It was something no one ever expected. Olympic champion Hickstead, named the best jumping horse in the world at the World Equestrian Games, is dead. And around the world, fans are in mourning for the loss of one of the sport's most exciting horses.
On November 6, 2011, Hickstead, ridden by Canadian Equestrian Team member Eric Lamaze, had just finished his round at the World Cup in Verona, Italy, and was walking across the ring. Suddenly, his legs slowly folded and he gently fell onto his left side with his hind legs pulled up to his body. A shocked Lamaze rolled off him, lifted the reins over Hickstead's head and called urgently for help. But it was too late. By the time assistance arrived a few seconds later, the great horse was already gone.
The emotional impact was instant. On live television, commentators were heard crying. People in the audience covered their faces in disbelief, unable to watch. Others hugged the people beside them. Everyone was shocked into silence.
The competition had not been completed, but with so many people distressed by what had happened, the riders asked officials to postpone the rest of the event, and this was done. After Hickstead's body was taken out in a horse ambulance, the competitors walked into the ring leading their horses and everyone took part in a moment of silence in honour of the great horse.
Cause of death has not been determined, but the circumstances suggest it is most likely either an aneurysm blocking a major artery or an artery bursting open, causing severe internal bleeding. (UPDATE: autopsy results released November 9 stated that the horse died from a ruptured aorta.) In either case, the result would be sudden death. If that proves to be the case, it could have happened when he was standing in his stall, grazing in pasture or, in a worst case scenario, while he was in mid-air over a big jump. That most certainly would have caused injury to Lamaze. Somehow, even while dying, Hickstead managed to keep his rider safe.
Hickstead's Story
Hickstead, a Dutch Warmblood stallion, was born 15 years ago in the Netherlands at the farm of Jan van Schijndel Maren-Kessel. He was purchased in 2004 by Lamaze's Torrey Pines of Schomberg, Ontario, in partnership with John Fleishhacker's Ashland Stables Inc., in Florida, as a jumper prospect.
Lamaze had previously been very successful on several different mounts, especially a big Irish-bred gelding called Cagney. He had every reason to think Cagney was his "once in a lifetime" horse, but just as Cagney's career was winding down, Hickstead arrived. The pairing of Hickstead and Lamaze was amazing to watch. When they were in the ring, it was almost as if they fused into one creature with one purpose: to clear the jumps in the fastest time. Such a pairing is truly magical, and is a rare thing to see.
By the age of 10, Hickstead and Lamaze were proving to be one of the most gifted horse/rider pairings in the sport. It was already apparent that the young horse was extremely talented and hated to bring down a rail. Like his rider, Hickstead seemed driven towards perfection by his own determination to succeed. In 2006, the duo was part of Canada's winning Nations Cup team in Florida, placed third in the Aachen Grand Prix and won the Duke Energy Cup at Spruce Meadows. And they were just getting started.
Over the next four years, Hickstead and Lamaze became the team to beat. At Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, they won the CN International at the Masters competition, plus numerous other top events at the famous venue. They won in Canada, Europe, the United States — it didn't seem to matter. They were simply the best.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics were a shining moment in their incredible career. Hickstead and Lamaze won the Olympic Individual Gold Medal and the Team Silver for Canada in show jumping. The best in the world were there, but Hickstead was the best of them all. It was the first time Canada had won an individual equestrian gold medal of any kind.
But the team wasn't through yet, not by a longshot. They continued piling up wins and clear round after clear round. At the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, where he had to be ridden by someone else in part of the competition, Hickstead was flawless. Not one fault! His incredible performance resulted in Hickstead being named Best Jumper at the competition. It was official: Hickstead was crowned as the finest jumper in the world. But it was merely a formality. Everyone already knew that he was one of the best of all time — maybe even the best ever.
Best Laid Plans
In 2011, they became the winningest team in money won in the history of Spruce Meadows after capturing the CN International for the second time. Lamaze was faced with questions. Hickstead was now 15 years old. He would be 16 for the London Olympics. Would he go?
Lamaze said he would take it day by day and let Hickstead decide if he still wanted to compete and was still healthy enough to do so. After all, they had nothing left to prove. Hickstead had won so many top international Grand Prix events, and was becoming a successful sire, but it was clear from his win in September that Hickstead hadn't lost a step. He was still the best in the world.
Certainly Canada was pinning its hopes on him. Hickstead was still one of the key horses on the Canadian Equestrian Team. If he had to be retired, he would leave big shoes to fill, but at least the team would have time to adjust if Lamaze decided 2011 was Hickstead's last year.
In November 2011, Hickstead and Eric were competing in the fourth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2011/2012 series in Verona. The pair had a single rail down in the combination for four faults as the 22nd competitor in a field of 39 horse/rider combinations.
Their round over, they were walking quietly around jumps to leave the ring when Hickstead simply stopped, slowly collapsed and died. It marked the end of a true partnership and sent fans grieving around the world over the loss of one of the greatest jumpers ever seen.
World of Show Jumping Mourns
The news spread across the on-line world through emails and postings on Facebook and Twitter, and was quickly picked up by television and on-line media.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to the owners, to Eric and to all the connections of one of the greatest Jumping horses of all time," said International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Jumping Director, John Roche. "Hickstead’s presence on the circuit will be very sadly missed”.
“Hickstead and Eric have been one of equestrianism’s most legendary partnerships,” said Akaash Maharaj, CEO of Equine Canada and the Canadian Equestrian Team. “Our team, our sport and our country grieve with Eric, Delphine (Hickstead's groom, Delphine Roustan) and the Fleischhacker family on the passing of one of Canada’s greatest equine heroes.
“We will always be grateful for the time and triumphs we all shared with Hickstead,” added Maharaj. “We know that generations of future equestrians will draw inspiration from his life.”
"Hickstead really was a horse in a million, and my heart goes out to Eric and everyone connected with this wonderful horse," said the FEI president, HRH Princess Haya of Jordan. "This is a terrible loss, but Hickstead truly will never be forgotten. We were very lucky to have known him."
Source:
International Equestrian Federation
Spruce Meadows
Torrey Pines Stables
Terry McNamee - As a community newspaper reporter for nearly 30 years, Terry McNamee won many regional, provincial and national awards for her writing.
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