Top international dressage rider Juan Matute Guimon is in a critical condition in hospital.
The 22-year-old, who made his senior championship debut on the Spanish team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, suffered a bleed on the brain and was taken to hospital yesterday (Tuesday, 5 May).
“In behalf of my family as well as myself I would like to thank you all for the messages and calls, however we are incapable to speak much at this time,” said his sister, Paula, in a statement on social media.
“My brother Juan is suffering from severe brain bleeding and he is in critical condition, the cause is yet unknown. More than ever I ask that we all unite, come together to give my brother the strength he needs to battle.
“I know you can’t read this or hear me but I love you brother, you will make it out of this.”
Juan is a rising star of the dressage world and in contention to represent Spain at next summer’s Olympics.
His career so far includes riding at six youth championships and competing his first senior championship (WEG 2018 in Tryon) when he would still have been eligible for young riders.
He won individual gold aboard Dhannie Ymas at the 2015 junior Europeans and bronze at the 2016 under-25 European Championships on Don Diego and in 2017 with Quantico.
Juan, who is the son of three-time Olympian Juan Matute Guimon Snr, combines riding with university studies and spoke as part of the youth panel at the 2018 FEI Sports Forum.
He has dozens of international wins to his name across youth and senior classes in the US and Europe.
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