Laura Kraut and Bisquetta are Brilliant in $750,000 CSI5* Coachella Cup Grand Prix
They do not make jump-offs much closer than the one that decided the $750,000 CSI5* Coachella Cup Grand Prix, presented by Morrow-Meadows Corporation, on Saturday, December 6, at Desert International Horse Park. In a thrilling conclusion to CSI5* and Major League Show Jumping competition at Desert Holiday 1, Laura Kraut and Bisquetta rode to victory by just three one-hundredths of a second.
With less than one second separating all of the top four finishers, second place went to McLain Ward on High Star Hero, and Skylar Wireman and Barclino B took home third.
From the 35-horse starting field, 11 entries advanced to jump-off over the track designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade. For Kraut, she had the disadvantage of being the fourth to jump in the first round and only the second in the order to return for the short course.
“The best horse and rider combinations from [Thursday’s $182,000 CSI5* Qualifier] went at the end…I had made a mistake on Thursday, so I went early,” explained Kraut (USA). “I thought, ‘It’s hard for me to beat this group on a day when I can watch them, but much less when I go early!’ I just thought, ‘I’m just going to go and go as fast as I can’ – which is normally not nearly fast enough.”
On Saturday night, however, Kraut’s time of 36.27 seconds did prove to be enough, which exceeded her own expectations.
“When I came out of the ring I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll be fifth, maybe fourth,’” said Kraut. “I think I put enough pressure on that they had to give it a go, and mistakes were made, I guess. I didn’t watch any of them. I’m a little superstitious that way!”
Coming the closest to catching Kraut was her MLSJ teammate, fellow DIHP Roadrunner Ward. He and High Star Hero, owned by Michael Smith, looked like they may be right on track to topple Kraut’s leading time, but they tripped the timers in 36.30 seconds to take home second.
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