Bridgehampton, NY—August 27, 2003—With back-to-back victories on Wednesday in the Open Jumper division, Olympian Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, WI, shined at the 28th annual Hampton Classic Horse Show held in Bridgehampton, NY.

Kraut topped a 44-horse field to win the Absolut Open Jumper competition by one fraction of a second. Todd Minikus had posted what looked to be an unbeatable time of 40.50 seconds, but Kraut managed to clock in at 40.49 seconds to overtake the lead and win the class.

“My goal was not to win, but just to be neat,” explained Kraut. “I was surprised when I looked up at the clock and saw that I had come close to Todd’s time, I didn’t realize at first that I had beaten it.”

Kraut, 37, has only been partnered with Quick Star Z, a nine-year-old mare owned by Pasmore Stables, since March.

“She’s been unbelievable, she’s just been so consistent,” noted Kraut, a member of the United States Equestrian Team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. “I love her, she would do anything to please.”

While Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL, and Sasha, also a nine-year-old mare, settled for second, Jimmy Torano of Fort Lauderdale, FL, placed third riding Laurenzo’s Kairo.

Earlier in the day, Kraut also won the blue ribbon by fractions of a second in the $10,000 Open Jumper competition with the nine-year-old gelding, Allegiance. In the jump-off, Kraut’s time of 62.71 seconds narrowly beat out the number one ranked female rider in the world, Beezie Madden, who stopped the timers in 62.73 seconds. Madden of Cazenovia, NY, was riding her long-time partner, Innocence, owned by Alan Shore, Jr., of Bedford, NY. Normal Dello Joio, an individual Olympic bronze medalist at the 1992 Olympic Games, placed third riding Glasgow.