A Florida judge has ruled in favour of former co-owners of Nikka vd Bisschop, Lorna Guthrie and Jeffrey Brandmaier, against Canadian Olympic show jumper, Eric Lamaze. The judge found that Lamazes owes just under $1.4 million to the former co-owners of the mare.
Guthrie and Brandmaier sued Lamaze in January for fraud, breach of contract and breaking Florida Law, claiming he owes them nearly $1.4 million. After Lamaze’s medical documents related to his purported cancer were deemed fake in a separate case in Canada, Guthrie and Brandmaier filed a motion in September requesting the former show jumper and his attorney be sanctioned and asked that the court find in their favor.
The judgment requires Lamaze to pay $1,390,189.44, which includes the initial cost of the two horses involved in the case as well as interest. Lamaze is also responsible for the plaintiffs’ attorney fees and court costs.
While the judgment brings some closure to Guthrie and Brandmaier’s case against Lamaze, the Rein family, who currently own Nikka VD Bisschop, have filed a counterclaim against him for fraudulent inducement, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act related to how Lamaze allegedly misrepresented Guthrie and Brandmaier’s ownership interest in the horse when selling her to the Reins. The Reins, who previously were drawn into the suit, reached a confidential settlement with Guthrie and Brandmaier in September that resolved all claims and counterclaims between them.
source: Chronofhorse.com