The 2008 Canadian Olympic Champion has formed a group of owners, known as the Chacco Kid Group, to secure the horse for Canada. Along with Lamaze, the owners include Rick and Sara Mershad, Ludi and Carol Sollak, and Andy and Carlene Ziegler.

“It is a horse that Simon Delestre told me about at the Geneva horse show in December,” said Lamaze. “His father, Marcel, has been training the Colombian team, and they felt it was an interesting horse and decided to purchase it. The horse flew from Colombia to quarantine in Miami, and then came to me with the idea to get it legged up, either for Simon to ride or to be sold. The horse really impressed me, and I put together a group to buy him.”

The Chacco Kid Group is comprised of Lamaze’s long-time supporters, Andy and Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms, where Lamaze is based year-round. Ludi and Carol Sollak have had horses with Lamaze over the years, and were looking for a new opportunity after recently selling Brooklyn Blues to young Canadian rider Mackenzie Edwards. Rick and Sara Mershad are new owners for Lamaze. Their daughter, Gabriela, began training with Lamaze last fall, sparking an interest in joining the Chacco Kid Group.

“I think Chacco Kid is a very special horse and incredibly talented,” said Lamaze, who won individual gold and team silver medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. “He’s had experience up to the 1.50m level in Colombia and had some good wins. He does not have 1.60m experience yet, but I think he has everything in him to be an incredible horse. I think he’s going to go all the way and do big things.”

Chacco Kid joins a strong line-up of horses in Lamaze’s stable. In addition to his 2015 Pan American Games team gold medal mount, Coco Bongo, Lamaze is also competing at the top level with Check Picobello Z, Fine Lady 5, Houston, Powerplay, and Rosana du Park, all owned by Artisan Farms in partnership with Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable.

Lamaze is currently competing at the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, running through to April 3. In the first four weeks of competition, Lamaze has already scored three consecutive victories in the weekly $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup and won the $216,000 CSI4* Ariat Grand Prix.

For more information on Eric Lamaze, visit www.EricLamaze.com.