1. Eric Lamaze was born on April 17,1968 and is a Canadian showjumper and Olympic champion.
22 Facts About Eric Lamaze
1. 2.
Eric Lamaze won individual gold and team silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, riding Hickstead.
3.
Eric Lamaze is currently banned from participating in equestrian activities until 2027.
4.
Eric Lamaze started riding at age twelve and worked in exchange for time in the saddle.
5.
Eric Lamaze was considered a promising junior rider, and trained under Roger Deslauriers, George Morris, Jay Hayes and Hugh Graham.
6.
Eric 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.
7.
Arbitrator Ed Ratushny overturned the suspension, although Eric Lamaze had already missed the Atlanta Games when the ruling was delivered.
8.
Eric Lamaze rebuilt his career and ascended the rankings, being again regarded as a key member of the Canadian team for the Sydney Games.
9.
Right afterwards, a despondent Eric Lamaze contemplated suicide and while drunk he smoked a cigarette laced with cocaine.
10.
Forty-eight hours later, the test for the banned stimulant was reversed on appeal, however Eric Lamaze then tested positive for cocaine which would have meant a lifetime ban.
11.
In 2007, Eric Lamaze became the first Canadian jumping rider in 20 years to make the top ten in the world rankings.
12.
Eric Lamaze was the first North American jumping rider to exceed one million in prize money a year, a third of these earnings the result of winning the CN International Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows.
13.
Eric Lamaze was awarded a silver medal after a strong performance in the team event.
14.
Eric 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 himself riding Hickstead and the Swedish rider Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, riding Ninja.
15.
Eric Lamaze returned to first place in the Rolex Rankings for July 2010.
16.
In 2017, Eric Lamaze claimed he was diagnosed with brain cancer, which he revealed to the public in 2019.
17.
Eric Lamaze continued competing for some time, winning a gold medal at the Spruce Meadows Masters tournament in June 2019.
18.
Eric Lamaze planned to remain as the Canadian showjumping team's chef d'equipe.
19.
In 2010, Iron Horse Farm brought a suit against Eric Lamaze for misrepresenting horses he sold to the farm.
20.
Eric Lamaze has publicly declined to do so, stating in an 11 September 2023 article:.
21.
Eric Lamaze has said he was unaware of letters and documents submitted to the court and cited issues such as data protection relating to his medical records, and the need to protect people who have treated him.
22.
Iron Horse Farm said they did not expect Eric Lamaze would be in a position to pay back the farm for their damages.