Australian dressage rider Simone Pearce secured fifth place in the CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle at Jumping International de Bordeaux, scoring 74.380% with Will Marq in their international debut. The performance followed a Grand Prix win earlier in the weekend, capping a successful outing alongside her fiancé Martin Fuchs's show jumping victory. Both celebrated family triumphs in their disciplines.
At the Jumping International de Bordeaux, Australian dressage rider Simone Pearce and her ten-year-old gelding Will Marq made their international freestyle debut, finishing fifth with a score of 74.380%. The event, held in an electric indoor atmosphere, saw an early disruption when Will Marq got frightened, unsettling their rhythm. Despite this, the pair regrouped to deliver a resilient performance against a world-class field.
Pearce reflected on social media: “Unfortunately Will got a big fright in the beginning of the freestyle today which really messed up our flow and of course the score too. But wow I’m so proud of how he came back from it and then was really with me and trying his hardest again. It’s just his first ever freestyle and when we can iron out the kinks in it I think it’s going to be just great with my special boy.”
This freestyle result built on their earlier success on Friday, February 8, 2026, where Pearce and Will Marq won the CDI4* Grand Prix with their best score to date. Adding to the weekend's highlights, Pearce's fiancé, Swiss show jumper Martin Fuchs—who co-owns Will Marq—won the CSI5* Grand Prix AUDI aboard Conner Jei. Fuchs edged out Luxembourg's Victor Bettendorf by 0.15 seconds in the jump-off, marking his second consecutive victory at the Bordeaux arena.
Fuchs commented: “I really love this show jumping event. And what makes this victory even more precious is the success of my fiancée, Simone Pearce, in the Grand Prix dressage. It’s nice to have come here as a family and for each of us to have won a Grand Prix in our respective disciplines. It’s definitely a special moment.”
The achievements underscore a breakthrough weekend for the couple in equestrian sports.
