Laura Kraut claims the Madrid Grand Prix

Laura Kraut aboard the veteran Anthem, finished the jump off course in the time of 35.61 seconds to take the Grand Prix of Madrid held Saturday, May 23, at the CSI5* Madrid International Show Jumping Tournament. This was the second win here for this combination having previously won the same Grand Prix in 2007.

For the second year in a row, Canada’s Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, and Hickstead placed second in the €150,000 Grand Prix. Thomas Fruhmann got the third position with “The sixth sense”. The best Spanish rider was Ricardo Jurado who rode “Julia des Brumes” and got the sixth place.

A total of 44 horses attempted the first round track in the feature event at the Spanish show jumping tournament. Lamaze, second into the ring, showed that a clear round was possible by leaving all the rails in place with Hickstead.

Seven others followed suit to join Lamaze in the jump-off. First back for the tie-breaking round, the Olympic champions were again clear, stopping the clock in 36.04 seconds. All Lamaze could do was wait as the remaining jump-off contenders took their turn. In the end, it was Laura Kraut of the United States riding Anthem who bettered his time, stopping the clock at 35.61 seconds.

“I was first to go in the jump-off, and Hickstead jumped really well,” said Lamaze of the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion. “It was a really fast jump-off, and Anthem is a fast horse!”

Last year, Lamaze and Hickstead placed second to Jill Henselwood riding Special Ed, who would later be their teammates at the 2008 Olympic Games where Canada claimed the Silver Medal.

Results (23.05.09)

CSI5* Madrid – Espanha

Event 9 – Grand Prix – AM5 – 1,55m

1º Laura Kraut (USA) / Anthem / 0 / 0 – 35,61
2º Eric Lamaze (Can) / Hickstead / 0 / 0 – 36,04
3º Thomas Frühmann (Aut) / The Sixth Sense / 0 / 0 – 36,26
4º Stein Endresen (Nor) / Le Beau / 0 / 0 – 37,21
5º Michel Robert (Fra)/ Kellemoi De Pepita / 0 / 4 – 35,24
6º Ricardo Jurado (Esp) / Julia Des Brumes / 0 / 4 – 36,08
7º Billy Twomey (Irl) / KEC Maximum Joe / 0 / 4 – 36,35
8º Sergio Álvarez Moya (Esp) / Mme Pompadour M / 0 / 4 – 37,27
9º Federico Fernandez (Mex) / Zorro / 0 / 8 – 37,61
10º Franke Sloothaak (Ale) / Aquino 29 / 0 / 8 – 42,7