Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze won a show jumping competition in Caen, France, on Saturday, October 25, riding Narcotique de Muze II. Photo by Cealy Tetley

October 25, 2008 – Caen, France – Olympic champion Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, won a show jumping event held Saturday, October 25, in Caen, France.

Riding Narcotique de Muze II, Lamaze won Saturday afternoon’s featured event, a two-phase competition offering €20,000 in prize money as well as valuable world ranking points. Narcotique de Muze II is an 11-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare owned by Ashland Stables Inc.

“It was the first class of the year indoors and I was happy, she jumped well,” said Lamaze, currently ranked the number two rider in the world. “At these shows in France, there are a lot of fast riders so the competition is always tough.”

On Saturday evening, Lamaze and his Olympic mount, Hickstead, were among the 16 horse and rider combinations to contest the jump-off in a €30,000 event. With another clear round in a quick time, the pair’s lead held until the final rider posted a faster time, placing Lamaze and Hickstead second. Lamaze will ride Hickstead, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion, in Sunday’s €60,000 Grand Prix.

Caen is the first indoor show jumping competition that Lamaze has contested this fall, having competed at outdoor venues throughout the summer. He will compete indoors next week at CSI5* Lyon, France, before shipping three horses – Hickstead, Narcotique de Muze II, and Take Off, home to Toronto for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair running November 7-15. The horses will then return to Europe where Lamaze has confirmed his participation in the Rolex Top Ten Final, featuring the top ten ranked riders in the world, held as part of the CSI5* Brussels Horse Show from November 27-30.