Quantico Ymas Juan Matute Guimon during the Grand Prix at the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 at Tryon International Equestrian Centre, near Tryon North Carolina in the USA between 11th-23rd September 2018
The 22-year-old was airlifted to hospital in Madrid on 5 May after collapsing while riding at home, and underwent two operations and doctors fought to save his life. He remained in a coma for 25 days, but was able to return home at the start of July, and get back in the saddle on 31 July.
“The Tokyo Olympics is the goal for sure,” Juan told H&H, adding that he also aims to compete at the Spanish championships in September.
“There’s nothing stopping me now, I’m picking up full speed.”
Juan, the son of three-time Olympian Juan Matute snr, represented Spain at the World Equestrian Games in 2018 riding Quantico, the then 12-year-old Fighting Fit gelding with whom he also won individual bronze at the under-25 European Championships in 2017.
He also rode the gelding to a career-best score of 80.51% at the World Cup qualifier in Mechelen, Belgium, in December, and will campaign him for the Spanish Olympic team.
“I had a great winter season – I was getting new personal bests, beating my own records. Quantico is my main horse now and we are aiming for more super results. I’m doing amazingly well at the moment, riding three or four horses each day, going to rehab and physio about four times a week, and it’s looking like I’ll be back to full steam very soon,” said Juan, who grew up in Wellington, Florida, but relocated to Spain in 2018 to be near the hub of the sport in Europe.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“I’d like to go out to Wellington to do the World Cup shows with a couple of horses. It’s still not easy to travel so we don’t know if we will be able to do as much as I’d like, but that’s the idea. I want to show and prove that we are at that level and of that quality, then I want to shoot for Tokyo, and also compete at Aachen next year.
“I have so many people around me supporting me and reaching out, and sending me messages of motivation; what I can do now is fight to build up strength and go back to doing what I’m best at.”
“It’s important to keep life full and exciting,” he added. “We are only here for one life, and we should never cancel our options.”
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
