Kraut Swiss GCT Champ

By Staff Report September 17, 2012

The USA’s Laura Kraut and Cedric notched their the first-ever Global Champions Tour victory, the $374,000 Grand Prix of Switzerland in Lausanne, Sept. 15.

Riding the 14-year-old KWPN gelding, Kraut (Palm Beach, FL) was one of only two to go clear in all three rounds, the other being Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson and Casall La Silla. Six among 44 made it past rounds A and B into the jump-off, including Kraut’s significant other, Great Britain’s Nick Skelton and Big Star.

Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) placed third on Cevo Itot du Château, maintaining what is now a very narrow GCT lead against Bengtsson, who is currently the No. 1 show jumper on tne Rolex FEI World Ranking chart. (Tops-Alexander is No. 9.)

“Cedric just felt really on form tonight, like he was 8 years old again,” Kraut said. “Both rounds were really big so I was nervous. These events are the best, the best horses and riders in the world. But I was feeling good tonight and my horse is fast. I took a shot and got lucky.” Kraut showed her winning form early, jumping to blue in a 1.45m speed class aboard Cincinatti La Silla on Sept. 14.

“Laura rode an amazing round,” Tops-Alexander conceded. “We had 30 of the best 35 riders here. It could be a World Cup or Olympic Games. I knew tonight I had to have a very good performance. This season is more exciting than last year and I’m really happy I’ve been in the lead since the beginning.”

The packed grandstands cheered on the 18 riders who made it to Round B, which saw top German rider Marco Kutscher suffer a dramatic spill when his horse, Cornet Obolensky, lost balance over a wide oxer.Danish rider Andreas Schou also suffered a mishap, managing to finish Round A despite his bridle breaking. With only one time fault, he made it into Round B, but retired.

Bengtsson went first in the jump off, and cranked up the pressure dramatically by jumping clear in 45.37 on his champion horse.Tops-Alexander was next on Cevo Itot du Château and dropped a rail for 4 faults. Kraut came next, and set a dazzling pace on Cedric, putting in a brilliant turn to the double and chasing down Bengtsson’s time to finish in 42.53.

The GCT now moves to Vienna for its debut event in Austria next week and then to the final in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in November.

The Grand Prix of Switzerland result shifted the overall GCT ranking significantly. Tops-Alexander remains leader on 196 points with Bengtsson breathing down her neck on 191. It sets up the final two events in Vienna and Abu Dhabi as cliffhangers as 2011 champion Edwina tried to become the first-ever to win two consecutive GCT seasons. Her third place finish also pushed her overall GCT prize earnings closer to the €2 million mark.

The climax to GCT’s debut in Lausanne, Switzerland, was played out on the shores of Lake Geneva against a backdrop of the Alps. Thirty of the top 35 riders took part and the top-level action was watched by an international audience on Eurosport.Evening entertainment was provided by the Cadre Noir, a display team that is part of the National School of Equitation in Western France.

The event marked the Swiss debut of the GCT, which was incorporated within the Lausanne International Horse Show, Sept. 13-16. Show president Stéphane Allio thanked the town of Lausanne “and all those who have worked on this project for over two years.” The presenting sponsor was local watch-maker Jaeger-LeCoultre.

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