But her winning strategy was not to try to outdo her competition; it was to simply commit to her own plan.

Kruger and her longtime partner Goodwill VB  (Orlando x Lys de Darmen) executed the only double-clear performance of the competition to take the win; the pair crossed the timers of Peter Holmes’ (CAN) short course in 44.94 seconds. Tidball and Jericho (Canabis Z x Andiamo Z) finished second with a score of four faults (44.62 seconds). Ashley Papalia (CAN) and Comme tu Veux Z (Comilfo Plus Z x Clintissimo Z) —fresh off a win of their own in Wednesday’s CSI3* Happy Welcome—finished third after incurring a single time fault in the first round.

“I had walked [jumps] one to two in the nine [strides], and we were watching LJ, and she did the 10,” Kruger said. “But my horse has a huge step, so we thought the nine would be easy. We walked a few lines that we wouldn’t normally walk so that I had an idea of what was possible. I rode them exactly how we walked, and it just showed up nicely for me.”

Kruger and now 17-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion have been partnered for nearly seven years, and they have climbed the ranks from the amateur jumper divisions up to the four-star level. At the 1.40m height, this pair jumps clear 62% of the time, according to Jumpr App.

“He has taught me so much…He is like a pure gift,” Kruger gushed. “Every day I get to ride him, I am so grateful. He’s just taught me to enjoy every moment and have a little fun with it, because he’s got a good sense of humor, and he has really helped me have a better sense of humor about it, too.”

It was during tbird’s August series in 2021 that Kruger recorded her first FEI win. Adding a second proved to taste just as sweet.

“I’m pretty darn excited,” she shared. “I did not ride as well as I wanted to yesterday, and so it feels pretty great to have a great round today.

“The [tbird] facility is amazing. The ring is beautiful. It’s beautifully maintained. The jumps are gorgeous,” Kruger added. “My horses love the field. It’s just— it’s our favorite place to be.”

CSI3* tbird 1.40m Challenge
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Goodwill VB / Katie Kruger / CAN / Caledonia Stables / 0/0 44.94
2. Jericho / Laura Jane Tidball / CAN / Thunderbird Show Park Ltd / 0/4 44.62
3. Comme Tu Veux Z / Ashley Papalia / CAN / Ashley Papalia / 1 82.35
4. Heartvit ZH / Tracey Epp / CAN / Tracey Epp / 4 78.73
5. Glacier ZF / Shauna Cook / CAN / Zeidler Farm Canada 2017 Ltd / 4 80.49
6. Carre D’as Lili / Sebastien Devrainne / FRA /  Sebastien Devrainne / 5 82.01
7. Castros / Meredith Ellis / USA /  Meredith Ellis  / 8 82.23
8. Didi 42 / Laila Klinsmann / USA / Laila Klinsmann / 8 85.92
9. Quidamo F / Kara Chad / CAN / Stone Ridge Farms LLC / 9 86.54
10. Pasquinelle / Emily Fitzgerald / CAN / Emily Fitzgerald / 23 100.05