Recording her second time lifting the President’s Cup trophy, Laura Kraut (USA) and Tres Bien Z (Toulon x Nabab de Reve), owned by St. Bride’s Farm, won the CSI5*-W 1.60m $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup ™ Washington, presented by Maryland Sports Commission, on Saturday, October 25. The event was the highlight of the week at the 2025 Washington International Horse Show, presented by MARS Equestrian™, which concludes on Sunday, October 26.
With a field of 24 of the world’s top horses and riders representing 13 countries, including world numbers one and two and 12 Olympians, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup ™ Washington President's Cup Grand Prix was an exciting event throughout for a sold-out arena of spectators. Course designer Nick Granat (USA) set a course that saw eight horse-and-rider combinations go clear to the jump-off. Only three were able to find the key to a second clear round.
As the first rider to go double clear, Kraut set the time to beat at 40.83 seconds with a daring track that relied on the deepening partnership with “Tres,” a 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding that was purchased from British show jumper Tim Gredley 18 months ago.
“I didn't think that seven strides was possible from fences two to three, but Lillie Keenan did it right before I went, so I thought, ‘I'll see how I jump fence two and give it a go.’ He grew wings to do that because it was very far away, and I can't believe he did it,” Laura admitted about her jump-off ride. “Then, I just went as quick as I could go with him. He's a handy horse. It was one of the reasons why I thought it would be good to bring him indoors, and he just tries really hard.”
Kraut does have designs on the 2026 FEI Jumping World Cup ™ Final, and she remarked, “Being that it's in my home country, I think that would be really fun.”
Having first shown at WIHS in 1978 in the pony hunters, Kraut, who turns 60 years old in three weeks, has made WIHS a key competition in her show calendar. “I’ve come to Washington for many, many years, and I really feel like it's one of the goals of the year, particularly in the United States, for everyone — jumpers, hunters, and equitation,” she said. “I hope that it stays that way. I think it's a goal that every rider should look to work towards.”
Ireland's Daniel Coyle and Incredible (Clinton x Heartbreaker) placed second, followed by the current world no. two Ben Maher (GBR) and Faltic HB (Baltic VDL x Concorde) in third, Jessica Mendoza (GBR) with In The Air (Air Jordan x Indoctro) in fourth and Lillie Keenan (USA) aboard Fasther (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Farmer) in fifth.
Washington was the second from the seven legs in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2025/26 North American League. Daniel Coyle (IRL) now leads the overall NAL stadings with 27 points, followed by Kent Farrington (USA) and Laura Kraut (USA) in shared second with 20.
