Two-time showjumping Olympic medalist Laura Kraut was awarded the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation’s 2022 Whitney Stone Cup at a special ceremony during the $150,000 Nations Cup CSIO4*, presented by Premier Equestrian during the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival.
“I’ve known about the Whitney Stone Cup forever,” Laura said. “I have watched some of the people that I most admire in our sport win it, so to be that person and to be given this award is humbling. I’ve never thought of myself as being the person receiving the awards, so it’s really gratifying.”
The Whitney Stone Cup is awarded annually by the USET Foundation to an active competitor whose consistent excellence in international competition and whose standard for sportsmanlike conduct and contributions as an ambassador for the sport and for the USET Foundation exemplify the team’s highest ideals and traditions.
“I have absolutely loved being a part of US equestrian teams, and I’m passionate about inspiring young riders to do it as well,” said Laura. “It’s important for me that the US stays at the forefront of the sport worldwide. It’s been a lot of fun to be a part of a rider’s first-time experience on a team. For example, this year in Aachen, to ride on the team with essentially all young riders, and to be there with them for that experience, was as much fun as the first time that I went.”
Laura and her Olympic mount Baloutine, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding, helped the US earn its second consecutive Olympic team silver at the 2020 Tokyo games. The combination were then selected to be the anchor combination of the US jumping team at the Mercedes Benz Nations Cup CSIO5* in Aachen, Germany. The pair’s efforts helped the US earn the victory for the first time since 2005.
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