This was truly terrifying to watch. I’ve always loved horses, and after seeing this, I cried a little too. I think you’re right; I feel so badly for Eric Lamaze have to watch this happen right in front of him, and in front of so many people. There’s really not a lot more that I can say that you haven’t already said, but this story really got to me. Of all the things that can happen live at a horse competition; I’m sure this is one of the worst.
So I never intended to do another horse-related blog, but then on Sunday my heart broke and I had to do one more. This one is a tribute to Eric Lamaze and his horse, Hickstead, who passed away on Sunday right in the middle of an international competition in Italy.
For those of you who aren’t sure who Eric Lamaze is, he is a Canadian rider currently ranked number one in the world, and he brought home a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics for individual show jumping, and did a great part in helping Team Canada win a silver medal in team show jumping. Since then, he and Hickstead have been on top of the world, with Hickstead being, in Eric’s words, “unbeatable.” Eric bought Hickstead when the horse was 7 or 8 years old, and they continued to train and compete together until Hickstead’s untimely death- he was only 15 years old when he died (horses generally live into their 30’s, sometimes older).
Anyways, I would have hated to be one of the broadcasters covering this event. It was on live television, all over the world, and Hickstead literally died in the ring in front of thousands of people. Show jumping is a dangerous sport, and it is not uncommon for people or horses to get hurt. Once in a while, someone even dies. It is rare though, that this would happen to a horse. Hickstead died, very publicly, of a heart attack; the official report said that a major artery near his heart had ruptured. This was a huge shock to everyone in the horse industry, as well as to Canadians all over the country, as Eric and Hickstead were set for the London Olympics, and both at the height of their careers, no one thought they could be beaten. As a competitive horseback rider, I can’t even express how much I feel for Eric since this happened. He literally watched his horse; his buddy, his teammate, and all their accomplishments, painfully die right in front of him. I’m not even ashamed to say I cried for the rest of Sunday afternoon after watching this video. This was a huge loss to Eric, who for so long was unable to represent Canada in the Olympics due to drug addiction and personal problems, as well as for everyone who watched their progress and cheered them on to where they were on Sunday, captivating people all over the world for one last time.
Rest in peace Hickstead, your work here is done. ♥
