U.S. Equestrian Captures Silver in Jumping Team Final

Team USA secured silver in the jumping team final Friday afternoon in Versailles, matching its finish at Tokyo three years ago. Ranked second after the qualifier, Riders Laura Kraut, Karl Cook, and McLain Ward recorded four penalties and a total time of 229.90 to finish behind Great Britain, who only recorded two penalties. This marks the 11th Olympic team medal for the U.S. in jumping and their sixth silver.

Kraut and her horse, Baloutinue, got things started for the U.S. in the first line of riders. The 58-year-old contributed to the silver medal effort in Tokyo where she become the oldest American woman to win an Olympic medal since 1904. Kraut and Baloutinue were the strongest combination for the U.S. in qualifying, recording a clear ride in 72.92, the fastest out of all competitors. Unfortunately, the final did not go as smoothly yesterday. Knocking down a rail on the first jump of a triple combination resulted in four penalties for Kraut and her horse, clocking a time of 77.45. The U.S. sat in fifth place after the first line of riders were complete.

“The course was a bit more difficult,” said Kraut. “It’s a little bit more technical, the triple combination is very difficult … I felt like I was flying, and I only came in a second and a half under.”

Cook and his horse, Caracole de La Roque, were up second for Team USA in the final after being substituted into the team competition at the last minute before qualifying yesterday. Kent Farrington and his horse, Greya, were initially a part of the lineup for qualifying but were replaced due to Greya experiencing some allergy-related issues, according to the United States Equestrian Federation.

Cook, competing in his first Olympics, rose to the occasion both in qualifying and the final. In Friday’s completion he and Caracole de La Roque performed an almost identical clear ride to the once a day earlier, finishing in a time of 75.88. Despite almost losing his sunglasses on the final jump, their time was the fastest recorded among the second line of riders.

“It was, just, really focusing on the track, the stride and all that,” said Cook. “I’m so grateful for Caracole. She's such an amazing horse. She stuck with me the whole time and I couldn't be happier.”

The effort by Cook and his horse placed the U.S. third behind Great Britain and France going into the third and final line of riders. The last combination, Ward and his horse, Ilex, needed a clear ride for the U.S. to remain likely medal contenders. Ward, who already owns five Olympic medals, is familiar with this type of pressure as this is his sixth Games.

“I’m not the guy who does that easily,” said Ward of being the final rider for Team USA. “I’ve had to work really hard at it. I would say earlier in my career nerves were a problem at times… I’ve worked at and had great help with it. That’s been really fulfilling.”

Despite faults in qualifying, Ward had no issues and finished in a time of 76.57. The French, who owned three penalties after the first two riders, knocked a rail on the ninth jump to bring their penalty totals to seven and allowing the U.S. to claim the silver.

Hanna Barton is writing for Team USA as a graduate student in the Sports Capital Journalism Program at Indiana University Indianapolis.