Juan Matute Loses Lexus in Tragic Road Accident

Dressage

Spain

Juan Matute Guimon has lost his number one Grand Prix horse, Lexus, in a tragic road accident on its way home from the 2025 CDIO Aachen.

Lexus

Lexus was a 9-year old Dutch warmblood by Vivaldi out of Domino Win T (by Ferro x Jazz). He was bred by H. van de Bighelaar.

The horse was discovered by Spaniard Guillermo Roldán, who first trained and competed the chestnut gelding. They premiered in 2021 and made it to the Spanish Young Horse Championships.

Lexus sold to the Matute family who went into an ownership partnership with Margaret Carrera. He became the successor for Quantico and Don Diego.

Under Juan Matute Guimon, Lexus made his international show debut in March 2023 in Jerez in the small tour. They win the Inter I and competed at the CDI's in Alter da Chao, Camarma de Esteruelas , and Segovia that year. They won bronze in the 2023 Spanish Championships for 7-year olds.

Matute moved him up to Grand Prix level at age 8 and premiered him in Le Mans to a 67.674% earning Grand Prix score. That year they showed in Jerez, Madrid, and the Spanish Championships, where they were 12th (GP), 10th (GPS) and 13th (Kur). They got invited to ride the Spanish Olympic team trial in Jardy. They did not make the cut, but crowned their first year at Grand Prix in Frankfurt with their first international win in the Kur to Music (76.510%).

This year the pair was in full campaign for a Spanish team spot for the European Championships. They placed 10th and 6th at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix Championships. They competed at the CDI's in Lier, Fontainebleau, and rode on the Spanish team in the FEI Nations Cups in Compiegne and Aachen. Last weekend in Aachen, they scored 67.956% in the Grand Prix and 67.234% in the Special, twice finishing 27th.

Accident

Lexus' life and career came to a tragic end on his way home in Madrid from the CDIO Aachen.

His groom and lorry driver were involved in a road accident near Tours, France. The driver and groom ended in the hospital, fortunately with minor injuries, but Lexus sustained life-threatening injuries and could not be saved.

"The sadness I feel is so profound... having lost my teammate tears me apart," said Juan about losing his sport partner. "My chest tightens at the thought that I'll no longer be able to enjoy you in the arena, training or competing, nor the smile you brought to my face when you heard the food was coming and your happy whinnying began, nor your tender moments when you were asleep and lying down and you allowed me to sit on your back. I miss you already, my friend. You are and always will be irreplaceable."