Until nearly the end of the class, it looked like Sunday’s $580,000 Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin would go to an unusual jump-off among 4-fault riders. None of the 38 contestants—including many of the biggest names in the business—had been able to leave all the rails up.

Then Laura Kraut and Bisquetta, second to last to go, entered the RDS Main Arena at the Dublin Horse Show. Their clear round—the only of the day—made them the second consecutive U.S. pair to win a Rolex Series grand prix, following Aaron Vale and Carissimo 25’s victory in France two weeks ago.

“The Dublin Horse Show is one of those bucket-list events—my husband Nick Skelton won it five times—so I’m absolutely thrilled,” Kraut said. “Alan Wade built a course that was careful but fair, and you had to be perfect to go clear. I was lucky to go late, which gave me the chance to study the others and decide exactly what I wanted to do. Bisquetta was ready and brilliant.”

In total, 40 of the world’s finest riders—including past Rolex Grand Prix winners, Olympic champions and rising stars—faced the demanding 1.60-meter track designed by Ireland’s Wade, renowned for creating courses that are both fair and unforgiving. With 14 obstacles, 17 efforts and a tight time allowed of 77 seconds, the challenge demanded precision, scope and control. 

From the very start, the course proved merciless. Dutch rider Kevin Jochems was first to go with Camilla Van De Helle, but two early mistakes and a time penalty set the tone for a tough afternoon. Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam, the first home favorite to enter the arena, thrilled the crowd with a fast round of 74.39 seconds on James Kann Cruz, but a single rail kept him from a faultless score. Even big names like Vale and Harrie Smolders (the Netherlands)—fresh from victory and runner-up honors in the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de Dinard—fell victim to the course’s technical questions.

As the class unfolded, rails kept falling. By start number 19, Sweetnam’s early 4-fault round still held the lead. Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Pérez came agonizingly close, only to drop the final fence. Young Irish talent Tom Wachman also posted 4 faults, with Tabasco De Toxandria Z, finishing exactly on the time allowed.

With no clear rounds yet on the scoreboard, the tension inside the RDS reached fever pitch. Brazilian legend Rodrigo Pessoa and Major Tom delivered a quick 4-fault performance in 73.61 seconds to take over the provisional lead, while Canada’s Amy Millar looked strong until the double combination before the last fence, where a single rail dashed her hopes. Ireland’s final contender, Seamus Hughes Kennedy, finished with 8 faults leaving just two riders to go.

Then came the decisive moment. Kraut, a multiple Olympic medalist and one of the sport’s most respected figures, entered the arena as the penultimate competitor. With Bisquetta, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare (Bisquet Balou C—I-Squalls Esta Ioletta, Takashi Van Berkenbroek) owned by Cherry Knoll Farm Inc., she delivered a round of perfect rhythm and precision, crossing the finish line in 73.97 seconds as the only clear of the entire competition. The crowd erupted in celebration, knowing they had just witnessed something truly exceptional.

Watch their winning round here, courtesy of RDS Dublin Horse Show:

“She’s very brave, very careful, and this year she’s stepped up to another level,” Kraut said of the mare. “She has her quirks—she is terrified of other horses’ tails—but none of it affects her in the ring. In the stable she is sweet, and after today she might just become even more of a princess.”

With one rail each, Pessoa finished second with Major Tom on his 73.62-second round, and Sweetnam’s quick early round (74.39 seconds) with James Kann Cruz was good enough to hold onto third.

It was an immensely demanding contest, with 13 riders retiring before completing their round, including the final competitor, Ireland’s Trevor Breen, who elected to retire after picking up a fault. No one could match Kraut’s brilliance, sealing a remarkable and historic victory in one of the most challenging Rolex Grand Prix of Ireland in recent years. 

“The course was exactly what you expect from a grand prix like this: tough but fair,” Pessoa said. “I liked it for my horse, and going late let me really study the lines. My rail down was my mistake: I came in a little hot to the triple. After that, I just tried to be quick and take a few risks to set a strong time. 

“When I saw my result, I was actually rooting for Laura to jump clear,” he added. “I’d rather be second than go into a jump-off. The atmosphere, the footing, the conditions—everything was perfect for a fantastic afternoon.”

See complete results here.