Eric Lamaze

Eric Lamaze
Personal information
Full name	Eric Lamaze
Nationality	Canada
Discipline	Show jumping
Born	(1968-04-17) April 17, 1968 Montreal, QC, CAN
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	143 lb (65 kg; 10 st 3 lb)
Medal record Representing Canada Equestrian Olympic Games 2008 Beijing Individual jumping 2008 Beijing Team jumping World Equestrian Games 2010 Lexington Individual jumping Pan American Games 2007 Rio de Janeiro Team jumping 1999 Winnipeg Team jumping 2007 Rio de Janeiro Individual jumping

Eric Lamaze (born April 17, 1968) is a Canadian show jumper. He and his best known horse, Hickstead, completed the rare feat of only having one rail fall during the entire Olympic Games.

Early life

He was born in Montreal, Quebec. Lamaze was taught to ride at a young age by celebrated coach Diane Dubuc, in Montreal. Dubuc spent timeless hours with Lamaze, helping him create a foundation for his career in Jumping. Currently Dubuc runs a stable in Montreal called Day By Day Stables, where Lamaze still has ties. Lamaze has credited show jumping with helping him get past his tough childhood and turning around his life.

Lamaze currently lives in Schomberg, Ontario, where he coaches at his own barn, Torrey Pines.

Career

In 2007, Lamaze became the first Canadian rider in 20 years to make the top ten in the world rankings. He was also the first North American rider to exceed one million in prize money a year, a third of these earnings came as a result of winning the CN International Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows.

In the January 2009 Rolex World Rankings by the International Equestrian Federation, Lamaze was named to the top spot for the first time. Lamaze returned to No. 1 for July 2010

Olympics

Lamaze was named to the Canadian team for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, but lost his place and received a four year suspension after testing positive for cocaine. Arbitrator Ed Ratushny overturned the suspension, although Lamaze had already missed the Atlanta Games when the ruling came down.

Lamaze rebuilt his career and ascended the rankings, being again regarded as a key member of the Canadian team for the Sydney Games. However he tested positive for a banned stimulant, which resulted in his removal from the team and facing a lifetime ban. Right afterwards, a despondent Lamaze contemplated suicide and while drunk he smoked a cigarette laced with cocaine. Forty-eight hours later, the test for the banned stimulate was reversed on appeal, however Lamaze then tested positive for cocaine which would also have meant a lifetime ban. Arbitrator Ed Ratushny overturned the cocaine test, but the Canadian Olympic Committee refused to reinstate Lamaze on the Canadian team.

Lamaze competed in the Beijing Olympics, riding the stallion Hickstead. He was awarded a silver medal after a strong performance in the team event. Lamaze went on to win a gold medal in the individual show jumping event of the 2008 Beijing Olympics at the Shatin Equestrian Venue in Hong Kong as a result of a "jump off" between him and the Swedish rider Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, riding Ninja.

After the untimely death of Hickstead in 2011, Lamaze selected the nine-year-old mare Derly Chin De Muze to ride at the 2012 London Olympics.

Other Major Wins with Hickstead

• Sept. 2011 - Grand Prix of Barcelona €100,000
• Sept. 2011 - Spruce Meadows $1 million CN International
• July 2011 - Spruce Meadows $200,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Record 4x)
• May 2011 - 200,000 Euro Grand Prix of Rome, 200,000 Euro Grand Prix of La Baule,
• July 2010 - Spruce Meadows $200,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup
• July 2010 - Aachen World Equestrian Festival
• Sept. 2007 - Spruce Meadows $1 million CN International

See also

• Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympics

External links

• Eric Lamaze at Olympic.ca
• Eric Lamaze at Torrey Pines Stable