Thirty-five years. For thirty-five years equestrian champion Laura Kraut has competed with the hopes of snagging a win such as the one she secured this weekend with new partner Fleurette. And after thirty-five years, this spectacular rider emerged victorious in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup class in our Nation’s capital. Watch the duo’s winning ride below!
So many things were stacked against them: it was Fleurette’s first time indoors and the atmosphere at WIHS, while amazing, is unlike any other and can be unsettling to even the bravest horses. Kraut and her beautiful bay mare were only one of two to deliver a clear round and move on to the jump-off, a testament to the trying track laid out in the Capital One Arena. Each turn had to be precise, each distance executed immaculately, there was no room for error when working in this tight arena, but Kraut took her time and stayed true to her plan.
Fleurette knocked the back rail of the b element at jump three and my heart sunk. But the pair balanced back up for a nice jump over the liverpool and they finished out the track just on four faults! Victory would belong to Kraut in this year’s Washington showdown.
Go Jumping!