Dressage-News

July 1, 2014

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Juan and Paula Matute, the teenage brother and sister children of a three-time Spanish Olympian, are scheduled to compete at the World Equestrian Festival Under-25 division in Aachen, Germany after riding on Spain’s Junior team at the European Championships.

The 16-year-old Juan and 18-year-old Paula will ride in the Europeans in Arezzo, Italy on Dhannie Ymas and Firmamento Ymas, seven-year-old brothers sired by Don Crusador.

Juan has also qualified the five-year-old Jamaicano de Ymas III for the World Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany in early August.

Paula and Juan were stars on this year’s Global Dressage Festival winter circuit in Wellington, Florida where the family has settled permanently. Their father, Juan, competed for Spain at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta.

Both riders competed in Europe last year and Juan was on Spain’s continental junior championship team.

At this year’s Florida winter shows, the pair rode on Spain’s Nations Cup team that won bronze as well as numerous individual top placings in addition both making their debut at Grand Prix.

“This year if everything goes the way it’s been going until today it looks like Spain has a very strong Junior team, so we are very excited to see how this competition unfolds,” Paula told dressage-news.com of the Arezzo championships scheduled for next week.

As for Aachen, she said, “Riding Grand Prix in such a prestigious competition at such young ages is a dream that came true. Many hours and hard effort were put in the ring every day with our minds set for this goal.

“I believe that waking up and falling asleep every day with a goal in your mind is a very important part of succeeding.”

And being accepted to Verden, Paula said, “makes us all so proud to see a horse bred by our sponsors Yeguada de Ymas representing our country and PRE breed at such world renowned competition.”