Sher Gillespie Equestrian Inc.

Laura Kraut and Simba Run: The Thoroughbred Who Built a Champion 🥇

In the glittering world of international show jumping, where multi-million dollar warmblood imports often steal the spotlight, one of the most enduring success stories started with a quirky, hot-blooded Thoroughbred who cost next to nothing. Simba Run didn't just win grand prix classes—he built the foundation for Laura Kraut's legendary four-decade career, teaching her lessons she carries to this day .

The Horse Named After a Ski Run 🏔️
The name "Simba Run" wasn't just a random choice. Owner Geoff Sutton christened the gelding after a famous ski run in Vail, Colorado. As Laura explained: "It starts out green, and the bottom is double black diamond. And that's exactly how he was to ride!" .

Talk about perfect naming! The horse started his career modestly enough—a brief racing career with eight starts and a mere $800 in earnings. But as Laura discovered, this "green" beginning masked a "double black diamond" talent that would transform her life .

A Steamy Beginning in Tennessee 🔥
The partnership between Laura and Simba began in 1990 under circumstances that sound more like a movie plot than real life. On a blisteringly hot day in Germantown, Tennessee—with temperatures hitting 110 degrees—Sutton asked the 25-year-old Laura to ride his horse in the grand prix .

"I was able to step right in and go right into the grand prix ring," Laura recalled . Her first ride on Simba was in that grand prix, and the rest is history. She picked up the ride on "Simba" when she was 25 and competed him at the grand prix level for 11 years .

Talk about a hot start to a legendary partnership! 🔥

More Than Just Scope 🌟
"He had the most unbelievable amount of scope," Laura said. "There was nothing that horse couldn't jump. You could point him at the biggest double of oxers, and you didn't need spurs" .

But Simba wasn't an easy ride. He was hot, tricky, and liked to root the reins right out of Laura's hands. Yet those challenges shaped her into the rider she would become. "He taught me what a good horse should feel like," she explained .

The most valuable lesson? Feeling genuine Olympic scope. "It's easy to talk about that kind of scope and see it in a horse, but I think when you can actually feel it, it gives you a whole new perspective of it. And then you can recognize it again in other horses" .

Building an Olympic Career 🏅
Simba Run was the horse who opened the doors to international competition. In 1992, Laura and Simba earned a spot as alternates for the U.S. Olympic team for the Barcelona Games—her first taste of Olympic-level competition . They also competed in their first FEI World Cup Final, placing 10th in Del Mar, California .

"He made my career," Laura stated simply. "He's the reason that I have the horses that I have now and the reason that I've been able to compete at the level that I have" .

Their record together was impressive: more than **$300,000** in prize money in an era when a $100,000 grand prix was rare. Multiple grand prix wins each year, Nations Cups in Rotterdam and Italy, and the 1994 FEI World Cup Final (though Simba tied up unexpectedly) .

The Legacy That Lives On 💫
Simba Run's final show was in 2000, winning the $50,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix in Kentucky . But his influence never faded.

Reflecting years later, Laura offered a touching thought: "I wish I had him again now because I feel like I would do a much better job with him now. I've learned a lot since then. He got me when I was a newcomer to the whole international scene" .

That humility—acknowledging that even the greatest partnerships continue to teach us—is what makes Laura Kraut not just a champion rider but a true horseman. 🐎

From Simba to the World Stage 🌍
Simba Run's impact rippled through Laura's entire career. He helped draw national attention and sponsorship, opening doors to partnerships with Olympic horses like Liberty (Sydney 2000), Cedric (Beijing 2008 team gold medalist), and Zeremonie (WEG team gold) .

Laura has competed in six Olympic Games, earning team gold in 2008 and team silver in both 2021 and 2024—making her the oldest medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics at age 58 . She continues winning major titles, including the Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin in 2025 at age 59 .

The Heart of the Story ❤️
The tale of Laura Kraut and Simba Run reminds us that greatness isn't always found in expensive purchases or fancy pedigrees. It's found in trust, timing, and the willingness to stick with a challenging partner who demands your best.

"He taught me all about how to do this," Laura said in Simba's 2005 obituary .

That's the kind of bond that transcends competition. That's the heart of horsemanship.

You should be asking yourself these questions, Andre Dignelli shares. What are my goals? Am I at a place where I can meet my goals? Am I setting myself up for success? Where do I want to be a year from now?

This generation is not wired to think about long-term goals. It’s all about instantaneous gratification and instant success. Riders want to buy the made horse and buy the ribbon. In the end, that isn’t possible. If history has anything to say, if you look back at the last 50 years, the most successful riders—both at the junior equitation championships and at the senior levels of show jumping sport—it’s still the overachievers that found a way to the top of the podium. Many of those riders have been working students or children of professionals.

When it comes to goal setting, there needs to be an honest conversation about what you are willing to put into achieving the goals you’ve set forth. How much riding are you doing, day to day? How many horses are you riding? Are you working to improve every day and receiving frequent instruction, or are you just taking some lessons on the weekend and never practicing what you’ve learned? When you are riding, are you just riding, or are you riding with purpose?

Most importantly: How much time do you want to invest in achieving this goal?

Identifying your place in the sport is important. Are you doing this for sport, or is this more recreational—or are you somewhere in the middle? All have a place in the industry, at the barn and at the horse show, but achieving certain goals requires a certain level of commitment.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2023/01/04/ask-andre-how-do-you-set-realistic-goals-for-your-riders/
📸 Heritage Farm's Andre Dignelli, Laena Romond and Patricia Griffith. Photo © KIND Media

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