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Laura Kraut and McLain Ward gave us everything we could ask for in a $750,000 Grand Prix. Two Olympic medalists, both riding at the peak of their powers, separated by a margin so slim it required a photo finish to confirm. Three hundredths of a second. That's the width of a nostril, the difference between glory and silver.

Alan Wade's 1.60m track was classic California. The expansive Grand Prix Stadium at the Desert International Horse Park allowed Wade to test scope and flow rather than relying on tricks. From 35 starters, 11 found the key to advance to the jump off which featured twists and turns and a 2 crucial rollbacks that separated the precise from the rest.

Kraut, drawn second in the jump-off, faced the worst possible scenario: going early against a field of Olympians and World Cup champions.

Her strategy was simple—go as fast as humanly possible and hope it held up.

Riding Bisquetta, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare, Kraut sliced every turn and trusted the mare's agility. They stopped the clock at 36.27 seconds, setting a target that seemed vulnerable with nine combinations still to come.

Ward, riding High Star Hero for the DIHP Roadrunners, was the most serious threat. Although he was ahead through the early part of the jump off, a high jump at the final rollback cost him time. As Ward crossed the finish at 36.30 seconds—three hundredths behind he looked genuinely shocked when the time flashed on the board.

The rest of the field chased but couldn't catch them. Skylar Wireman delivered a composed double-clear on Barclino B for third. Daniel Bluman took fourth on Corbie V.V. sending him into the lead of the championship over Kent Farrington, and Nina Mallevaey rounded out the top five with Dynastie de Beaufour.

Watch the split screen ⬇️

For Kraut, this was her first MLSJ Grand Prix win, filling a notable gap in her resume. "One of the best horses I've ever had," she said of Bisquetta.

While the individual Grand Prix grabbed headlines, Friday's $200,000 MLSJ Team Competition was where the season's championship narrative took shape. Maccabi United—essentially the Bluman family operation—came to Thermal already leading the standings with 159 points and a slim 4-point advantage. They left with that lead extended to 23 points after a tactical masterclass in the gold medal match.

The MLSJ format is designed for drama: two preliminary rounds followed by a head-to-head gold medal duel using Table C, where rails add three seconds rather than faults. This fundamentally changes the risk calculus—a conservative clear often loses to aggressive speed, even with a rail down.

Maccabi United's roster—Daniel Bluman (ISR), Mark Bluman (COL), and Uma O'Neill (NZL)—qualified for the final against The Archers through solid preliminary performances. Mark Bluman and O'Neill both delivered crucial clears in Round 2 to secure the final spot.

The gold medal duel came down to Daniel Bluman on Hummer Z versus The Archers' ace, Nicola Philippaerts. Bluman's strategy was clinical:

Bluman attacked with maximum velocity, making tight rollbacks that seemed impossible. He knocked the final rail, adding three seconds, but his raw speed was so immense that even with the penalty, his corrected time held up. Philippaerts rode clear but couldn't match the clock. Maccabi United claimed the yellow armband of season leaders.

Thursday's $182,000 Grand Prix Qualifier saw McLain Ward and First Lady defend their title from 2024. First Lady's return from summer injury is a major development for U.S. team prospects—Ward noted she's been "phenomenally consistent" since coming back. Nina Mallevaey finished second, previewing her strong week.

Karl Cook demonstrated sophisticated horse management by running Kalinka van't Zorgvliet in the CSI2* Grand Prix rather than throwing the 5* winner immediately back into deep water after an 18-month injury layoff. Cook topped a 51-horse field, banking a confident win before stepping her back up to 1.60m in January.

Sunday's $62,500 Winning Round went to Belgium's Gregory Wathelet aboard Argentina de la Marchette, adding European flavor to an otherwise American-dominated winner's circle.

The Casas Novas Equestrian Center celebrated its 25th anniversary by hosting the fifth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League, and Willem Greve used the occasion to effectively punch his ticket to the World Cup Final in Fort Worth.

Santiago Varela's 1.60m World Cup track was a minimalistic test of pure athletic ability. The Spanish course designer, fresh off building the Paris Olympics and European Championships, set a time allowed of 76 seconds that proved influential—only seven of 40 starters managed clear rounds to reach the jump-off.

In the Jump Off Greve and Pretty Woman van't Paradijs N.O.P. pulled off a rollback on 5 strides that set him apart from the rest of the field who made the same turn on 7 or 8 strides. The 10-year-old mare was "jumping out of her skin" according to Greve, and they crossed the beam in 42.76 seconds, shaving nearly two seconds off the early leader's time.

Norway's Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer set the standard as pathfinder with Carabella vd Neyen Z, posting 44.70 seconds in what she called a "sensational clear." France's Simon Delestre rode tactically smart on the 9-year-old Golden Boy DK, prioritizing a confidence-building clear over maximum speed and taking third in 45.16 seconds.

The casualties were significant. Local favorite Armando Trapote pushed too hard chasing the home win, posting the second-fastest time (42.14s) but knocking a rail. Germany's Philipp Schulze Topphoff went even faster—41.24 seconds, quickest of the day—but dropped a rail at the final fence. Ireland's Denis Lynch jumped brilliantly but finished just outside the 76-second time allowed, missing the jump-off by fractions.

Greve's victory, following his Stuttgart win two weeks prior, rocketed him to the top of the Western European League standings with 40 points—historically the threshold that guarantees qualification for the World Cup Final. Richard Vogel sits second with 36 points, while Yuri Mansur and Kevin Staut are tied for third with 29 points each.

