LAURA KRAUT SHINES IN GRAND PRIX VICTORY AT 2025 WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW
Recording her second time lifting the President’s Cup trophy, Laura Kraut (USA) and Tres Bien Z, owned by St. Bride’s Farm, won the $340,000 FEI Jumping World Cup ™ Washington CSI5*-W, presented by Maryland Sports Commission, on Saturday, 25 October. The event was the highlight of the week at the 2025 Washington International Horse Show, presented by MARS Equestrian™, which concluded on Sunday, 26 October.
With a field of 24 of the world’s top riders representing 13 countries, including world numbers one and two and 12 Olympians, the Grand Prix was an exciting event throughout for a sold-out arena of spectators. Course designer Nick Granat (USA) set a course that saw eight riders go clear to the jump-off. Only three were able to find the key to a second clear round.
As the first rider to go double clear, Kraut set the time to beat at 40.83 seconds with a daring track that relied on the deepening partnership with “Tres,” a 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Toulon x Nabab de Reve that was purchased from British show jumper Tim Gredley 18 months ago.
“I didn't think that seven strides were possible from fences two to three, but Lillie Keenan did it right before I went, so I thought, ‘I'll see how I jump fence two and give it a go.’ He grew wings to do that because it was very far away, and I can't believe he did it,” she admitted about her jump-off ride. “Then, I just went as quick as I could go with him. He's a handy horse. It was one of the reasons why I thought it would be good to bring him indoors, and he just tries really hard.”
Kraut does have designs on the 2026 FEI Jumping World Cup ™ Final, and she remarked, “Being that it's in my home country, I think that would be really fun.”
Having first shown at WIHS in 1978 in the pony hunters, Kraut, who turns 60 years old in three weeks, has made WIHS a key competition in her show calendar.
“I’ve come to Washington for many, many years, and I really feel like it's one of the goals of the year, particularly in the United States, for everyone — jumpers, hunters, and equitation,” she said. “I hope that it stays that way. I think it's a goal that every rider should look to work towards.”
Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Incredible, owned by Ariel Grange, followed immediately after Kraut and while they went for speed, their time of 41.14 couldn’t secure the win, and they finished in second place.
“I hope when I’m Laura's age, I’ll be able to do this sport the way she does,” said Coyle. “It’s phenomenal, and everybody should look up to her — man or woman. I don't like second place, but when it's someone like Laura, it's fine.”
Last year’s WIHS was one of Coyle’s first indoor horse shows, and he noted that he learned a lot from any mistakes made in the grand prix. “To come back and get second is quite good, so that's my way of thanking him, and he always thanks me,” he said of the 12-year-old KWPN gelding by Clinton x Heartbreaker. “Incredible is a great horse. He can go day by day, speed class or Grand Prix, and there's not many horses that can do that.”
Maher, riding in his first time at WIHS, went last in the jump-off on his own Faltic HB. They took a more measured pace, finishing in 42.25 seconds for third place. It was a wonderful return to the show ring for the 15-year-old KWPN stallion by Baltic VDL x Concorde who has been out of competition for 18 months due to injury.
“To come here and be third in the first evening and then this evening again, that's a win for my team,” said Maher. “I’m fortunate with my team of horses that we didn't have to rush him. We took our time, and we can pick and choose where we take him to look after him.”
Maher is happy to have Faltic back in the rotation of his top horses. “He’s a very useful horse in the team and a pleasure to ride,” he described. “He’s a very simple horse. I wish could have a few more as easy as he is. You can't beat an experienced horse.”
“I did everything I could tonight,” he said of his jump-off ride. “There was no chance I could be fast enough this evening, but it's been a great week in front of my owners. It's great to have the whole team and family here.”
Course designer Nick Granat was pleased to have a jump-off field of eight in his second year designing the grand prix at WIHS.
“You want to do an appropriate job for the horses that you have, and you don't want to disappoint the crowd either,” he remarked. “I probably started thinking about the course last year when I left WIHS and then have been tinkering with it over the last month. It worked out really well today.”
While WIHS has one more day left of competition, the show can already be called a success with two sold-out evening sessions, top-tier competition in three disciplines, and popular activities that engaged the local community.
WIHS President Vicki Lowell stated, “It's really important to us to maintain the atmosphere of the show and to fill the stands. I think this show has a great history of being an event that's top sport but also provides opportunities for the fans to engage with the athletes. We want to have the top-level, five-star competition and bring the best athletes from around the world here. We want to keep that iconic status. It is a show that's near a major metropolitan area that doesn't get to see this kind of sport year-round, and we're just thrilled to be able to bring that forward to the community.”
--ENDS--
International Open Jumper
Champion: Tres Bien Z, Laura Kraut, St. Bride’s Farm
Reserve Champion: Incredible, Daniel Coyle, Ariel Grange
Leading International Jumper
Owner Ariel Grange
Leading International Jumper Rider Award
Daniel Coyle (IRL)
Leading Foreign Rider Award
Daniel Coyle (IRL)
Leading U25 Rider Award
Mimi Gochman (USA)
Leading FEI Groom Award
Margo Thomas
Leading Lady Rider Award, presented by Martha Jolicoeur Properties
Laura Kraut (USA)