In June, Laura Kraut clinched victory for Team USA at the fifth leg of the FEI Nations Cup series in Sopot, Poland. The 51-year-old outraced Dutch teenager Sanne Thijssen in a third-round jump-off that had spectators on the edge of their seats. It was just another day in the office for Laura, who has always been good under pressure, beginning more than two decades ago when she was the newbie on the team.
While success has been more or less constant from the days of the patriotically-named and syndicated horses Liberty and Anthem, she hit the jackpot in 2005 with the purchase of ‘wonder pony’ Cedric. One of the most popular horses since Milton, the diminutive grey with the charismatic personality won Olympic gold and over $2 million before his retirement this February.
Laura’s winning ways aren’t limited to the saddle, either – she has been an important influence on the next generation of team riders, including star pupil Jessica Springsteen. Even though her partner, Rio Olympic champion Nick Skelton, has officially retired, Laura is entertaining no such thoughts – not while she can still outpace the kids.