I have to say that my favorite international show jumper is Ian Millar, I've met him a few times and he is such an awesome person! His late mount Big Ben is my favorite show jumper ever, but my current favorite horse in the international ring is Eric Lamaze's mount, Hickstead.
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Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. - John Wayne
Both Ian Millar and Eric Lamaze are so much fun to watch. Ian Millar is such a smart rider - I've seen him win a jump-off just by taking a turn to a fence that no-one else thought to try. That's experience!
I never got to see Big Ben go in person and I'm really sorry I missed him - I saw him on TV and video, but it's not quite the same.
And Hickstead is simply amazing! He's very small, but he thinks he can fly - Here's a picture I took during the CN International when he and McLain Ward were in a jump-off and Eric/Hickstead went clear but only a fraction of a second slower to end up with the silver medal (very exciting jump-off though!)
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"If I am fool, it is, at least, a doubting one; and I envy no one the certainty of his self-approved wisdom." Byron
Great photo! I've only been able to catch Eric and Hickstead once so far, at The Royal Winter Fair in Toronto and I think Hickstead is such a peppy horse, he is tiny but he is mighty!
I was lucky enough to meet Big Ben on his retirement tour, although I was pretty young and never really clued into how amazing this horse was until many years later. Ian is such an amazing rider, he is absolutely so quiet in the tack, and so easily approachable outside of the ring. I can't say enough nice things about Ian! He is right up there on my heroes list
A little off topic, but if you don't mind me asking what size lense are you shooting with?
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Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. - John Wayne
I RODE Big Ben. TWICE! Okay, he was 20 and retired and I was told to let him do whatever he wanted...but, I RODE BIG BEN! And, let me say, he was a feisty old man. (Ben, as you probably know, had a history of colic so he was kept in light work throughout his retirement. He also had the biggest stall in the barn until the day he passed). Such an amazing horse/rider combination. (Ian and Ben, that is).
My favourite rider is Amy Millar, partly because she LET ME RIDE BIG BEN and because she let me post a series of grids that Millar Brooke uses at getmyfix.org (See the 5 Minute Clinic). Plus, she's a pretty wonderful individual and horsewoman.
I'm also a big fan of Beezie Madden, McLain Ward; up and comers Lucy Davis and Hunter Holloway; Ian and Jonathan Millar, Eric Lamaze, Mac Cone, Jill Henslewood, Yann Candele...pretty much the whole Canadian equestrian team.