09 December '25
Laura Kraut and Bisquetta now also unbeatable in Thermal
© High Desert Sport Photo
Just under four months after their impressive victory in the CSIO5* Dublin Grand Prix, US rider Laura Kraut and her top mare Bisquetta produced another stunner last weekend! The successful duo appeared at the start of the five-star competition in Thermal, where they added another Grand Prix victory to their record.
Kraut and the 11-year-old Bisquetta, a daughter of Bisquet Balou C van de Mispelaere and Takashi van Berkenbroeck who was born to breeder Claire McCarthy-Winters as Bisquetta Squalls Estate Z, have been performing at an unprecedented level for the entire year, and that excellent form was once again confirmed over the past few days. At Thermal's Desert International Horse Park in California on Saturday evening, they were one of thirty-five combinations to make their appearance in the CSI5* Grand Prix. Of those thirty-five prospective winners, 11 were clear in the 1.60m basic round run by Irish coursedesigner Alan Wade and his team, qualifying for the jump-off. As number four, it was Kraut and Bisquetta's turn and they showed their excellent form once again. After a fantastic round, they galloped to the finish line in 36.27 seconds, again beating the competition and taking the top prize!
Laura Kraut: "When I came out of the ring, I thought, 'Oh, I'll be 5th or maybe 4th if I'm lucky'. I think I put enough pressure on my competitors to give it a go. And because of that, mistakes were made. I didn't watch the rest of the jump-off. In that respect, I am a bit superstitious (laughs). Bisquetta is one of the best horses I have ever had. She is careful, brave and also lightning fast! I feel I have a very special horse and am token every time I can ride her."
However, Kraut and Bisquetta were not the only ones to score at this CSI5* Grand Prix of Thermal, as 4th place was also taken by a Z-horse. For that, Israeli rider Daniel Bluman and the 10-year-old grey mare Corbie V.V. Z, a daughter of Cornet Obolensky and Chacco Blue bred by Evelyne and Colin van Vreckom. Blumann and Corbie V.V. Z, who are also having a strong year already, also kept it neatly clear in that decisive jump-off, but needed 37.18 seconds to finish their round successfully.
Furthermore, Bluman also managed to jump into the prizes in Thermal with the 11-year-old gelding Hummer Z, a breeding product of the Bocken family from the Netherlands, who combined the blood of Harley VDL with that of Hemmingway. During the 1.50m speed class on Friday, Bluman and Hummer Z did not show any faults, which also earned them 4th place in the standings.
In addition to Laura Kraut and Bisquetta's Grand Prix victory, however, there was also a second blue/yellow victory in Thermal. Indeed, on Wednesday during the opening day, the 1.40m class was won by American rider Keri Potter and the 10-year-old mare Kalimera Van De Nethe Z, a daughter of Kasanova de la Pomme and Quasimodo Z bred by De Nethe NV. In both the1st and2nd phases, Potter and Kalimera Van De Nethe Z neatly kept all the bars in the scoops and with a finishing time of 25.28 seconds, they outclassed the competition. A day later, Potter and Kalimera Van De Nethe Z further confirmed this performance when they finished 4th in the 1.55m Grand Prix Qualifier. Then a jumping fault in the jump-off kept them from a second consecutive victory.
The five-star competition undoubtedly received the most attention in Thermal, but otherwise there was also jumping at two-star level in California. In this, young German rider Tony Stormanns ensured a victory with the 11-year-old mare Surprise, a daughter of Emerald van 't Ruytershof and Contender who was born as Eline de Landetta Z at breeder Stoeterij Landetta. Stormanns and Surprise were the winners of the 1.40m class on Wednesday, where a clear2nd phase in 28.38 seconds gave them an eight-hundredths of a second lead over the rest of the field of competitors. Then, during the 1.45m class on Thursday, they also managed to finish 6th.