Sport Horses in the Spotlight: Baloutinue

1. The Beginning of Baloutinue

When Baloutinue (Balou Du Rouet x Landor S) was born on April 5, 2010, no one could have imagined that this horse would go on to win team silver at the Olympic Games in Tokyo with Laura Kraut and achieve further success in show jumping. Baloutinue who was affectionately named Balou by his breeder Heinrich Meyer († 2019) - based on the bear from The Jungle Book - enjoyed his first years of life in the pastures of Meyer's Stubbenhof and was broken in at the age of four.

Holger Baum, who had already bought many horses from Meyer, then acquired him and the four-year-old Baloutinue moved to the renowned foal farm of the Baum family in Taunus and was shown by Holger Baum's daughter Franziska Baum-Gundlach in her first show jumping competitions. With the first competitions came the name of the Balou Du Rouet offspring, Baloutinue came about. Since the five year old was said to be a bit special, but showed potential, he went into the hands of Daniel Etter in Switzerland. Then the Hanoverian was sold to America and competed in his first tests in the United States of America in 2018 with Adam Prudent. Over the next three years, the two enjoyed many successes, for example, the three FEI wins in a row, 2020 in Tryon, or his 2021 series in Wellington.

2. Baloutinue's Journey With Laura Kraut Begins  

When St. Bride's Farm in Virginia, the then eleven-year-old Baloutinue (Balou du Rouet x Landor S) was purchased in 2021, it was clear that Laura Kraut and Baloutinue were destined for greatness. Kraut began her journey with him shortly after Baloutinue's successful series with Adam Prudent in Wellington, Florida.

It didn't take long for the dynamic duo to make the move to the big sport. Less than a week after the start of their partnership, they achieved their first victory in a Grand Prix CSI3* on home ground in the USA, among a host of exceptional athletes.

A month later they finished second in the Grand Prix of Rome CSIO5*, as the beginning of a great season. Shortly after, Kraut and Baloutinue were selected for the Tokyo Olympics, where they helped the American team win silver on one of the biggest stages in the world. As the first combination in the jump-off, it was up to Kraut and Baloutinue to put the Swedish team under pressure. They finished the jump-off with a phenomenal clear round and walked away as Olympic silver medalists after an extremely close competition between the United States and Sweden. This was a milestone not only for Baloutinue and Kraut, but for the whole world.

The moment she won silver with her team, Laura Kraut became the oldest U.S. athlete to win a medal at the Olympics since 1904. She was also named the 2021 International Rider of the Year at the USEF Pegasus Awards.

"It's a dream come true," Kraut said.

 Laura Kraut and Baloutinue´s winning streak was only just beginning. The next stop was the 2021 CHIO Aachen, Germany, where the duo helped their team to victory in the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup CSIO5* after producing a clear performance in the second round. Being the last pair to compete, it was on their shoulders to determine the fate of the United States team, and they did it! With each successive competition, the synergy between the two grew stronger and stronger. 

In February 2023, Laura Kraut was anticipating the next big milestone at her hometown in Wellington, Florida. She and Baloutinue won the $425,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI5*, which brought together the world's elite riders. In the jump-off with seven horses, the pair set the fastest time, which not a single rider was able to beat. This was Laura Kraut and Baloutinue's first joint victory in a five-star Grand Prix, giving them a memorable success. 

They celebrated their most recent triumph at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Mexico, where Laura Kraut and the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding battled for victory with the US team in a thrilling jump-off against Mexico. They were the only pair to remain clear over two rounds and progressed to the jump-off. Once again clear, Laura Kraut and Baloutinue gave the United States team a sensational international victory.

"I don't think there's anything Balou can't do," Kraut said.

Laura Kraut also calls the 13-year-old gelding by his nickname, Balou, which his breeder already gave him back then. 

All over the world Baloutinue and Kraut have celebrated great successes in the short time they have been working together. What's next for the extraordinary Olympians?

Discover "The story of Baloutinue" and his partnership with Laura Kraut on ClipMyHorse.TV!

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