Laura Kraut and Bisquetta Brilliant in the $750,000 CSI5 Coachella Cup Grand Prix
Thermal, California – Jump-offs don’t get much closer than the one that decided the prestigious $750,000 CSI5* Coachella Cup Grand Prix, presented by Morrow-Meadows Corporation, the highlight of CSI5* and Major League Show Jumping competition during Desert Holiday 1 at Desert International Horse Park.
In a thrilling evening, Laura Kraut clinched victory aboard the exceptional Bisquetta, beating McLain Ward on High Star Hero and rising star Skylar Wireman with Barclino B, who finished second and third respectively. Less than a second separated the top four combinations, a testament to the incredibly high level of sport.
A Thrilling Jump-Off
From an initial field of 35 horses, only 11 advanced to the jump-off designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade. Kraut, who went early in both rounds—fourth in the first round and second in the jump-off—knew she would have to give everything.
“The best combinations from Thursday’s qualifier all went at the end… I made a mistake on Thursday, so I went early,” Kraut explained. “I thought, ‘It’s hard enough to beat them when I can watch them, let alone when I have to go before everyone else!’ So I told myself, ‘I’m just going to go and go as fast as I can’—even if normally that’s not fast enough.”
This time, however, it was. With a time of 36.27 seconds, Kraut posted a round that held strong until the end.
“When I came out of the ring, I thought, ‘I’ll be fifth, maybe fourth.’ I think I put enough pressure on the others to make them really go for it… and mistakes happened. I didn’t watch any of them—I’m a bit superstitious!”
Ward Comes Within Inches
The rider who came closest to dethroning Kraut was her MLSJ teammate, McLain Ward, aboard Michael Smith’s High Star Hero. Their round looked perfectly aligned to overtake Kraut’s time, but they stopped the clock at 36.30 seconds, just three one-hundredths slower.
“I told Laura I’m getting a little too old to go that fast!” Ward joked. “It’s an incredible competition, offered by both Major League and Desert Horse Park, which Laura and I are proud to represent. Someone said there were 20 of the top 50 riders in the world here—that’s a seriously strong field.”
Ward added, “Laura is being modest when she says she can’t go as fast as the others—because she can, and she does regularly.”
Wireman: The Future Has Arrived
Rounding out the podium was 21-year-old Skylar Wireman, whose time of 36.43 seconds with Barclino B confirms her rapid rise in the sport.
“It honestly doesn’t feel real to be sitting next to these two,” Wireman said. “My horse did his first real 1.60m at Silo Ridge, and from there he really turned a corner. Our second place in Toronto’s World Cup gave us a lot of confidence coming into this.”
Bisquetta: A Truly Special Mare
Kraut didn’t hesitate to praise Bisquetta, the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare owned by Cherry Knoll Farm.
“She’s careful, brave, quick, and she lets me tell her what to do—it’s amazing,” Kraut said. “I feel like I have a really special horse, and I’m lucky every time I get to ride her.”
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