing on a positive path of self-growth.”

As the experienced dressage rider that you are, how do you prepare for a competition? Can you give us your top 3 tips?

  • The more successful you want to be, the more preparation you’ll need. Practice the test and find your weaknesses and try to find the best way to deal with them. I always try to make myself a little “playbook” for the things me and my horses find difficult so that I am equipped to deal with every situation on shows.
  • Don’t get too caught up in the result. Of course we always want to do our best – and winning is amazing. But we are all on a journey, never at the end result so take each day as it comes and continue aiming to better yourself. Today’s failure could be tomorrow’s success if you are willing to use it and learn from the experience!
  • Have fun!!! That’s why we ride ❤️

“Today’s failure could be tomorrow’s success”

Which are your favorite MD products? 
“I literally live in the breeches!!! They are my absolute staple look from the stable to the shops, they are without question my favorite equestrian product on the market!”

Shop Simone’s style