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At the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, the American jumping team claimed gold after a cliffhanger competition where their Olympic qualification at more than one point was hanging by a thread. “I don’t ever recall feeling a pressure like that,” Laura Kraut – who jumped three clear rounds with Dorado 212 (Tailormade Diarado’s Boy x Chacco-Blue, bred by Bobo Grabs), to help the U.S. team claim both the ticket to Paris and the team gold on top – tells World of Showjumping. 

With Kraut on the U.S. team were two other very experienced riders; McLain Ward on Contagious (Contagio Z x For Keeps, bred by Andreas Eisenmenger) and Kent Farrington aboard Landon (Comilfo Plus Z x Quadrillo, bred by Danny Nijs) – as well as Karl Cook with Caracole de La Roque (Zandor Z x Kannan, bred by EURL Top Stallions Company) who made his first championship appearance in Chile. 

“Going to championships, there is always a lot of pressure because we want to win, but in Chile we were in a situation where if it didn’t go well, we were going to miss out on the Olympic Games – which would have been devastating,” Kraut says. 

“We have had a lot of situations that have kept four top horse-and-rider-combinations from being able to compete at the same time,” Kraut explains when asked what led the U.S. team to being so late in qualifying for Paris 2024. “We have had a bad run since Tokyo – and maybe even before, really. Top riders’ horses have gotten hurt or sold, so last year for the World Championship in Herning, McLain was the only veteran on the team. The team in Herning did not place in the top five – and probably should not have been expected to do so, either."

We have had a bad run since Tokyo – and maybe even before, really

"It is new to be able to qualify in Barcelona, so that then immediately became our first goal after we failed to qualify in Herning," Kraut continues. "However, Baloutinue (Balou du Rouet x Landor S, bred by Heinrich Meyer) – who has been my number one horse – then got injured and Kent felt his horses needed more mileage before such a big ask. Therefore, I had to bring Dorado to Barcelona and he ended up jumping fantastic. If it wasn’t for my time fault – 0.68 seconds in the final round – we would have qualified for the Olympics there. That was very frustrating.” 

“Due to the fact that it was sort of a life-or-death-situation, our Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland then asked if I could go to the Pan American Games as well,” Kraut continues. “It was never my plan to do both Barcelona and the Pan Ams, but thankfully, Dorado has a good sense of humour and he was happy to get on an airplane and fly there. In Chile, he was better than I could have ever asked for. I think he must have known how important it was, because there was so much tension and so much pressure, and he never got upset. He was calm, and in the three rounds that were really important for the team, he was there – I feel so lucky to have a horse like him.” 

Even though the American team members left Chile with gold around their necks, the week was not an easy one on any scale. After the first day, the U.S. squad was sitting fifth – knowing that a top three finish was needed in order to secure the Olympic qualification. “The mood of the United States’ team was not very high at the end of the first day,” Kraut tells. “McLain went in first and put in a brilliant round but had a really unlucky one down. Thankfully, he was very quick, so with the faults converted, he was still in the top ten. Kent had an uncharacteristic two down and when Karl unfortunately was not a counting score, I knew I had to go in and not make mistakes. I have never gone in a Table C with Dorado before where I would have gone super-fast, so for him, it was something new. Therefore, my time was not as quick as I would have liked, but we didn’t have any faults, which kept us in fifth overnight.”

“That night, I probably slept about one hour,” Kraut continues. “The next day, we knew it was going to be an uphill battle. This is where the experience of my teammates was invaluable; I had confidence that McLain and Kent could go in there and do it. Riding alongside them is just amazing. We all know that anyone can have a bad day and things can go wrong, but with them, I know they are in there with all of their being, with every ounce of them – and that is all you can ask of anybody.”

The experience of my teammates was invaluable; I had confidence that McLain and Kent could go in there and do it

“We slowly moved up as we got three clear rounds and then probably the most nerve-wrecking part of the whole week was the last round of the team final. As in any Nations Cup with four riders and a drop score, everything can fall apart; anything can happen. After three of my teammates delivered a clear, I told them I was actually going to enjoy my last round, because thanks to them, the pressure was taken off of me as far as the team was concerned. For Karl, getting it all together on the last day at his first ever championship; that was fantastic. My horse went in and jumped as well as he had the two first rounds."

