Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, scored victory riding Fine Lady 5 in Aachen, Germany, on Wednesday, July 13.
The 2008 Canadian Olympic Show Jumping Champion was one of 60 challengers in the €62,700 Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe riding Fine Lady 5. Lamaze, with Fine Lady 5, has been nominated to the Canadian Olympic Committee, who will officially announce the 2016 Canadian Olympic Equestrian Team on July 14.
A total of 18 riders advanced to the jump-off, including six currently ranked in the top ten in the world. Bertram Allen of Ireland, Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Daniel Deusser, Simon Delestre of France, Kent Farrington of the United States, and Gregory Wathelet of Belgium were all among the jump-off challengers. Lamaze, who is currently ranked 16th, showcased Fine Lady 5’s athleticism and foot speed by finishing the jump-off track in a time of 41.35 seconds, holding off world number one Delestre for the win. Delestre stopped the clock in 41.74 seconds riding Qlassic Bois Margot while Olivier Philippaerts of Belgium placed third with a time of 42.04 riding H & M Challenger v. Begijnakker Z.
“This horse just continues to amaze me,” said Lamaze of Fine Lady 5, a 13-year-old bay Hanoverian mare (Forsyth x Drosselklang II) owned by Andy and Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms in partnership with Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable. “Aachen is one of the most respected competitions we have in our sport, and the best in the world are here to compete and prepare for the Olympics. For Fine Lady to win in a field of this caliber of horses and riders speaks to her quality and competitive nature. She’s in great form.”
Lamaze had three horses in the running for Rio. During the Spruce Meadows Summer Series in Calgary, AB, in June, Lamaze made his selection, explaining, “She is the most reliable, experienced horse that I have. Every time I have asked her to step up and do a big class, she has always done it easily.”
Lamaze dominated the four weeks of competition comprising the Spruce Meadows Summer Series, scoring a total of six major victories with four different horses. Fine Lady 5 enjoyed victory in the 1.55m PwC Cup during the final week in Calgary, AB, before traveling directly to Aachen.
On Thursday, Lamaze will ride Chacco Kid as a member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team in the Mercedes-Benz Nations’ Cup competition alongside Kara Chad of Calgary, AB, Tiffany Foster of North Vancouver, BC, and Amy Millar of Perth, ON. He will also contest the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen on Sunday, July 17. Part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, Lamaze won the event in 2010, despite breaking his foot during the competition, riding the great Hickstead.
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