Joaquin Perez de las Heras

Joaquin Perez de las Heras (MEX), double bronze medallist at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and with a professional jumping career spanning over 30 years, passed away on Friday, 20 May at the age of 75. His daughter Katya was by his side. Mr Perez was widely tipped by the international equestrian community as a medal contender in Moscow having already competed at three previous Olympic Games in Mexico (1968), Munich (1972) and Montreal (1976). He had also enjoyed a highly successful European tour in the months running up the 1980 Games.

Riding the American-bred Alimony he clinched individual bronze and team bronze with compatriots Jesas Gomez Portugal, Alberto Valdes and Gerardo Tazzer in the Central Lenin Stadium, now part of Moscow`s Luzhniki Olympic complex.

Mr Parez was born in Ameca, Jalisco in central-western Mexico in 1936. At the age of 11 he became hooked on jumping after riding Arete (MEX), the horse ridden by Lieutenant Colonel Humberto Mariles (MEX) to double gold at the 1948 Olympic Games in London (GBR), a feat unequalled by any other Mexican sportsman at the time.

Mr Perez moved to El Paso, Texas (USA) more than 25 years ago, but returned to Mexico regularly to host clinics.

Joaquin Perez de las Heras was a Mexican equestrian and Olympic silver medallist at the 1980 Moscow Olympics riding Alymony