Dressage-News

Dec. 13, 2024

OCALA, Florida, Dec. 13, 2024–Dhannie Ymas, the Hanoverian gelding that carried Spanish riders Natalia Bacariza and Juan Matute Guimon to several European youth Championships, has completed his last competition, at the World Equestrian Center, at the age of 17.

Natalia competed Dhannie, owned by Yeguada de Ymas, at the CDI1* Small Tour, after a career for the horse that was first competed as a five-year-old, including the World Young Horse Championships and again in the six-year-old championships.

Juan Matute Guimon, whose family was based in Wellington, Florida at the time, took over the reins at the Global Dressage Festival in 2014.

After seven victories in Wellington, Juan was selected for Spain’s European Junior Championship team later the same year, becoming the top combination for the country’s squad.

Juan was top scoring on Spain’s team in the 2015 European Juniors and went on to capture Freestyle gold.

The pair swept top individual placings in the CDIO3* Nations Cup at Global in 2016 and remained successful on both sides of the Atlantic, including the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany, through Under-25 and Small Tour events.

Natalia took over the ride as a Junior in Wellington in 2018.

Natalia and Dhannie led Spain’s team to fourth place in the European Junior Championships the same year.

After competition successes in Florida and Europe, the duo moved up to Young Rider level in 2020 and were selected for the European Championships again being the top scoring pair for Spain’s fifth placed team.

The pair were chosen for Spain’s European Young Rider team in 2021 that placed fourth.

Natalia and Dhannie’s international competitions have centered on Florida the past two years, as some prospective events in Spain were canceled.

Natalia said there are no plans for a formal retirement for Dhannie.