Eric Lamaze, the Canadian Olympic show jumping gold medalist has retired from competition due to his health issues, but will continue to serve as technical advisor and chef d’equipe for his country’s show jumping team.
Eric, who has been battling brain cancer since 2017, last competed at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament in Calgary, where he anchored the Canadian team to victory in the $600,000 Bank of Montreal Nations’ Cup in September.
Eric Lamaze after winning gold in the 2008 Olympics.(Photo © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer)
He then took a step back from competition to focus on his health, not knowing his last competitive appearance would be on home soil at his favorite venue, where he is the all-time leading money winner with career earnings exceeding $6.7 million.
“It’s with great sadness that I am making this decision,” said Lamaze, 53, who is based in Wellington, Fla., and Brussels, Belgium.
“There’s a part of me that feels really upset that I’ve been battling cancer with the hope of riding again and I’m crushed that that won’t be the case. I’ve always said that I will retire under my own terms when the time is right. The situation with my health has forced me to make the decision earlier than I had envisioned, but the silver lining is that I still have the will to win and can contribute to the Canadian team and the sport I love through my new role as chef d’equipe,” he said.
“Now I have to turn my focus to giving my knowledge back to my fellow riders,” continued Lamaze. “I’ve always loved teaching and preparing horses and riders for major championships. I will give these riders every opportunity I ever had myself and I have great ideas for the future. I want every Canadian rider to know that their dreams are my dreams, too. When they win, I win.”