Hometown: Geneva, Fla. Birthday: 7/22/1987 Sport/Disciplines: Dressage

A hairdresser, who left her profession to pursue her dreams, Laura Graves is an accomplished international competitor. Graves brought her mount Verdades, up the levels herself with the guidance of trainers after her mother picked him out in a video as a foal. Their standout performances on U.S. soil in 2012 and 2013 earned them a spot on the Short List for the U.S. Dressage Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, enabling them to compete in Europe for the first time. Since then, she has been ranked as high as the number two dressage athlete in the world. Graves has been a valuable member of The Dutta. Corp. U.S. Dressage Team, competing on numerous nations cup teams. In 2018, she was named to her second WEG team having earned a team silver in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup Germany with Verdades. Throughout 2018, Graves and Verdades have earned eight first-place finishes both in the U.S. and abroad. This accomplishment included wins in the Grand Prix CDI-W and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W during week three of the 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF); the Grand Prix CDI5* and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5* during week five of the 2018 AGDF; the Grand Prix CDI-W and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W during week eight of the 2018 AGDF; the Grand Prix at the 2018 FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals; and the Grand Prix CDIO5* at the 2018 CHIO Aachen.