Eric Lamaze
| Eric Lamaze | |
|---|---|
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Eric Lamaze |
| Nationality |
 Canada
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| Discipline | Show jumping |
| Born |
April 17, 1968 Montreal, QC, CAN |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 143 lb (65 kg; 10 st 3 lb) |
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Medal record
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Eric Lamaze (born April 17, 1968) is a member of the Canadian Equestrian Team for show jumping. He and his best known horse, Hickstead, completed the rare feat of only having one rail fall during the entire Olympic Games.
He was born in Montreal, Quebec. Lamaze was taught to ride at a young age by notable coach Diane Dubuc, in Montreal. Dubuc spent 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.
In 2007, Lamaze became the first Canadian jumping rider in 20 years to make the top ten in the world rankings. He was also the first North American jumping 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 for show jumping by the International Equestrian Federation, Lamaze was named to the top spot for the first time. Lamaze returned to No. 1 for July 2010
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 was delivered.
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 stimulant 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.
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Wikipedia