Canadian showjumper Eric Lamaze will compete at his seventh consecutive world championships at the Tryon World Equestrian Games (WEG) in North Carolina, next week.
Eric, who turned 50 in April this year, has been named alongside Erynn Ballard, Mario Deslauriers and his 22-year-old pupil Kara Chad to represent Canada at WEG, alongside team reserve Lisa Carlsen.
The 2008 Olympic gold medallist has chosen to ride the 12-year-old gelding Chacco Kid (Chacco Blue x Come On), with whom he won at the London leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour last month, rather than his 2016 Olympic bronze medal-winning partner Fine Lady.
“We are taking a young horse and giving him a chance,” explained Eric. “He’s a horse that I am very excited about and hope we will see great things from in the future.
“Fine Lady had her championships at the Olympics in Rio; I think the world championships would be too much for her at this stage in her career,” he said. “She is 15 this year and we carefully select our events in order to keep her fit and healthy. It was a tough choice, but the best interest of the horse is our number one priority.”
The current world number three rider made his world championship debut in 1994 and won individual bronze in 2010, where his mount Hickstead was named best horse after jumping clear rounds with every rider in the final four.
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Based in Brussels, Belgium, Eric is the most decorated Canadian equestrian athlete in Olympic sport having earned individual gold, team silver, and individual bronze medals.
His pupil Kara will be making her world championship debut riding Carona, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Untouchable x Silverstone) owned by Eric Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable.
“I’m very proud that Kara made the team,” he added. “She paid her dues and was a very gracious alternate for us at the Rio Olympics. Now, she has the opportunity to be a part of the team.”
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