Simone Pearce & Destano Perform “Perfect Kickstart to Corona Comeback” in Mariakalnok CDI in Campaign for Australian Olympic Team Spot

Simone Pearce rode Destano in the Big Tour Grand Prix Special debut for the 13-year-old stallion for the highest Special score of any Australian combination in almost two years.

In what she described as “the perfect kickstart to the corona comeback” at the world’s first international dressage competition in 3 1/2 months, Simone and Destano scored 73.106% in the Special at Mariakalnok, Hungary. It was only the second CDI for the partnership–the first at Grand Prix only was two days before the lockdown began in mid-March.

Simone, 29 years old in three weeks, and Destano are pursuing a place on Australia’s team for the Tokyo Olympics, deferred until next summer because of the pandemic.

Of the 47 Australian rider and horse pairs on the current world rankings, only Kristy Oatley on Du Soleil has posted higher Grand Prix Special scores–twice in 2018.

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Article written by: KENNETH J. BRADDICK