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Amid Cedric’s Retirement, Laura Kraut Relives Fondest Memories of Superstar Horse

by By Dana Rossmeier, US Equestrian Federation | Mar 3, 2017, 10:05 PM

Photo: Ken Braddick

One of show jumping’s greatest mounts, Cedric, took his last walk into the show ring as his fans, owner Margaret Duprey of Cherry Knoll Farm, and trusted partner Laura Kraut bid farewell in a well-deserved retirement ceremony at the Winter Equestrian Festival on March 3 in Wellington, Florida. Kraut and the 19-year-old Holsteiner gelding competed in their first FEI competition in 2006 and climbed their way to a Team Gold medal in the 2008 Hong Kong Olympic Games. Before the retirement ceremony, Kraut took a few moments to reflect on a few of her favorite memories of a once-in-a-lifetime horse.

 

5. Jumping the open water for one of the first times in the International Ring at the Winter Equestrian Festival. “I don’t know what he was thinking,” said Kraut. “It was like he jumped 20 feet in the air, paddled his legs, and somehow got over the other side. People still talk about it!”

 

4. Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Lausanne, Switzerland. “He was jumping clear; then I had a rail at one of the fences. I got jumped loose, and I still thought I could jump the next fence,” explained Kraut. “However, he stopped and threw me off. In the process, the bridle came off. Then he galloped around the ring at top speed and jumped out of the ring beside a tractor and galloped back to the stable. He never let me think I was good enough and made sure I was always humble,” laughed Kraut.

 

3. Winning their first grand prix at Hachenburg, Germany. “Shutterfly jumped that day along with a lot of other good horses. I was never sure if he would get to that point,” said Kraut.

 

2. The first time she took him to Aachen. “For a little horse, he acted like he owned the place,” Kraut recalled. “I didn’t think he would be brave enough to take the environment on. Every time I took him to Aachen, he jumped fantastic. That was something special.”

 

1. Winning the gold medal at the 2008 Hong Kong Olympic Games. “He taught me that if a horse has talent somewhere, keep working at it and exhaust all your possibilities before giving up,” said Kraut.

 

Cedric will enjoy his retirement in England, turned out among a couple of young horses.