Edited press release from US Equestrian Open

In front of a sold-out crowd and in a palpable atmosphere, Christian Kukuk (GER) and Checker 47 (Comme Il Faut 5 x Come On) bested the class of 40 world-class entries to take top honors in the CSI5* $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix, a Rolex Series event. Kukuk, who is coming off an incredible 2024 competition season with Checker 47, hoisted the US Equestrian Open trophy atop the podium in the inaugural US Equestrian Open Jumping Final, etching their names into history. Laura Kraut (USA) and Bisquetta (Bisquet Balou C x Takashi Van Berkenbroek) finished as the highest-placed U.S. combination on the podium, earning second overall, while Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Donatello 141 (Diarado x Lamoureux I) rounded out the top three.

“Checker and I have known each other for five years," the happy winner explained. "We’ve created a relationship full of success and disappointments. It’s been two years now since I have learned every single one of his 'buttons' you could say. I know exactly what I can ask of him and what I cannot. He knows me, he trusts me, and we trust each other. To be consistent in this level of competition, it’s all about creating a deep relationship with your horse.”

The beautiful course design by Guilherme Jorge (BRA) showcased the athleticism, scope, and intelligence of the 40 qualified horse-and-rider combinations, putting top sport on full display in the final major grand prix of the winter season at Wellington International. A total of 14 different nationalities were represented in the class list attesting to the range of international participation during the winter season in Florida.

The class saw rails fall throughout the track, with combinations challenged by the technical precision demanded by the course design. Early in the order, Ashlee Bond and her longtime partner, Donatello 141, delivered the first clear round of the night, followed quickly by Carly Anthony (USA) and Heavenly W (Calvaro F.C. x Quidam de Revel), who also notched a clear round within the first four rides of the class to guarantee an exciting jump-off right from the start of the evening.

The first half of the order saw some class favorites drop from contention with world number one-ranked Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and King Edward (Edward 28 x Feo) adding an early four faults, while U.S. talents Karl Cook (USA) and Caracole de la Roque (Zandor x Kannan) just nudging out the b-element of the Rolex triple combination late in the class to also add four to their score. Jordan Coyle (IRL) guided Chaccolino (Chacco-Blue x Heartbreaker) to a clear round as the thirteenth combination to test the track, followed shortly by Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) also pushing his name forward into the jump-off with his Paris Olympic mount, Major Tom (Vagabond de La Pomme x Heartbreaker). 

“To have the quality of riders we have now – Olympic champions, world champions, world number one – and to draw the crowds we have, it just shows this sport is a spectator sport and there are fans that want to be a part of this,” said Michael Stone, President of Wellington International. “To see the kids get so excited to get autographs and photographs with athletes like Laura [Kraut] and Christian [Kukuk] is special. It’s so important that we bring the sport to everyone. We want to help in growing the sport and this event has set an incredible mark for how we can do that and the kind of people and passion we can get behind it.”

Following the ring maintenance break halfway through the class, U.S. veteran Laura Kraut stamped her mark aboard the quick and feisty Bisquetta, producing a fast clear ensuring two U.S. combinations would move forward to the jump-off. Just on the foot of Kraut’s clear, Bertram Allen (IRL) and Qonquest de Rigo (Fantomas De Muze x Indoctro), produced another efficient effort, bringing the jump-off total to six combinations.

“I have to say the crowd here has been amazing all season, but tonight was just extra electric,” said Kraut. “When we did the autograph signing after the awards, I was thanking everyone – they were just the best fans tonight. We all felt it and it’s fantastic show jumping. Gui [Jorge] did an incredible job with this course and there were just tremendous combinations out here tonight. This was really a highlight class for all of us.”

After a drought of clears midway through the order, Olympic individual gold medalists Christian Kukuk and trusted partner Checker 47, also the winners of last year’s Rolex Grand Prix in Wellington, produced a valiant and impressive clear as they looked to match McLain Ward as the only other athlete in history to win the class twice. The final pair to move on to the jump-off came with a spectacular round from Daniel Coyle (IRL) and his Paris 2024 mount, Legacy (Chippendale Z x Bon Ami), pushing the second round to a total of eight combinations to return for the fast track.

In the jump-off, Bond and Donatello 141, a 2011 Westphalian gelding owned by Ashlee Bond Show Jumpers, LLC, and cared for by Zoe Hatgi, set a fast pace as the first combination out of the gates, crossing through the timers in 40.41 seconds. Anthony and Heavenly W, a 2011 KWPN gelding owned by Portfolio Horses LLC, and cared for by Pauline Homer, hit heartbreak in their course, as they were matched with Bond up until the last fence, when the pair encountered a miscommunication at the final oxer and ultimately needed to reapproach.

As the first Irish combination back for the jump-off, Coyle and Chaccolino, a 2011 Australian Warmblood gelding owned by Elan Farm & Jordan Coyle, and cared for by Jorge Jimenez, rode tight to Bond’s pace-setting performance, but finished just three-hundredths of a second behind, crossing through the timers in 40.44 seconds to move into second.

In the last opportunity for a U.S. combination to take the win, crowd-favorite Laura Kraut and Bisquetta, a 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Cherry Knoll Farm Inc. and cared for by Margo Thomas, gave their all, with Bisquetta showing off her determination and fight, marking the fastest time yet and dashing through the finish in 39.49 seconds. Bertram Allen and Qonquest de Rigo, a 2016 Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Ballywater Stables LTD, and cared for by Lovisa Munter, had an early rail in their jump-off, but finished as the fastest four-fault combination to take fifth overall.

Christian Kukuk and Checker 47, a 2010 Westphalian gelding owned by M.H. & Partner Gbr, and cared for by Sofie Karlsson, showed the depth of their incredible partnership together. The pair put on a masterful navigation of the short track to just nudge Kraut from the top of the leaderboard and stopping the timers in 39.2 seconds, earning them the win. Daniel Coyle and Legacy, a 2010 Zangersheide mare owned by Ariel Grange and cared for by Sue Braund, set out at a quick pace, but ultimately added 12 to their score to finish in eighth overall.

"It is a pleasure to ride Checker," Kukuk said. "There is something special between him and this arena. Every time I come into the ring with him, I get the feeling that he has an extra gear, he feels so comfortable here [in Wellington.] Sofie takes care of him every day – she and Checker have such a great relationship – and all this combined has made me the happiest man on the planet tonight.”

Kukuk also noted that he and his wife, Veronica, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Lilah, into the world in the early morning hours of Saturday before the class, which is a moment that will memorialize this victory. “I’m really happy about the win today, but what happened this morning was a little more special. All of it together made this day something I will never forget.”