Laura Kraut and Miss Independent Win Again,
Scoring Victory in $25,000 CN Jumper Classic

WELLINGTON, FL, March 8 -

Laura Kraut of Wellington, FL, and her veteran mount Miss Independent made their second trip to the winner's circle this week when they beat a field of 11 in the jump-off for the $25,000 CN Jumper Classic. The class was held Saturday afternoon during the CSIO5* CN Wellington Open, week eight of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Course designer Jose Gamarra of Bolivia set the track, which included 13 numbered obstacles in the first round. Out of 52 entries in the class, 11 found the key to a clear round. The jump-off had only 7 jumps, but they were spread out around the ring and offered opportunities for long galloping approaches. Fence 9a-b-c was shortened to just the b-c elements in the jump-off.

The first to go in the opening round and the first to return for the jump-off was Ireland's Conor Swail on Gold Digger. They had a rail at fence 9c, but finished with the second fastest time of the day in 38.601 seconds. Their time would hold up for fifth place in the class. Nicole Simpson of Wellington, Fla., and Tomorrow made a bid for the lead but were denied when the final jump on course came down. Simpson finished in 43.874 seconds and in seventh place.

The lead changed hands with the next competitor, Carolyn Kelly and her speedy grey mare Rulanda. Kelly flew from fence one to two in the jump-off and was handy through the final two rollbacks on course to finish with no faults in a time of 39.909 seconds.

Irish Olympian Kevin Babington and Souvenir dropped a rail at 9b to finish with four faults in 45.774 seconds while Kraut and her first horse, Canecko Z, had two rails for eight faults and a time of 44.289 seconds, leaving them both out of the running.

Another Irishman, Darragh Kerins, was able to score a clear round on Double H Farm's Toscane R, but his slower time of 44.257 seconds would eventually place him fourth in the overall standings.

U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Beezie Madden (USA) was the next challenger riding Onlight. They had a speedy time of 39.378 seconds, but the last two fences on course came down, placing them tenth.

Moving up in the order while Kraut schooled her second mount, Richard Moloney and Aristide were next in the ring. Yet again, the final fence came down and their time of 44.299 seconds resulted in an eventual eighth place finish. Joining the four-fault group as well was Katherine Miracle riding Miss Liberty 7, who fell victim to the final vertical jump. Their time of 41.701 seconds gave them sixth place.

Kraut was next in with Miss Independent, her faithful mount from the 2006 World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Aachen, Germany. They were fast throughout the course and were very quick through the last two rollbacks. Miss Independent stopped the timers in 37.789 seconds with the fastest time of the day and no faults.

The final horse in the International Arena was Can Get You, a talented mare ridden by Kate Levy for owner Equi Invest of Belgium. They were able to finish with no faults in a time of 40.583 seconds for third place.

Miss Independent has recently returned to the competition ring following an injury and won her first class of the year two weeks ago, the $20,000 Absorbine Myoplast 1.50m Classic. Following Saturday's win in the $25,000 CN Jumper Classic, Kraut said the grey mare felt better than ever.

"I was just telling one of her owners that she feels 50 times better than she did a few weeks ago when she won," Kraut revealed. "She felt stronger and more energetic. I think she's hopefully ready to start jumping some 1.60m classes in the next few weeks."

Kraut did not see Kelly's quick round, but had a plan to go very fast from fence one to two. "I know she's fast," Kraut said of Kelly. "I didn't know if I could beat her, but I was going to give it a try."

Miss Independent answered all the questions on course, and Kraut is excited to have her top horse back in form. "She turned really well, and I thought she made a very good cut back to 16 and back to the last (jump)," Kraut explained. "I'm just thrilled. Confidence-wise, for both of us, it's great. I rode poorly the other day and had a mishap in the triple (combination). She came back today as strong as ever, so I was happy."

