JustWorld Ambassadors #RideForTheCause At LGCT of Miami Beach

Zara Annette Boyd was one of two JustWorld International Ambassadors to compete at the April 4-6 Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach. Photo by Giana Terranova Photography

Competing at the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) of Miami Beach has been a dream for JustWorld International Ambassador Zara Annette Boyd. As a teenager, Zara, now 23, would save pictures of the beachside venue on Pinterest, imagining the day she’d get to visit Miami, Florida, and ride there. 

Her dreams came true on April 4 when she competed at the premier show jumping series for the first time. 

“This is really special to me. This is my lifelong dream,” Zara said of the show, which has enjoyed a partnership with JustWorld ever since the Miami debut in 2015. “I just feel very lucky to be here, so the fact that I got to compete and I had a great week was a massive plus. I had a really great time.”

JustWorld Ambassador Zara Annette Boyd rode Oreo, her horse of a lifetime, in the CSI2* division of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach. Photo by Giana Terranova Photography

The LGCT of Miami Beach ran from April 4-6, featuring CSI2* and Olympic-level CSI5* competitions and offering visibility for JustWorld in a charitable partnership with a themed jump, a 30-second video clip about the organization, and displays on the LED screen.
 
With the support of her trainer Peter Leone, who earned team silver with the U.S. at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Zara jumped in her first FEI competition, representing Great Britain internationally for the first time in the two-star in Miami. She rode her 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding Monks Diarados Boy, affectionately known as “Oreo.” 

“I have three horses, two of which are retired, so Oreo is my No.1 guy,” Zara said. “He has taken me from jumping 2’6" to jumping 1.35m in two years. He means the world to me; he owes me nothing, this horse. So, he could go in here and buck me off because he sees the people, and I really wouldn’t care. I’m very lucky to have him, and I feel very privileged to ride him. Being here and showing with him was really special. He’s definitely my once-in-a-lifetime horse.”

As if her trip couldn’t get any better, Zara got to meet Olympian and fellow JustWorld Ambassador Laura Kraut ahead of Saturday’s Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Miami Beach. Held on April 6, the CSI5* finale saw Laura compete with the 10-year-old Zangersheide mare Bisquetta, owned by Cherry Knoll Farm, Inc. The day prior, the pair jumped a clear round to help the Rome Gladiators win the Global Champions League team event, where they also finished third individually. 

“It’s a tremendous show here,” Laura said, “[a] five-star event, and we’re very honored to be here.”

 JustWorld Ambassadors Zara Annette Boyd (left) and Laura Kraut met for the first time at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach. Photo by Mike Souza/So Chill Media

The Miami stop, second to Doha, Qatar, on the 16-date LGCT calendar, came at the close of the winter circuit in Wellington, Florida, where Laura spent the past few months competing and developing her horses. Her string includes Baloutinue, the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding she piloted to a team silver medal at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

On March 23, Laura jumped Baloutinue, owned by St. Bride’s Farm, to two double clear rounds in the Ocala, Florida, leg of the Longines League of Nations. The U.S. team finished third in the event, which was held at the World Equestrian Center. 

“I’m hopeful that my top horse Baloutinue is ready for what he has ahead of him this summer—hopefully culminating with the Paris Olympics,” Laura said. “He’s in good form; I jumped him in Ocala, and I’m going to jump him one more week in Wellington, and then we’re off to Europe.”

 Laura Kraut rode Bisquetta in Saturday’s Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Miami Beach. Photo by Tori Repole 

While Laura keeps busy training students and competing on the sport’s international calendar, she remains one of JustWorld’s most dedicated and committed Ambassadors. Her son, Bobby, has also supported JustWorld through fundraising and event volunteering. 

“I’ve always been passionate about JustWorld,” Laura said. “I’m super enthusiastic about the work they do with children because, obviously, they need the support from all of us around the world. Jessica [Newman, JustWorld International Founder and President], for me, she’s just the best, so wherever I go, if I can be of help, I try to. It’s the easiest way for me to give back since I don’t have so much time on my hands. Any opportunity is great.”

Like the LGCT, JustWorld Ambassadors span the globe from the Americas to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and beyond.

“JustWorld has the record,” Laura added. “They’ve had huge success. We’ve seen the results, and it’s worldwide.”

Zara, too, is a steadfast champion of JustWorld. She became involved in 2020 after learning about the nonprofit through a friend. 

“I really do care about giving back to people,” Zara said. “The idea of JustWorld was amazing to me. When you join a sport like this, and you’re surrounded by events like this, it’s really important to remember that the money that goes into these sorts of events could also do a lot for other people. And it’s important to recognize how you can help others.”

 Zara Annette Boyd brought her love of horses, fashion, and JustWorld International to the Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach. Photo by Giana Terranova Photography

Zara is particularly passionate about JustWorld’s mission to shatter the cycle of poverty for children through education.

“I think education is so important,” Zara said. “To be able to give to people who can’t afford education and to see how JustWorld has changed so many communities is so rewarding. I'm very proud to be a part of the organization and to spread the word to other young people and young riders to try and make sure that they stay grounded and understand that this is an amazing sport, but there are other things we can do by using this sport as a platform to help others. I have a lot of love for the program.”

Laura and Zara are perfect examples of how equestrians can get involved in their communities and give back. No matter your personal commitments, schedule, or location, there’s room for everyone to join JustWorld and support the mission. 

“The Ambassador program is amazing,” Zara said. “By being an Ambassador, you’re representing JustWorld, even if that means at dinner you’re telling your friends about this organization and how you can help, that’s still being an Ambassador. You’re still talking to people, and you’re still getting the word out. 

“The Ambassador Program–I recommend it to all my friends, and I try to get anyone who follows me on social media to also look into it and to join,” Zara added. "Even just to go on the JustWorld website and read about the work that they do and donate. Any amount of money helps. Obviously, the bigger, the better. ”

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JustWorld International

Established in 2003, JustWorld International was created to connect equestrians with a direct way to help fracture the cycle of poverty through education, healthcare, nutrition, and leadership programs benefiting children around the world. Ambassadors from more than forty countries have since committed to “Ride for the Cause” and transform the lives of children through equestrian sport. JustWorld has united the international equestrian community and become the Official Charity Partner of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body of equestrian sport. Envisioning a more just world, the non-profit organization cultivates strategic, project partnerships in a collaborative approach to impact the lives of nearly 10,000 children around the globe annually.

To donate, become an Ambassador, or learn more about JustWorld, please visit www.justworldinternational.org or @justworldinternational on Facebook and Instagram.

JustWorld International is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the United States and tax-deductible donations are accepted in the United States. JustWorld International has no political or religious affiliation.

The Longines Global Champions Tour is a prestigious international show jumping series founded by Jan Tops in 2006. Spanning three continents and 16 of the world’s most beautiful destinations, the tour attracts top-tier riders and horses with prize money exceeding €36 million. The Global Champions League team competition, also founded by Tops, runs concurrently with the LGCT, with both events culminating in a grand championship finale.