Great riders of 76 Years of CHIO: Laura Kraut

You wouldn’t guess it—absolutely not—but this year, she turns 60. She has competed in the Olympic Games three times: in 2000, 2008, and 2021. In 2008, she won team gold in Hong Kong, and two years earlier, she and the U.S. team secured a silver medal at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. In August 2021, she was part of the U.S. team at the Tokyo Olympics, where they delivered an outstanding performance in the team competition, earning silver. They came heartbreakingly close to gold—all riders went clear, but Sweden was just one second faster.

1992 first time Rotterdam in Team US

Laura: “Very special. My first time in Rotterdam was in 1992, right after the Olympic Games in Barcelona, where I was a reserve. Rotterdam was my first Nations Cup—I had never ridden for the team before. Due to a severe virus, we had to stay in Europe for 60 days, which is why we competed in Rotterdam, among other places. We finished second as a team, I went clear in one round and had one fence in the other. Since then, I’ve ridden in Rotterdam at least fifteen, maybe even twenty times. I come whenever I can—it’s one of my favorite shows. Even the ride from the stables through the forest to the main arena is amazing, so peaceful and even relaxing. Everyone probably says it, but I’ll say it too—I’m really disappointed because Rotterdam was also my favorite for another reason: Pancake House De Big. I went there every year.”

Grand Prix 2007

“I have many great memories of Rotterdam, but my absolute best is winning the Grand Prix in 2007 with Anthem. What made it even more special is that Anthem was Dutch-bred by our friends Paul and Emile Hendrix. It was a fantastic moment for them as well. I hope to be back this year. The United States is planning to send a team, but I don’t know who will be in it or if I’ll have a horse in top form by then. But I really want to come and will do my best.”

Eight Months a Year in the Netherlands

“For those who don’t know, we now spend about eight months of the year living in the Netherlands. We had a great place in Great Britain, but Brexit made things very complicated and expensive. Logistically, it made more sense to move to mainland Europe, and so we chose the Netherlands. I love the lifestyle here—it’s very horse-oriented. I’m usually only here at the beginning of the week, as most weekends I’m away at competitions. What makes it even better is that we live just fifteen minutes away from our good friends, the Hendrix family.”

Longines League of Nations

“Of course, I still travel to the USA. Speaking of your Longines League of Nations™️, I love Ocala and its facilities—it’s absolutely incredible there. It’s too early to tell if the Longines League of Nations will be a success, but Ocala and Rotterdam are both fantastic.”

Mother and Grandmother

When we ask Laura about her life outside of horses, a blissful smile appears on her face. “I’m a mother and a grandmother, and that’s a huge passion of mine—I spend as much time as possible with them. My son is 25, and my grandchildren are two years old and six months old. Also, whenever I’m at a show, I try to explore the city if I have time. By now, I know quite a bit of Rotterdam! We often go out in the evenings, searching for a nice restaurant.”

Gold in Hong Kong

“Despite my age, I still have dreams—you always should. So far, the highlight of my equestrian career has been winning Olympic team gold in Hong Kong. But I’d love to win a few more major Grand Prix titles—Rotterdam’s, for example. I look forward to coming back every year and hope to see you all there.”

We listened in awe to this grande dame of showjumping. We have the utmost respect for her and feel honored that she enjoys being part of CHIO Rotterdam in the Kralingse Bos. Thank you for this wonderful conversation, Laura—we hope to welcome you for many more years to come!