Horses - U.S. OLYMPIAN LAURA KRAUT WINS $100,000 EVENT - March 2001 - Equiworld

NEWS FROM THE 2001 COSEQUIN WINTER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL
Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club

U.S. OLYMPIAN LAURA KRAUT WINS $100,000 EVENT

WELLINGTON, FL -- MARCH 11, 2001 - What a difference a year makes for Laura Kraut.Kraut, a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, reached the winner's circle in the $100,000 Cosequin U.S. Open Jumper Championship, the culminating event of the 2001 Cosequin Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club.

Kraut, aboard Liberty, a 10-year-old Dutch-bred bay mare she competed on in the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, defeated a field of seven in the jump-off in 41.33 seconds. She earned $30,000 for the triumph. Kraut went third in the jump-off and easily set the pace, beating Joe Fargis' time by more than three seconds.

"I didn't watch Joe because I was warming up," explained Kraut. "I was going to watch Megan (Johnstone) but she didn't complete the course. So I knew I had to go really fast and hope for the best." The 35-year-old Kraut, of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin finished second in this event last year, also aboard Liberty. "I thought about finishing second and I really wanted to win this class this year," Kraut said.

FOR AGATE:
$100,000 Cosequin US Open Jumper Championship -- Wellington, Florida
March 11, 2001
Course Designer: Aki Ylanne, Finland
Place / Horse / Rider / Hometown / Faults-Time / Purse
1. Liberty / Laura Kraut / Oconomowoc, WI / 0-0-41.33 / $30,000
2. Innocence / Beezie Madden / Cazenovia, NY / 0-0-42.49 / $22,000
3. Legato / Peter Leone / Greenwich, CT / 0-0-42.68 / $ 13,000
4. Edgar / Joe Fargis / Wellington, FL / 0-0-44.86 / $8,000
5. Pinkata De Longpre / Mark Leone / Franklin Lakes, NJ / 0-4-44.27 / $ 6,000
6. Lulu / Kamal Bahamdan / Saudi Arabia / 0-12-48.46 / $ 5,000
7. Marco / Megan Johnstone / Orinda, CA / 0-ret / $ 4,000
8. 11-way tie for 8th place