Sharon is 36yrs old and started horse riding at the age of 3yrs. By the age of 4 she had her own pony and was happy attending the local Donnybrook Pony Club, in the South West of Western Australia. At 7yrs of age Sharon was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in her left femur, a rare tumour that usually occurs in teenage boys. Originally given the prognosis of 3 months to live, Sharon defied the odds and after a year of Chemo and Radiotherapy she was cleared of the cancer.
The next year the leg broke in the same place due to the weakness in that leg. After many operations and bone grafts Sharon has been left with limited movement and strength from the waist down particularly on the left side.
She has not let this stand in her way of pursuing her passion of Horse Riding. Not being allowed to ride for the following 6 years made her more determined than ever to achieve her dreams.
Determined to succeed in both Show Horse and Dressage disciplines Sharon began a riding career which has seen her achieve many great results in open able bodied competition, with one of the most proud being representing WA at the 2006 EFA National Show Horse Championships in the Senior Rider Class, and competing at the Sydney CDI*** Prix St George Dressage Class in 2010.
Sharon started competing in Para Equestrian Dressage for the first time in 2006. Sharon has since represented Australia at the 2007 World Para-Dressage Championships at Hartpury, England riding a borrowed Horse and achieving 2 Top 10 placing’s. And represented Australia at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics where she achieved a 4th, 5th and 7th Placing as well as being part for the 4 rider Australian Team that placed 6th. Sharon was a member of the Australian team that won the Teams competition at the Melbourne CPEDI*** in December 2009, where She also took out Grade 3 Champion, winning all 3 of the Grade 3 Tests and also producing the highest score of the competition. Sharon has been WA State Champion each year since 2006 and National Champion 2008, 2009, 2010 and runner up in 2012. In 2010 The World Equestrian Games were held in Kentucky, USA. The largest Equestrian event. Competing on her horse Applewood Odorado Sharon Achieved 2 Bronze Medals in the 2 events she competed in, the Individual Grade 3 Championship Test and the Grade 3 Freestyle Test.
Sharon is a NCAS L1 Coach and enjoys coaching riders in the disciplines of Show Horse and Dressage which they compete successfully at Royal, Sate and National level. Keeping Sharon busy is also the running of her Show and Performance Horse and Pony Stud, Applewood. Sharon is also the State Sales Manager for Horse Feed manufacturer Pryde’s EasiFeed. Sharon is quite often spending a lot of time on the road travelling and at times spending a lot of time staying in Perth to receive coaching and also to attend competitions most weekends.
Each year Sharon drives her car and horse float across the Nullarbor at times to compete at top competitions.
Major Awards
- Equestrian WA Para Athlete of the Year 2012
- WA Institute of Sport Athlete of the year with a Disability 2011
- WA South West Sports Star of the year 2011
- Equestrian Australia Athlete of the year 2010
- Equestrian WA Sports Star of the Year 2010
- Equestrian Australia Para Athlete of the Year 2009
- Paralympics 2008
- Dual Bronze Medalist World Championships 2010
I am so excited to be involved with the Sock it to Sarcoma! organisation. It really gives me a chance to be able to educate people about what it is and if that can lead to earlier detection then that is a great outcome. I hope that I can give someone or their friends and family something positive to think about when they are going through the Sarcoma Journey. I lead an amazing life because I survived Sarcoma and I hope I can use this to inspire others to do the same. I was so happy when I heard about Sock it to Sarcoma! I immediately thought this is something really special, close to my heart, foundered in my home state, envisaged by a beautiful young lady, something I can give back to for those friends that I have lost to sarcoma along the way. Thank you for the chance to be involved.