Hold on to your pommels: it’s time for another edition of “Ride of the Week” brought to you by our friends at Hallway Feeds, where we feature the absolute best rounds the H/J universe has to offer. These clips are not only a thrilling spectacle of the world’s very best competitors at the top of their game, but also a valuable learning tool.
This week’s feature is Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Fine Lady 5 in a sensational round two performance in the Prize of North Rine-Westphalia class at the CHIO Aachen. Eric was one of nine to go clean in round one, and the pair with the least penalties and fastest second-round time would be named champion.
Among Eric’s competitors in the class were such icons as Kent Farrington, Beezie Madden, Marcus Ehnning, Ludger Beerbaum, Bertram Allen, and Rodrigo Pessoa. All the riders except Bertram went clean in round two, which meant Eric would need a blazing hot time to win, and he certainly delivered.
Eric and Fine Lady 5 (A 2003 Hanoverian mare owned by Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines Stable) bested second-place rider Maurice Tebbel by a jaw-dropping 3+ seconds in round two to secure the win.
Fine Lady jumps huge on the first fence and then has a heavy but not fatal rub on fence two. They make the 180 degree turn to fence three in just seven blazing strides and wastes no time over the next big vert, taking it in full galloping mode.
Near the end is a tasking question where the horse must land and immediately and make a hard loop to the right, which from landing to takeoff Eric and Fine Lady accomplished in just seven seconds. There’s a huge gallop to the last three fences, and Fine Lady is positively breathtaking as she streaks to the final questions, and stops the clock in 58.13 seconds.
For their efforts, Eric and Fine Lady 5 take home €25,000 and a winning trip to Aachen. It’s icing on the cake of a wonderful week, as Eric was named to his third consecutive Olympic team for Canada. In his 2008 Olympic debut in Hong Kong, he won the individual gold medal. It will be Fine Lady 5’s first trip to the Games.
Stay locked on to Jumper Nation for more beautiful rounds and quality learning opportunities, and go jumping!
NRW Prize Top Ten: 