His entire life was marked by an immense love for horses and equestrian sports. Tragically, he died as a result of a fall from a horse. With his passing, Spanish sports lost a true master of equestrianism. To many, the greatest Spanish rider of all time.
His childhood and training
Jaime García-Cruz was born in Madrid in 1910. From a very young age, he was drawn to the world of horses, especially since his father Agustín García Goyoaga shared a riding school in the capital with his brother Pedro. He was therefore the first cousin of the also famous rider Paco Goyoaga.
At 18, he enrolled in the General Military Academy, graduating four years later as a Cavalry Lieutenant. He was the top graduate of the 1942 class at the Army Riding School, where he would later join as an instructor.
He taught riders who would later become highly prominent competitors: Alonso Martín, Gazapo, Valencia, Queipo de Llano, Martínez de Vallejo... Practically his entire life was dedicated to the School—as a cavalry officer, a rider, and a masterful instructor.
The national team
It didn’t take long for him to join the national team, and his successes followed swiftly. In 1947, a year before the London Olympics, he broke the Spanish high jump record in Bilbao, clearing 2.22 metres on the Irish horse, a grey specialist in puissance events, Bengalí. This record stood unbeaten until the year 2000, when Josechu Verdugo surpassed it—meaning Jaime García-Cruz’s record remained unbroken for 53 years.
During this period, the Spanish army purchased high-quality horses annually from Ireland, which the military riders trained to exceptional performance.
The London Olympics
In 1948, Jaime García-Cruz was among the riders representing Spain at the London Olympic Games. His teammates were Lieutenant Colonel Navarro and Commander Gavilán.
García-Cruz competed in London riding Bizarro, achieving fifth place in the individual ranking (the best Olympic result for a Spanish rider at the time), while Mariles (Mexico) took gold. In the team event, Spain secured second place, earning the silver medal behind Mexico.
The horse Quorum
After the Olympics, Jaime rode Quorum due to an injury sustained by its regular rider, Navarro. This excellent French-bred horse was owned by José Navarro until the army acquired it in 1951, though Navarro continued riding it until his injury.
With Quorum, García-Cruz won two individual second-place prizes at White City (London) and a team second prize in what would now be equivalent to the Nations Cup. This same horse would later carry his cousin and friend Paco Goyoaga to victory at the 1954 World Championships in Paris.
Other horses ridden by Jaime García-Cruz
Beyond Bengalí and Quorum, Jaime also rode the highly successful German horse Quoniam, which—despite its unorthodox style (incorrect neck usage)—won numerous puissance events and international competitions, including the 1950 Rome Grand Prix.
Eolo IV, offspring of the famous Furioso, was another of García-Cruz’s celebrated mounts. Ridden with reins on the noseband, this French horse competed at international events in Nice and Rome at just five years old. Later, Eolo was expertly ridden by Alfonso Queipo de Llano, winning multiple Grand Prix and puissance classes. Enrique Martínez de Vallejo rode him at the Tokyo Olympics.
A severe injury
In 1953, he suffered a serious fall while training at the Riding School. The injuries kept him in complete rest for nearly ten months. By 1954, he had recovered, marking his best competitive year individually and as part of the team.
A stellar career: Spain and abroad
1956 would be Jaime’s final year competing internationally, but his activity in Spain continued. During his six years on the Spanish team, he amassed numerous prestigious trophies: he was part of the winning team in seven Nations Cups and claimed seventeen first-place finishes in international competitions.
He competed with great success in the US, Mexico, and Chile. In 1954, alongside Goyoaga and Ordovás, he toured the US and Canada, triumphing repeatedly. Jaime travelled transatlantically by ship with the horses, accompanied by his loyal groom, Isidoro Manero.
A deeply mourned passing
The pages of equestrian history were cast in mourning on 16 May 1959. That day, Jaime was competing at the national event in Valladolid on the mare Nákar. After two refusals, the third attempt ended disastrously: horse and rider fell. Nákar crushed Jaime García-Cruz, and nothing could be done to save him.
On 16 May 1959, one of the finest riders in Spanish equestrian history died—a competitor still remembered today as an exceptional rider, a brilliant instructor, and an unparalleled master. A rider of immense talent who practised superb equestrianism. A devoted enthusiast, a profound connoisseur, and a true lover of horses.
A story flavoured with triumphs yet steeped in nostalgia for Spanish and global equestrianism.