"We were really pleased about the fact that we were able to move up the ranks, but that we won was shocking! The only thing that was on our minds that morning was that we needed to be in the top three and qualify – that was our goal – so to win in the end was like icing on the cake.” 

“I think we definitely are going through a re-building process,” Kraut says about the current situation the United States’ jumping team is in. “I believe it is essential that we all stay focused on what is the pinnacle of our sport – which is the Olympic Games – and that we focus on getting young riders to rise to that level, so that they can take over from myself and others as we all age out. I would love to see the new generation moving in and being at the top of the sport like the United States has been for many decades.”

It is not just about getting on the team; it’s about getting on the team and jumping clear rounds – and trying to win

“Young riders can get very good mileage jumping in the Nations Cups in Europe, but what is probably the most difficult part is that it takes effort and money to bring them over from the U.S.,” Kraut continues. “It is a big commitment and I feel like many riders are very comfortable staying at home, since we have good horse shows in America as well. However, I think the experience in Nations Cups is essential; the first team event a young rider jumps should not be at a championship. When you go well as a team, there is a lot of pride in that, it is a whole different aspect to the sport that unfortunately I think some of the younger generation in our country are missing out on. It is not just about getting on the team; it’s about getting on the team and jumping clear rounds – and trying to win.”

“We still have a very small pool of riders to choose from. Riding on the highest level is really hard work and it takes so much dedication. The current world number one, Henrik von Eckermann, is a great example of this: You see him constantly trying to be better, he is not resting in his position and I would say most of the riders at his level, they are working harder than they have ever worked, to stay where they are. I think that is something that people have to understand; no matter what horse you have, it takes 24/7 all-year-round dedication and you have got to really want it."

Unfortunately, our culture today is not geared towards working super hard or accepting criticism and accepting that maybe you aren’t perfect

"It cannot be just about saying you got to go to Rome, you have to actually in your core want this more than anything. If it is all just a bucket list item, that probably won’t do anyone any good," Kraut points out. "Unfortunately, our culture today is not geared towards working super hard or accepting criticism and accepting that maybe you aren’t perfect. I want to see our sport and the U.S. stay as strong as we have been for decades. The more we can encourage young riders to get out of their comfort zone, come and compete and risk losing, the better. Knowing that things are different in Europe and learning to cope with that, so that they are ready when they are called on to do Olympics or other major championships, is essential for our next generation.”

“My hope for the future in the States is that we support and encourage the young generation to want to ride for their country, to want to be representative of what is great about our sport,” Kraut continues. “I’d love to encourage owners to buy horses for Americans and support them. The funding and finding the owners to buy the horses to help the young riders get going is one of the hardest parts of our sport. As I get older, that is something I am going to be very passionate about and help with."

"I am really blessed right now with fantastic owners who are 100% behind me and it is a very comforting feeling when you have got that. Getting a great owner isn’t free, you have got to do your part as a rider, and I think that is something that needs to be explained and taught. Riders cannot be only talented but also good communicators and they have got to be good managers to their horses.”

Getting a great owner isn’t free, you have got to do your part as a rider

Since she was five, being an Olympian was a goal for Kraut. “That is the dream, that is what makes owners want to have horses, what makes riders better,” she says about the Olympic Games. “Looking towards Paris, I think the U.S. team is very driven. With the change of the format, it will be a very select group going and our chef d’equipe will have to have complete confidence in those he chooses.”

“For me, Paris 2024 would be the sixth Olympic Games,” Kraut, 58, who competed in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney and was reserve in Barcelona and Rio, concludes. “And I am at the age where I think it would probably be the last one. I would very much love to go to Paris and I feel like at the moment – knock on wood – I have the horses for it."

"Through the process of our qualification being so down to the wire, I think there is a lesson to be learned: Don’t give up. We have the ability and we do have the riders; it is just about getting them on the right horses, in the right places and we’ll be back to having a big pool of riders to choose from.” 

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