Olympic Champion Horse Hickstead Dies

[AragornElessar]

This news was just announced during the Curling coverage on CBC. I don't know what happened, as after Scott Russell announced it my brain shut down in shock.

OMG...Poor Eric and...just OMG...

[michiruwater]

He collapsed shortly after a round in Italy today and died.

They probably won't know what happened for a while.

[kylet3]

Absolutely tragic, It sounds like the horse suffered quite a bit too. I'm not too familiar with Equine disease/issues but I know its hugely unfortunate for Eric, the owners and the poor animal. It's a huge hole in Canada's Olympic hopes as well next year but that's all secondary at the moment.

[AragornElessar]

The story at CBC Sports.ca...

Olympic show jumping champion Lamaze's horse dies

Can I say that I hate that headline? Eric wouldn't have been Olympic Champion w/out that beautiful boy. They were *both* the 2008 Olympic Champions in the Individual Event.

I'm still in shock over this, but I can't even begin to think of what Eric's going through though. My God...This could completely derail his Recovery. That's the second thing I thought of after hearing about this.

Just...What a loss.

[skipaway]

Incredibly sad. So very sorry for all the connections. RIP

[danceronice]

If he had an aneurysm (there aren't a lot of things where a horse literally drops dead-that's one, and there's sadly not a thing you can do to predict or prevent them-they also don't have "heart attacks' ie myocardial infarctions per se) the one up side is he never knew what hit him. Watching the video (linked at Chronicle of the Horse forums), he just went down and almost looked puzzled and was just gone. Unless he had an undiagnosed tumor or something there's not much other than an aneurysm that will do that. Eric Lamaze must be shattered. Horrible enough to lose one, worse when it's out of the blue.

[professordeb]

Two time Olympic Winner Hickstead collapsed at a World Cup Event earlier today - he was 15.
Hickstead was ridden by Canadian Eric Lamaze and in the 2008 Olympics, the two of them won gold in the individual portion and in the team comp, they contributed so Team Canada won silver.
Articles abound on the internet, but here's one that is a nice summary
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle2227115/

I have watched the two of them ride on TV a number of times and you knew they usually delivered. I will miss watching the two of them.

[overedge]

My God...This could completely derail his Recovery.

I thought he was over the substance abuse problems since after the Beijing Olympics.

[AragornElessar]

CBC Sports ~ Outsiders Lamaze and Hickstead shared special bond

[liv]

I was so sad at this too. Poor Eric. What a shock to everyone.

[Parsley Sage]

So so sad.

A wonderful tribute by Scott Russell

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/scott...superstar.html

[Artemis@BC]

Oh no, that's so sad!

I had the priviledge of watching them compete live at Spruce Meadows once, and it was a thrill to see them up close and in person.

So sad.

[danceronice]

Apparently he does have a 2010 (?) Hickstead baby at home, but obviously you can't replace a partner like that....

[AragornElessar]

I was wondering about that danceronice, as he was a Stallion and not a Gelding. Thanks for that information.

Eric held a Press Conference in Toronto today, where he confirmed he will take part in the events of the Royal Winter Fair this coming weekend. He also said he considered retirement and that from the way that Hickstead collasped, Eric knows he was thinking of Eric's safety even at the last. Eric also said that if he can find a mount w/in the time restraint there is for naming riders in contention for the team, he wants to be in London next summer.

During the piece, it was stated that Hickstead suffered an Aorta Rupture. First I've heard this, but it makes sense w/how quickly he went down and also w/what danceronice has shared w/us in the thread. Thank you very much for that BTW. It's been appreciated.

Equine Canada has set up a Tributes page over at their site.

Equine Canada ~ Tributes to Hickstead

I wish I could be in the Arena when Eric enters at the Royal. That's going to be one emotional moment.

Edited to add...I'm just reading the piece of Scott Russell's that Parsley Sage left the link to and...

Forgive me for being a fan, but I think so too. And I'm heartbroken that he's gone. Having seen Hickstead up close and having followed his career, I feel confident in saying he will soon join show jumper, Big Ben and Kentucky Derby winner, Northern Dancer in Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

ITA wholeheartly w/Scott on that!!

[danceronice]

Ruptured blood vessel is pretty much 99% of horses who just drop like that. They don't have heart attacks, and something like a totally asymptomatic tumor is really rare.

Apparently if you have $5500 and a mare in mind you can get frozen semen from him still--I wonder if the price is going up. (I'm not interested in sport breeds, only Jockey Club Thoroughbreds, but I know some people over at Chronicle forums are thinking about whether they can swing it.) Someone on there has a Hickstead baby, too, they were debating selling in May--wonder if they hung on to him.

[Parsley Sage]

Eric held a Press Conference in Toronto today, where he confirmed he will take part in the events of the Royal Winter Fair this coming weekend. He also said he considered retirement and that from the way that Hickstead collasped, Eric knows he was thinking of Eric's safety even at the last. Eric also said that if he can find a mount w/in the time restraint there is for naming riders in contention for the team, he wants to be in London next summer.

Watching the video footage of Hickstead's collapse, I had the same feeling. With the way he went down it was like he was trying to protect Eric and prevent him from getting hurt.

[AxelAnnie]

Did anyone watch the Rolex Top Four 2010 competition. When Abdullah Al Sharbatly of Saudi Arabia got on Hickstead......Abdullah (who no one expected to be in the final four) looked like "Holy Crap! How did I get here!"
He made it through the course, though. That was some horse.

[AragornElessar]

I saw some of it and you're right. His expression was priceless.

For those that don't know, if you reach this competition, you not only have to compete on your own horse, but also go through the course on the other three horses as well. Just to explain why someone else was on Hickstead.

[Alixana]

I saw some of it and you're right. His expression was priceless.

For those that don't know, if you reach this competition, you not only have to compete on your own horse, but also go through the course on the other three horses as well. Just to explain why someone else was on Hickstead.

Was this the competition where Hickstead had 4 clear rounds .. clear rounds with all 4 final riders, including Eric? I know you have to give props to the riders, but also to Hickstead .. what an amazing horse.

[AxelAnnie]

Yep - Hickstead had no rails down, and Philippe Le Jeune (Belgium) was the only rider to have no rails down.

Final Four Results

Four competitors took part in the final, which has a unique format for this level of competition. All riders were required to jump the course four times. They competed on their own mounts first, and then rode each of their competitors' horses. Le Jeune was the only person to post four clear rounds.