Australian Olympian Simone Pearce has been invited by the KWPN studbook to serve as test rider for the 2025 Pavo Cup Finals.
The Pavo Cup finals are the annual "Dutch warmblood young horse championships" held during the KWPN horse days in Ermelo. This year the finals take place on 2 August 2025.
The "test rider" will assess the rideability, quality of gaits and potential of the top three ranked horses, in the 4, 5, and 6-year old division and give a score that will count for the final result.
"I'm looking forward to testing the best Dutch horses," said Pearce. "Dutch breeders have made great strides in breeding dressage horses for professional sport. For me, it's a great opportunity to get a feel for the best young horses. For me, young horse competitions are fundamental building blocks in the training of young horses. Rideability and the way young horses respond to their riders are my priorities when assessing a young horse. Because I know that's what will take me far in international sport. Horses must be able to handle the demands in a positive way."
Pearce competed at two Olympic Games (2021, 2024) with the Oldenburg stallion Destano. She represented Australia at the 2022 World Championships in Herning and 2023 World Cup Final with Oldenbrug stallion Fiderdance. She competed at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses five times and won a bronze medal with the KWPN bred No Limit (by Geniaal) in 2023.
In 2024 Pearce stopped working for an employer and has gone solo. She rides her clients' horses as well as investment horses purchased by her fiancé Martin Fuchs and his business partner. Since the 2024 Paris Olympics Pearce has not competed internationally in dressage. In November 2024 she made her show jumping debut in June in Gorla Minore (ITA) at CSI 1* level aboard Calico Z and has done more CSI in June 2025 since then.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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