US equestrian jumping team wins silver in third straight Olympics

VERSAILLES, France — For the third straight Summer Olympics, the United States equestrian jumping team has won silver.
The trio of Laura Kraut, Karl Cook and McClain Ward – and their horses Baloutinue, Caracole de la Roque and Ilex, respectively – accomplished the feat Friday at the historic Chateau de Versailles, with the Grand Canal and palace in the distance.
Kraut took the lone penalty while leading off for the Americans. Cook and Ward turned in clean runs. Following Cook’s run in the No. 2 spot, the U.S. entered the final round in third. France was hit with a penalty during its final ride to fall into bronze-medal position. Great Britain won gold.
Cook, making his Olympic debut in Paris, entered the Games as an alternate. Kent Farrington and Greya were the third combination initially selected for the jumping team, but an “allergy issue” with Greya and all three scores counting prompted the team to insert Cook and Caracole de la Roque.
The jumping team took silver in Tokyo. That squad included Kraut, Ward and Jessica Springsteen – the daughter of rock music legend Bruce Springsteen. Jessica Springsteen was not selected for the Pairs team.
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Ward, 48, won gold in the team jumping at both the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games. This is his third silver medal in the event (2016 Rio and Tokyo). Kraut was on both the Beijing and Tokyo medal teams, making this her third time on the podium.
The trio won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games. 
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