November 14, 2025 
Trotting across the green expanse of the Dublin Horse Show Grand Prix field this August, Laura Kraut and Bisquetta—head up, ears pricked—seemed to know there was something on the wind.
Alan Wade’s towering Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin course had so-far decimated the starting list, with no shortage of the Irish Course Designer’s trade-mark wide oxers and tricky tests: a related distance from the open water to a tall plank jump, and delicate verticals sprinkled throughout. Kraut was 38th to go on the startlist of 40, with an unlucky-13 riders already retiring—and still—not a clear in sight.
The crowd was weary, presuming that, even in the best-case scenario, Kraut—legend that she is—was destined to add her name to the near-dozen of 4-faulters already watching from the stands. But not today.
As it happened, the American rider and the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare rode every stride, passed every ‘Wade-centric’ test, and generally gave a masterclass in show jumping at one of the sport’s most lauded events.
Quickly recovering from their doubts, spectators in Dublin and glued to livestreams all around the world rubbed their eyes and collectively guffawed. Well, of course Laura Kraut could do it! If not her, then who?
Who indeed? Having earned her reputation as one of the sport’s flintiest riders, Kraut is a three-time Olympic medalist (two silvers in Tokyo and Paris; gold in Beijing), a World Championship gold (2018) and silver (2006) medalist, and a Pan American gold medalist (2023).
In an international career that’s spanned more than three decades, Kraut has earned just under €6.5 million, finished on 173 podiums at 1.50m and higher, and won a total of 19 Grands Prix according to Jumpr Stats. She’s also been a long-serving and much depended-upon member of the U.S. Showjumping Team, with scores of Senior Nations Cup appearances on her resume.
But what’s really amazing is that, today, as Laura Kraut celebrates her 60th birthday, she’s also enjoying one of her most successful seasons ever in the sport of show jumping.
This year, for the first time in her career, Kraut has notched two, 5* Grands Prix at two very different types of venues. The first at the Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin in August with Bisquetta, and the second, last month, in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Washington President’s Cup Grand Prix with Tres Bien Z.
Kraut has also earned her highest position to date—no. 8—in the Longines Rankings, becoming the first woman to crack the top 10 since 2021. What’s more, she currently has a considerable string of talented, up-and-coming horses to back her play (think: the 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding Tres Bien Z, the 9-year-old OS gelding Emeraldo 4, and the 9-year-old Westphalian mare Una Mariposa).
With 16, 5* podium finishes at 1.50m and higher this year, Kraut sits in the top 10 riders in the world by that measure, tying Conor Swail (IRL) and reigning Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk (GER) at 16 a piece. In fact, Kraut, herself, is trending above average at the championship height on all horses—earning a 44% clear rate this year at 1.60+ compared to her career average of 39%.
When one compares that to her top 10 finish percentage, the picture gets even rosier. While Kraut’s career top 10 finish rate is an impressive 48%, this year, her number has jumped to a whopping 62%—a 14% improvement on her 12-year career average (Jumpr Stats).
In other words, three decades on, Laura Kraut isn’t just at the top of her game, she’s riding better than she ever has. So Happy Birthday, Laura—60 sure looks good on you!
