Versailles, France – On the final day of equestrian competition at the incredible equestrian venue at Versailles, the U.S. Olympic Jumping Team saw Laura Kraut and her two-time Olympic silver medalist partner, Baloutinue, finish inside of the top ten in the Jumping Individual Final, which determined individual medals. Kraut and Baloutinue finished in eighth on four faults, while Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque took 16th in the final competition on a total of eight faults.
Kraut and Baloutinue went early in the order after finishing yesterday’s qualifier in 27th place. The final track of the Games, built by Gregory Bodo (FRA) and Santiago Varela (ESP), was to maximum specifications in every way. The oxers were max width and the height nearly all at 1.60m or above, really putting forward the most challenging track of the week for the 30 combinations qualified through to the final. Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Baloutinue, a 2010 Hanoverian (Balou du Rouet x Utika) gelding owned by St. Bride’s Farm and cared for by Margo Thomas, rode with confidence and scope throughout the course, navigating through the challenging one-stride line at the beginning of the track, as well as through the massive triple combination. The duo looked sure to secure a clear round, but their approach to the last fence ended up shorter than expected with the final Los Angeles 2028 oxer falling from the cups to add four to their final score. Kraut was the only female competitor to finish inside of the top ten in the Individual Final.
“My horse was just absolutely on it today. He didn’t deserve that,” Kraut said. “Unfortunately, I was a little worried for the time. I knew I’d taken [time] a couple of places, taking care, and so I felt like I was on the border with the time, so, when I jumped second last, I thought, I’m just going to let him just come right on to the last, and unfortunately, the minute I did that, he kind of dropped in. Darn if he didn’t try to clear it. He did everything in his power to not have it down. Pure rider error there for sure, which I’m gutted about.”
Qualifying as the highest-placed U.S. combination in the Individual Final, Cook (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and Caracole de la Roque, a 2012 Selle Français (Zandor Z x Pocahontas d’Amaury) mare owned by Signe Ostby and cared for by Tessa Falanga, have continued to produce impressive round after impressive round this week in Paris. The pair looked poised and careful in the first half of the track, which was beginning to cause problems for other combinations, with faults piling up. Following the beautifully hand-painted wall at eight, the pair set their sights on the triple combination of 9ABC, which saw the A and B elements fall from the cups, adding eight to their overall total. The pair would finish with one of the faster times in the class, stopping the timers in 79.72 seconds.
“We made a mistake around the turn,” Cook said. “I probably cut the turn too sharply and took my first distance and needed to be more patient. I think the one I tried to fit in was the correct one, but it was obviously done impossibly too late. She was jumping amazing before; it just sucks. She was incredible this week and is one of the best horses here, so I feel like I let her down, but that’s also the way this sport goes sometimes.”
Ultimately, Christian Kukuk (GER) and Checker 47 would top the podium after a three-combination jump-off determined the order of medals. Steve Guerdat (SUI) and Dynamix de Belheme took silver, while Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and Beauville Z earned bronze.
The Jumping Individual Final marked the conclusion of equestrian competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Closing Ceremony will take place on Sunday, August 11, at Stade de France, to signify the end of the Games with the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games set to begin on Wednesday, August 28.
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