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I am saddened to say that I am just finding out about this now. However if you are equestrian fan you will be sad to hear that Canadian Eric Lamaze's famous horse Hickstead passed away at an event in Italy yesterday. It was his intention to take this horse back to London in 2012 to defence his 2008 Olympic Gold.
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A very sad day indeed only 15yo
An air of sadness fell over the competition at the PAEC in Stouffville Ont., as news of Hickstead’s passing went from rider to rider. It was during the annual Tournament of Champions at the barn, a salute to the winning riders and horses.
While most people know the story of Canadian Olympic champion Eric Lamaze and Hickstead, the riders in particular understand the impact of the loss of a great partner. Lamaze and Hickstead had a special bond. Both were outsiders. Lamaze, a rider who excelled in a sport that helped him find his way from a difficult past, and Hickstead, a horse who was too small and too wild to be ridden.
Rejected by most, these two found each other and learned to work together, to will themselves to unlikely championships on the way to Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Games. Riders understand that bond, the absolute need for mutual trust, respect and understanding between horse and rider. What Lamaze and Hickstead shared was extraordinary, a once in a lifetime relationship that forged two misfits into an unbeatable team.
The riders in this large learning centre for new riders shared their sadness, but they also did what they do. They jumped. Competition went on with the resolve that everyone in the ring shares — the horse, the rider and the jumps. That was the therapy they all sought. That is what they know, what they understand.
All their sympathy went out Lamaze, but all riders understand the only thing to do is to continue. Focus on the next jump, no matter how difficult.
It isn’t how many times you fall off, rather how many times you get back on.
Career
In 2006, Hickstead was a member of the winning Nations Cup Team, in Florida. He also placed third in the Aachen Grand Prix and won the Duke Energy Cup at Spruce Meadows.
In 2007 Hickstead and Eric Lamaze won the coveted $1Million CN International at the Spruce Meadows ' Masters ' in Calgary, Canada. Here he also won a record 4 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup titles.
At the 2007 Pan Am Games, Hickstead and Eric Lamaze won team silver and individual bronze medals.
In 2008, Hickstead and Eric Lamaze won Individual Gold and Team Silver for Canada at the Beijing Olympic Games.This was the first individual gold medal won in equestrian, and second overall gold won by Canada in Olympic history, the other being a team medal coming from the 1968 Olympics.
In 2010 Hickstead won 1st place at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA, and earned the title 'Best Horse in the World'. After completing the feat of four clear rounds in show jumping at the World Equestrian Games in 2010, Hickstead was named Best Horse of the discipline.
In 2011 Eric Lamaze and Hickstead won the $1 million CN International for the second time in their career at Canada's Spruce Meadows "Masters" Tournament in Calgary.
On November 6, 2011, at a competition in Verona, Italy, Hickstead collapsed shortly after finishing a round and died. At the time, he was paired with Eric Lamaze, the then number one rider in the world.
Lamaze praised this horse:
He's a great horse and a very good competitor. He's got a great personality, and he's a fun horse to ride because I know him so well. He's feisty, he knows why he is out there, and he knows that knocking down a rail is not good! Some horses just don't get it.
Lawren
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There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favourite places is on the back of my horse.
- Rolf Kopfle -
What a gorgeous creature.
So young. PETA's going to have a field day.Comment
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They probably will but they shouldn't. Here is a horse that knew and loved his job and found just the right partner. THIS is a "team sport". A team of 2.Originally posted by Glitter Brunello View Post
Here they are live on a jump off the same year as the Olympics:
Hickstead an Eric Lamaze RAWF 2008--AMAZING JUMP OFF!! - RIP Hickstead - YouTube
and the olympic gold medal round ( much better video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80LpHj3miUA&NR=1
Look at the "air" Eric allows him to give himself!!! (That can be controlled. Air takes time and these are timed events.)
It is sad because he was a stallion and perhaps could have passed his talent on for the right rider(s). Horses can live to be 40 or more.
I think I stopped at two and a halves and threes and barely jumped at all at the end of my show riding and went to flat classes and patterns.Lawren
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There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favourite places is on the back of my horse.
- Rolf KopfleComment
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Wow!
Thanks for sharing those, really great.Comment
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Yes, thank you for sharing.Comment
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There is no doubt about it that the relationship between a horse and the rider is critical to success. This relationship was similar to Big Ben and Ian Miller in their day.
It is a huge loss to the equestrian community and Eric Lamaze. Although he has many horses in his stable, there will never be another Hickstead. I found the video to be horrible to watch, and am dissapointed they are out there.
I only hope that Eric can continue to compete on the level he has been, but no doubt this will have a significant impact on his ability to compete the way he has.
Originally posted by lawren2 View PostComment
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Gandalph,
Why such a hard time watching the video? I think I'm not understanding something, unless you mean because you are feeling the loss acutely at the moment?
Chris,
PETA is against horse racing. With a horse dying so young, I expect they will cry cruelty, overtraining, performance enhancing drugs, and who knows what else.Comment
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Yes, it is definately more painful and real when you watch a horse drop to the ground in agony. One thing to hear about a person / animals death a whole other actually watching it.
One of my first reactions was did a competitor do something purposefully to the horse that may have caused it. You never want to hear or think about things like that, but in competitive sports these types of things do unfortunately occur.
It is also ironic that you mention PETA after I just watched Undercover Jockey last night. How some of the people are treated, and the things they have to do are unreal. The treatment of the animals in some cases has been more important than the care of the riders.
Originally posted by Glitter BrunelloComment
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I certainly did not post that video nor have I watched it.Originally posted by gandalf252002
I posted a 2008 jump-off and the gold medal round videos.Lawren
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There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favourite places is on the back of my horse.
- Rolf KopfleComment
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I watched not knowing exactly what it was going to show. It was provided as a link in our local paper with now disclaimer of the contents. Since it was right at the beginning it was somewhat forced upon me. Given the opportunity again, I would not have watched it either.
Originally posted by lawren2I certainly did not post that video nor have I watched it.
I posted a 2008 jump-off and the gold medal round videos.Comment
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Right, that's why I was confused. The links Lawren posted were competition videos. I would def not want to watch the video of the horse going down, that must be awfulOriginally posted by lawren2I certainly did not post that video nor have I watched it.
I posted a 2008 jump-off and the gold medal round videos.
Sounds like Gandalph clicked on a different link without realizing what it was. I will definitely do my best to avoid that one.
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