Canada's Eric Lamaze and Narcotique de Muze II won the $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round III held Thursday, January 22, in Wellington, Florida. Photo by Kenneth Kraus

January 22, 2009 – Wellington, Florida – Canadian show jumping athlete Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, began his first week of competition in Wellington, Florida, with a win in the $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup on Thursday, January 22.

The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, now in week three of its 12-week run in Wellington, FL, saw 53 starters turn out for Thursday’s $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup. It was the first week Lamaze had competed in the winter circuit, and he made his presence known.

Lamaze advanced to the jump-off after jumping clear in the first round, and was the final challenger in the 12-horse jump-off. Lamaze was chasing the lead held by Peter Charles of Great Britain, who had posted a clear round in a time of 34.36 seconds. Lamaze guided Narcotique de Muze II to a clear round in a time of 34.14 seconds to earn his first victory of 2009.

“She is a winner, and I know her well,” said Lamaze of the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Ashland Stables. “She is always behind the scenes behind Hickstead, but she has been the work horse. Everywhere she goes, she manages to do something good. She is fast in the air, and has a big stride. You can keep pushing her at every jump. She has good instinct when you are coming forward to a fence.”

Lamaze, 40, collected $9,000 US for the victory. He will also compete on Sunday in the $50,000 Braman Motorcars Grand Prix with Take Off, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Artisan Farms. Lamaze is competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, running until March 29, and hopes to qualify for the 2009 World Cup Final to be held in Las Vegas, NV, in April.

Lamaze, who claimed Individual Gold and Team Silver medals at the 2008 Olympic Games riding Hickstead, is currently ranked number one in the Rolex World Rider Rankings.