Belgium's Pieter Devos took Saturday's €170,000 Longines Grand Prix aboard the 11-year-old Jarina J, stopping the clock at 40.04 seconds in the jump-off. Britain's Robert Whitaker finished a fraction behind in 40.42 seconds riding Vermento, a stallion bred by his father John Whitaker. Christian Ahlmann rounded out the podium with Blueberry in 40.83 seconds.

The opening day saw Henrik von Eckermann dominate the Caixabank Trophy speed class with Glamour Girl, winning by over two and a half seconds with "razor-sharp turns and blistering pace." Maikel van der Vleuten opened the five-star competition with victory in the Checkpoint Trophy aboard Dywis HH.

Britain's Robert Murphy secured a career-defining victory in the Amadeus Grand Prix of Salzburg aboard Hulde G, stopping the clock at 42.88 seconds in the jump-off. Murphy overcame severe Alpine winter weather that created logistical nightmares for transport across the region. Hungary's Tamás Mráz finished second with Viva Cent (46.48s), while South Africa's Ronnie Healy took third on Cornet's Mandarino (47.09s). Italy's Emanuele Gaudiano won the Championat qualifier earlier in the week with Chalou's Love PS but couldn't replicate the performance in Sunday's feature class.

Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

Colombia's Ilan Bluman claimed the $120,000 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida Grand Prix aboard Acajou in a 10-horse jump-off, narrowly defeating Ireland's Dylan Daly (Cinderella Z, 35.12s) and Paul O'Shea (Imerald Van't Voorhof, 35.20s). New Zealand's Sharn Wordley won the regional $16,999 Golden Ocala Grand Prix with Hagelin while strategically saving his top mount for later FEI competition.

$120,000 Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

Britain's Jodie Hall Mcateer claimed the PKO Bank Polski World Cup Grand Prix aboard Key West in the one metre fifty qualifier. Ukraine's Oleksandr Prodan finished second with Moneymaker Van't Meulenhof, while the Netherlands' Hessel Hoekstra took third on Comthago VDL. Germany's Michael Jung won Friday's famous "Speed & Music" class aboard Qwatt. The high-tempo, nightclub-atmosphere competition featuring live DJ synchronization with the horses' rhythm delivered the signature Cavaliada experience that draws massive crowds to Poland's premier indoor series.

World Cup Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

Ireland's Niall Talbot won the 1.50m Grand Prix aboard Charming Dream Z in 39.40 seconds, dedicating the emotional victory to his close friend John Mulvey, a respected figure in the Irish equestrian community who passed away earlier in the week. Belgium's Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele finished second (40.10s), while legendary French rider Michel Robert, now in his late 70s, placed fifth on Calasto Z.

Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

Chilean Olympian Samuel Parot claimed the 1.55m Grand Prix aboard Chrystal Blue, defeating Argentina's Ignacio Maurin (Conchado) and Mexico's Nicolas Pizarro (Farino Du Guinefor) on home soil. The Otomí venue continues to establish Mexico as a major player in the Latin American circuit.

Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

Ben Maher Announces Explosion W Retirement: Great Britain's Ben Maher has officially announced the retirement of his Tokyo 2020 Olympic individual gold medal partner, Explosion W. The formal retirement ceremony will take place at the London International Horse Show on Sunday, December 21, 2025. The 15-year-old gelding (Chacco-Blue x Baloubet du Rouet) is arguably the greatest horse of his generation, with additional accolades including individual silver at the 2019 Rotterdam Europeans and multiple LGCT Grand Prix victories. Maher has successfully transitioned to new mounts including Dallas Vegas Batilly and Point Break, but Explosion W's retirement removes his ultimate championship "ace card."

The global calendar spreads wide this week with five-star action across three continents and a World Cup qualifier in the Middle East.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CHI Geneva - Switzerland 🇨🇭 (December 11-14)

The prestigious indoor returns to the Palexpo with the Rolex Grand Prix anchoring Sunday's action. Geneva's tight, technical arena rewards careful horses and precise riding. Expect a strong European contingent using this as preparation for the holiday circuit World Cup qualifiers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI5/CSI2 Desert Holiday II (Thermal) - California, USA 🇺🇸 (December 9-14)

The MLSJ circus remains in the desert for Leg 7 with another $750,000+ prize purse on offer. After last week's dramatics, expect Maccabi United to defend their yellow armband while the Trelawny Trailblazers attempt to close a 23-point gap. Laura Kraut and McLain Ward will both be hunting redemption and vindication.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI4-W Riyadh - Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 (December 10-13)

World Cup points in the Middle East as the region continues developing its equestrian infrastructure. The indoor arena offers significant prize money and ranking points.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI4 Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪 (December 11-14)

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3-W Chengdu - China 🇨🇳 (December 11-14)

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3 Paris - France 🇫🇷 (December 12-14)

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3 Oliva - Spain 🇪🇸 (December 9-14)

Two exceptional five-star events delivered genuine drama and quality sport. Thermal gave us a finish measured in hundredths of a second between Olympic veterans, a tactical team competition reshaping the MLSJ championship, and over $1.5 million in prize money. A Coruña provided a World Cup qualifier that effectively decided early qualification for Fort Worth, with Willem Greve's back-to-back victories establishing him as the indoor season's rider to beat.

The supporting calendar was robust—World Cup points in Poland, quality indoor competition in Austria despite severe weather, and strong fields across North America's winter circuits. What keeps this from 8.5+ territory is the lack of a third headline-worthy storyline or additional championship implications. Solid, entertaining, high-quality sport across the board, but not quite reaching the exceptional heights of the season's best weeks.

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