December 8, 2025 
An Olympic gold and two-time silver medalist, a Pan American and World Championships team gold medalist, Laura Kraut, at 60, is currently having the best show jumping season of her career.
Just don’t think she’s getting ahead of herself.
This Sunday, December 7, Kraut and Bisquetta added another win to their tally, besting a 35-horse field to climb to the top of the podium in the CSI5* Coachella Cup Grand Prix. They did so by just three one-hundredths of a second.
Ever the realist, Kraut—who had to return second in the 11-horse jump-off—didn’t think she and the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare had done enough. “When I came out of the ring, I thought, Oh, I’ll be fifth, maybe fourth,” Kraut said.
“I think I put enough pressure on that they had to give it a go, and mistakes were made, I guess. I didn’t watch any of them. I’m a little superstitious that way!”
Superstitious or not, Kraut and Bisquetta have proven themselves a force to be reckoned with this season, particularly on Irish Course Designer Alan Wade’s tracks. In August, they also took home the ultra-challenging, Wade-designed Rolex Grand Prix of Ireland as the only clear effort of the day.
According to Jumpr Stats, the pair currently maintains a 56% clear round average in 18 rounds at 1.60m+, finishing in the top 10 an incredible 86% of the time.
Bisquetta’s speed and carefulness were on full display in Sunday’s Coachella Cup, where Kraut’s time of 36.27 seconds proved just fast enough to pip McLain Ward and High Star Hero on 36.30 seconds. But don’t feel too bad for them: Two weeks earlier, Ward and the 12-year-old SBS gelding—Rothchild’s proposed heir-apparent—took home the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Los Angeles.
Ditto for Skylar Wireman and the 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Barclino B, who dashed through the timers on 36.43 seconds to finish third.
That pair is also celebrating their second, 5* 1.60m podium finish in just a matter of weeks, having taken second in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto in November. Wireman, 21, currently sits in third on the MLSJ Individual rankings.
“There was not a slow one in the group—it’s hard for me to beat this group on a day when I can watch them, but much less go in early,” Kraut said of the jump-off field, where only six combinations ultimately managed a double-clear effort.
“Over the last year, [Bisquetta] has turned into one of the best horses I’ve ever had. She’s careful, brave, quick and lets me tell her what to do, which is nice,” Kraut continued. “I’ve got a special horse, and I am very lucky every time I get to ride her.”
This is Kraut’s third, 5* Grand Prix win in five months, having also taken home the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington President’s Cup Grand Prix in October with Tres Bien Z. With this victory, the highest-ranked female show jumper in the world—currently no. 7 on the Longines Rankings—has added her name to yet another elite list.
Kraut is one of just nine international riders to win three or more 1.60m 5* Grands Prix so far this year. The reigning World no. 1, Kent Farrington, leads the standings with an astounding eight 5* wins in 2025; Scott Brash (GBR) sits in second with six.
MLSJ action continues in the desert with Leg 7—MLSJ Palm Springs—running December 10-13.