Laura Kraut (USA) and Miss Independent won the $25,000 CN Jumper Classic
during week eight, the CSIO5* CN Wellington Open
Photo: Ken Braddick, HorseSport USA

The CSIO5* CN Open concludes on Sunday with the $150,000 CN US Open Jumping Championship, presented by Cosequin, which also acts as the fifth and final United States Show Jumping Team Selection Trials for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Results of Class 201 - $25,000 CN Jumper Classic

1. 3964 MISS INDEPENDENT LAURA KRAUT 0.00 78.466 0.00 37.789 MISS INDEPENDENT GROUP
2. 1529 RULANDA CAROLYN KELLY 0.00 76.703 0.00 39.909 LULU EQUESTRIAN ENTERPRIS
3. 7798 CAN GET YOU KATE LEVY 0.00 78.733 0.00 40.583 EQUI INVEST
4. 143 TOSCANE R DARRAGH KERINS 0.00 78.655 0.00 44.257 DOUBLE H FARM
5. 6316 GOLD DIGGER CONOR SWAIL 0.00 76.830 4.00 38.601 GLENN LEDDY
6. 2465 MISS LIBERTY 7 KATHERINE MIRACLE 0.00 75.192 4.00 41.701 OVERLOOK FARM INC
7. 5381 TOMORROW NICOLE SIMPSON 0.00 76.939 4.00 43.874 NICOLE SIMPSON
8. 5153 ARISTIDE RICHARD MOLONEY 0.00 80.491 4.00 44.299 BARBARA KELLY
9. 2450 SOUVENIR KEVIN BABINGTON 0.00 78.218 4.00 45.774 BARBARA WALL ROUX
10. 2107 ONLIGHT BEEZIE MADDEN 0.00 76.593 8.00 39.378 TEAM ONLIGHT
11. 2068 CANECKO Z LAURA KRAUT 0.00 79.431 8.00 44.289 GREENHAVEN LLC
12. 3165 INTREPIDE DU VALON ALISON ROBITAILLE 4.00 72.374 M/M BERTRAM FIRESTONE

Results of Class 105 - 1.50m Classic CSIO

1. 255 PALOUCHIN DE LIGNY RODRIGO PESSOA BRA 0.00 64.33 RODRIGO PESSOA
2. 3727 GOOD GIRL SIMON NIZRI MEX 0.00 67.20 SIMON NIZRI
3. 7178 MEMPHIS SHANE SWEETNAM IRL 0.00 69.77 CAITLYN SHIELS
4. 7905 LACANDA CHARLOTTE PLATT GBR 0.00 71.37 CHARLOTTE PLATT
5. 2910 ROBIN VAN ROOSENDAEL ERYNN BALLARD CAN 0.00 72.13 LOOKING BACK FARM
6. 7950 MURKAS RUBERT R PETER CHARLES GBR 0.00 78.58 TEAM MURKA & OLGA WHITE
7. 2317 ULTIMO VAN TER MOUDE TODD MINIKUS USA 4.00 65.50 TODD MINIKUS LTD
8. 2111 PLAY ON BEEZIE MADDEN USA 4.00 65.52 ALLAN SHORE JR
9. 2623 MELINDA MAC CONE CAN 4.00 65.77 EQUINE CANADA
10. 2615 EL CAMPEON''S LAFAYETTE WILLIAM SIMPSON USA 4.00 67.20 EL CAMPEON FARMS

Results of Class 1062 - Jr Jumper High II 1

1. 2127 CHARMEUR A PARIS SELLON 0.00 70.531 PARIS SELLON
2. 3027 FELIX DES NOUES ALEXANDRA BIEDERMAN 4.00 67.943 MISSY CLARK & NORTH RUN
3. 6497 COTTON CANDY CLEMENTINE GOUTAL 4.00 68.850 CLOVERLEAF FARM
4. 513 SWEET DREAMS BILLIE DEROUET 4.00 70.136 BILLIE DEROUET
5. 3109 VIVALDI JULIA LOURIE 4.00 70.643 SPY COAST FARM LLC
6. 7830 CAVALIER'S ROYAL DIAMOND CHRISTINA KELLY 8.00 67.987 LOUIS TERRAMAGRA
7. 4189 MILL CREEK ROSALINDE KIMBERLY MCCORMACK 8.00 72.572 MILL CREEK STABLES
8. 2301 ORLEEN SARAH RYAN 8.00 73.033 SARAH RYAN
9. 7963 JULIA DU BRIO AMANDA KNOWLES 12.00 64.602 ALEXIA SIMONNARD
10. 2415 SUCCESS TARYN NOLTE 12.00 74.962 MR. & MRS. MICHAEL WALTON