Olympian Laura Kraut and Margaret Duprey of Cherry Knoll Farm have announced the retirement of Cedric, Kraut’s Olympic partner. The 19-year-old Holsteiner gelding is owned by Cherry Knoll Farm.
Kraut and Cedric were one of the most dynamic and successful show jumping combinations in American history. Cedric made his FEI debut in 2006 as an 8-year-old, and they were key members of the United States show jumping team that claimed the gold medal in 2008 at the summer Olympics in Beijing.
“Cedric has been the horse of a lifetime for me,” Kraut said. “He has been incredible, and I’ve learned not to give up and to persevere. It took a long time as he was a little bit slower to develop than your normal Grand Prix horse. He has been amazing, and I think I’ll never have another horse like him.”
The pair made numerous Nations Cup appearances around the world, including Rotterdam, La Baule, Rome, St. Gallen, Aachen, Wellington, Dublin and Barcelona. Kraut and Cedric have also been successful players on the Global Champions Tour and to this date are the only horse and rider combination to win back-to-back Global Champions Tour events, winning in Chantilly, France, and then just two weeks later at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands.
Cedric amassed well over $2 million in prize money, and in major competitions of $100,000 or more produced 81 clear and 45 double-clear rounds.
U.S. chef d’équipe George H. Morris coached Kraut and Cedric to a team gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “I wanted to go with [Cedric] because he was a careful and competitive horse,” Morris said. “I never underestimate a little horse, and the rider — nobody rides better than Laura.
Prior to Cherry Knoll Farm stepping in as owner in 2012, Cedric was owned by Happy Hill Farm and Peter Wetherill, one of Duprey’s childhood friends. In addition to owning Cedric, Duprey, a Grand Prix dressage rider and philanthropist, also owns Grand Prix show jumper Constable and Rio Paralympic mount Schroeter’s Romani ridden by Rebecca Hart.
“I thought owning Cedric would be a great opportunity to become involved in the jumping world with one of the best,” Duprey said about her decision to purchase the grey gelding in 2012. “To be able to carry on Peter’s love of this horse and his love of Laura, makes it very special.”
Cedric was recognized in a retirement ceremony at the Winter Equestrian Festival on March 3.
ABOVE: Cedric, Johanna Burtsoff, Laura Kraut, owner Margaret Duprey and Robert Duprey.
