José Letartre, saddling up for Paris 2024!

José Letartre was born in Caracas, Venezuela, with agenesis in both of his lower limbs as a result of medical treatment taken by his mother during pregnancy. He grew up in the slums of Caracas. At the age of two, he had a stroke of luck though; an orphanage offered to take José in and fit him with prosthetic legs, which was a real technological feat for the time.

A few years later, the orphanage began looking for adoptive families in Paris, and at the age of 5, José crossed the Atlantic to the capital. In a second twist of fate, the family had not been informed of José's disability and refused to adopt him 24 hours after his arrival. He was therefore placed with a foster family in the Lot region, the Letartre family, who own a stud farm with several horses. Encountering horses was the turning point in his life. He started riding at the age of 5, and began competing at the age of 14.

An accomplished sportsman at both rugby and swimming, he chose horse riding as a career path. He perfected his skills in many disciplines: endurance, show jumping, dressage, hunter and competing as an athlete and para-athlete.

Determined to pursue an equestrian career, José obtained a professional licence as a groom and worked in several top riders stables.

His track record speaks for itself. He won the French para jumping championship 12 times. He then turned his attention to para-dressage, winning world championships, before taking part in the Atlanta Paralympic Games for the first time in 1996. 4 Olympics followed (Sydney, 4th place in Athens, 6th place in London and Rio).

"I've seen a real evolution in the five Paralympic Games I've taken part in. For my first Games in Atlanta, visibility was limited to a total of 3 minutes of broadcasting. The real turning point was the London Games in 2012 with incredible popular fervor and recognition for us as athletes in our own right", he recalls.

When he's not on horseback, José works for the City of Paris' cleanliness and water department as a heavy goods vehicle driver where he enjoys his status as a top-level athlete. This special status allows him to work flexible hours and to be available for training and competitions. Every day is planned down to the minute. From 7 a.m., José heads off to a farm in Seine-et-Marne, where he looks after, rides and works with Hamilton and Foligno, his four-legged teammates, as well as with other horses. The arrangement is a mutual courtesy: José provides care for all the horses each morning, and in return, his horses are accommodated at no cost.

"Working with the horses is constant, the relationship is built up as we go along, and I see Hamilton's progress every day," he confides.

At precisely 12:48, he starts his shift in Ivry behind the wheel of his truck. "The days are long and hectic, but that's the price I have to pay to continue competing at the highest level".

José Letartre is one of the heroes of the "50 athlètes en Jeux" series produced by the City of Paris.

"I'm both impatient and serene, I'm not putting any pressure on myself. I'll be almost 60 years old at the Paris 2024 Games. I'm working hard with Hamilton, but there's still a long way to go before official selection. I'm also supporting the French team and giving them the benefit of my experience."

What about after the Paris 2024 Games? "I'm also keen to take part in the Los Angeles Games in 2028 and, why not, set foot on Australian soil again in 2032… I keep fit, I work and I'm always motivated by competition."

Today, as part of the preparations for the 2024 Games, José is part of "50 athlètes en Jeux à Paris", a scheme designed to raise awareness and promote his potential as a future medalist among Parisians.

"Beyond the visibility and financial aspects, the City's teams also make our lives easier. I know I can count on them. I recently lost my horse's transport trailer and I can't afford to buy another one. This jeopardizes my participation in future competitions. I know that the support unit for Parisian athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games is doing everything it can to find a solution for me, it's a real plus for us athletes to be able to rely on them".