Laura Kraut & Whitney. ph: Taylor Renner/Phelps Media Group.
International jumping competition kicked off at the CP National Horse Show on Wednesday, November 1, 2017, with USA’s Laura Kraut taking the first win of the week in the $35,000 International Open Jumpers Welcome Speed CSI4*.
The event took place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, USA, with 46 horse and rider combinations contesting the one-round speed course designed by Canada’s Michel Vaillancourt. Eleven jumped clear without fault, with Kraut piloting the 14-year-old KWPN mare Whitney ( Indoctro x Concorde) to an unbeatable time of 61.02s.
“[Whitney] is a wonderful horse and has tons of experience. She won a ton with Ramiro Quintana, who rode her before and knows the ropes,” said Kraut. “When she is feeling on top, this is the perfect class for her because she loves being competitive.”
“I brought Whitney to do this class. Last week [at the Washington International Horse Show] I had one down in every class,” said Kraut Devin Ryan made it difficult for me today, and I wasn’t sure if I could beat him, but it all worked out.”
USA’s Devin Ryan and the ten-year-old KWPN gelding Cooper (Unaniem x Baloubet Du Rouet) followed suit with a 2nd place finish in a trailing time of 61.520s.
Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire and the 11-year-old Holsteiner mare Lady Maria BH ( Cartani x Corrado I ) rounded out the top three in 62.740s for 3rd place.
Kraut, who is currently the leading female rider in the world, will ride Confu in Thursday’s $130,000 CP Grand Prix International Open Jumpers CSI4*-W to qualify for Saturday’s $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Lexington CSI4*-W.
“I am surprised to be the top female in the world but I am very happy about that,” said Kraut. “Obviously, I would prefer to be the top rider in the world but it is good. I don’t focus on ranking too much because, for me, no matter how important it is to you, it doesn’t make you try more or less. You have to do what is right for your horses.”
Whitney will also compete with Kraut again in Friday’s Salamander Hotels and Resorts $35,000 Accumulator Class.
“Next week I go to Doha for the [Longines Global Champions Tour] finale,” said Kraut. “I have two horses who have been there that Nick [Skelton] has been riding and I will fly from here to there.”
The 2017 CP National Horse Show will highlight the $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Lexington CSI4*-W on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. followed by a concert with the Original Wailers. Sunday, Nov. 5, will also feature the final round of the ASPCA Maclay National Championship with the flat phase beginning at 1 p.m.
The full results can be here.