Eric Lamaze

Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec
Birthdate: April 17, 1968
Hometown: Wellington, Florida
Occupation: Full-time athlete
Stable: Torrey Pines Stables
Coach: Self
 

Eric Lamaze was very successful as a junior and hunter rider, working with a number of top trainers including Roger Deslauriers, George Morris, Jay Hayes and Hugh Graham. Just one year after entering the grand prix ring in 1992, Eric was named to the Canadian Equestrian Team.

Eric has since represented Canada at six consecutive World Equestrian Games – 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. At the 2010 edition, he earned the Individual Bronze Medal and his mount, Hickstead, was named ‘Best Horse’ after jumping clear rounds with all of his riders in the famous ‘Final Four’. He has also represented Canada at the past five consecutive Pan American Games including in 1999 when he earned a Team Bronze Medal riding Kahlua, in 2007 when he won Team Silver and Individual Bronze riding Hickstead, and in 2015 when he led Canada to Team Gold in Toronto riding Coco Bongo.

In his Olympic debut in 2008, Eric won the Individual Gold Medal riding the great Hickstead and helped Canada capture the Team Silver. Two medals won represented the greatest success the Canadian Equestrian Team had ever experienced at an Olympic Games. By the end of 2008, Eric was ranked number one in the world, a feat he has since repeated on numerous occasions.

At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Eric once again stood on the medal podium. Riding Fine Lady 5, Eric was faultless throughout the four days of competition to advance to a six-horse jump-off for the individual medals. At the penultimate effort, the pair dropped their only rail of the Olympics to earn the Individual Bronze. They also led Canada into a jump-off against Germany for the team bronze, finishing fourth. Lamaze closed out the 2016 season by winning the €300,000 Rolex Top 10 Final in dramatic fashion at CSI5* Geneva with Fine Lady 5, marking the first time in his career that he claimed the illustrious title.

With Hickstead, a stallion small in stature but huge in heart, Eric won countless grand prix events in some of the most impressive show jumping venues in the world. At both the 2007 and 2011 editions of the Spruce Meadows “Masters” Tournament, Eric and Hickstead won the $1 million CN International, the richest grand prix event in the world. Before his tragic death at the Verona horse show in November of 2011, Hickstead won several major grand prix titles including Geneva (2008), Aachen (2010), La Baule (2011), and Rome (2011). Partnered with Eric since he was seven years old, Hickstead won more than $3.75 million (Canadian) in prize money during his career and was widely acknowledged as the best show jumping horse of his era.

Eric owns Torrey Pines Stables, a leading international show jumping training and sales business. He is based in Wellington, Florida, and Brussels, Belgium, giving him access to the best show jumping competitions in the world. Eric is also an avid golfer and enjoys travel and home renovation projects.