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World Champion Simone Blum: “The balancing act between competing at top level and running a profitable business is difficult”

Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Interview

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping
World Champion Simone Blum has decided to take a step back from the big sport. "Since we run the company completely on our own, without any external owners or sponsors, we have to sell other horses in order to be able to keep Alice,” Blum tells. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

 

Text © World of Showjumping

 


 

With her World Champion DSP Alice (Askari x Landrebell) side-lined due to an injury, and her Grand Prix horse DSP Cool Hill (Corlensky G x Al Cantino) and future star Cecile (Conthargos x Carthago Z) sold back in July, Simone Blum has decided to take a step back from the big sport. World of Showjumping caught up with the 32-year-old German rider to hear about what the future holds.

“In equestrian sports, the balancing act between competing at top level and running a profitable business is difficult,” Simone says. “Alice has always been the horse of my life and someone very special for me. She has made me what I am today: She has brought our family company to where it is now, and is the one who has secured me my sponsor contracts. Being able to keep this horse was a blessing for my sports career and very important for our company Sportpferde Blum. Since we run the company completely on our own, without any external owners or sponsors, we have to sell other horses in order to be able to keep Alice.”

With DSP Alice, Simone earned a place in the German national squad, won the World Championship title in Tryon in 2018 and shot up the world ranking – all exceptional achievements for a rider with only one horse for the biggest classes. “The right horse is of course the most important factor for success and to climb up the world ranking list,” Simone says. “But with one horse it is almost impossible. I managed to get into the Top 30 in the world with Alice, but that was only possible because she scored points in every Grand Prix she competed in and because the World Championship title comes with a lot of ranking points. Normally you don't stand a chance in terms of points against the other riders who have several Grand Prix horses.”

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping “Alice has always been the horse of my life and someone very special for me," Simone Blum tells. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

“From the beginning, I had a special relationship with Alice. We got to know each other like the inside of our waistcoat pockets between the ages of seven and ten,” Blum tells about the special bond between the two. “Alice always fought for me like a lioness and we grew together. Without her attitude and quality, I would not have made it to the top of the world with one horse and not to the title as World Champion in 2018. The trust Alice has given me over these heights is indescribable. At the moment, Alice is doing well but she is in a very bad mood because she is not allowed to work enough… I really hope for her that she can start working again soon,” Simone smiles.

“DSP Cool Hill was a great horse for me, and he was very close to my heart too,” Simone continues. “We trained him from the age of six and he made it to five-star Grand Prix level – it's always a great feeling to have taken a horse that far. Now, at 11-years-old, it was time for him to pave the way for another rider into the big classes.”

“What is very unfortunate for me at the moment is the fact that I am entitled to compete at almost all shows in the world because of my World Championship title but I can't take advantage of that because I only have younger horses in my stable,” Blum continues. “Right now, an older horse that already jumps safely at five-star level would of course be a dream. However, we have big hopes for DSP Cellvista (Cellestial x Levisto) – a 7-year-old chestnut mare with exceptional talent. I hope that over the next few months, other horses will emerge to accompany Cellvista on her way to the top level.”

 

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