Biography
My name is Simon Laurens. I was born in Jersey in 1967, I’ll let you do the sums! I am a grade three Para dressage rider and part of the world performance squad. I started riding aged eight at the local riding school, owned by my mother‘s school friend Tess Phillipps. After a few months of lessons my mother decided a pony was needed, so Champagne, a 12 hand Palomino gelding, was acquired - a great pony who taught me many survival skills.
Show jumping was my first love, first in 12.2 classes then onto 14.2 ponies. I had my own ponies but was offered the ride on a fantastic pony called Golden Sovereign. Ben, as he was known, was the ultimate jumping machine and gave me several caps on the Junior team. I continued into horses with more good rides, all of which reached grade A. Glen’s Orbit was a true star and again gave me great success and team caps at senior level.
Then I joined Gemma Green and had my first taste of dressage. I worked with Gemma and travelled abroad with her which was a great experience. On my return to Jersey to care for my mother who also suffers from MS, I taught freelance and did freelance grooming because it fitted in with home life.
I met my partner John in Cheltenham, on a break. He is completely non horsey and has really been a rock for me and a driving force. He supports me all the way which is even more amazing as he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s six months before my diagnosis. I didn’t ride for several months after I was diagnosed, but John and a couple of close friends persuaded me to compete at a local dressage competition. I rode a smart show hunter called Ocean Dream. He won a couple of classes and this led to me competing in a couple of Para trials in the UK. It's been a roller-coaster from there.
2007 was a great year with a horse called Ocean Diamond, not only being on the gold medal Para team at the World Championships at Hartpury but also winning the individual Freestyle gold. 2008 was also a good year for both Ocean Diamond and Ocean Don Jon, my young horse at the time, who made a great start to his career and won the Restricted Novice Championship at the Winter Champs' at Hartpury. In 2008, riding Ocean Diamond, I won team gold in Hong Kong at the Paralympics and most recently in 2009 I won team gold and two individual bronze medals at the European Championships in Norway!
The last few years have been crazy and I owe my success to three people; firstly John who has been the organiser and the driving force, secondly Henriette Anderson, my trainer, who has got me to where I am at the moment; and finally Ulrik Moolgard, Henrietta’s partner, who has supported and encouraged me.