Jewel’s Goldstrike, the $20 dressage horse that scored 70% at the Paris Olympics 2024

Top-class competition horses can cost millions of pounds, but one horse in the Paris 2024 Olympic dressage field was sold with a price-tag of just $20. Jewel’s Goldstrike, the ride of Julio Mendoza Loor, made his first trip across the Atlantic Ocean for an Olympic debut that fulfilled the Ecuadorian rider’s dreams.

The final moments of the most heartwarming ride. Julio Mendoza Loor of Ecuador made a tremendous ride on Jewel’s Goldstrike, a horse he bought for just $20. This is what can happen with an extraordinary horse when a talented rider sees potential, has patience, and believes in himself and his horse.

On the day of individual qualifiers at the Paris 2024 Olympics, people saw so many incredible champions advance to the finals. With a score of 70.839%, this pair wasn’t one of them. But their story is a triumph and we felt so grateful to see them ride. This is Olympic Spirit and where Olympic dreams come true.

Jewel’s Goldstrike’s fairytale journey to Olympic dressage stage
Julio has been competing Jewel’s Goldstrike, a 13-year-old chestnut by Bretton Woods x Scandic, internationally since 2022. He describes their partnership as “a fairytale”.

“I had a good friend who let me have this horse for a very accommodating price – $20!” he says. “For a horse that cost $20 to come down the centre line at the Olympic Games and score 70% is a fairytale.”

“Sometimes the media focus on the bad stories, but there are so many good stories we need to hear. Like how I bought a $20 horse, won a gold medal at the Pan Am Games, won at Aachen three weeks ago and made it to the Olympic Games. It’s crazy but it’s not impossible.”