Latest from Horse & Hound in Meredith-michaels-beerbaum

‘I’ve lost my friend and partner in crime’ as unconventional champion dies aged 30

Jennifer Donald — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:10:30 +0000

Showjumper Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s great horse Checkmate 4 has died at the age of 30.

“Joey” as he was known at home, helped the US-born German rider to two team gold medals and won the German championships twice during a glittering international showjumping career spanning well over a decade.

“I am very sad to say I lost my friend and partner in crime,” said Meredith.

“A horse of a lifetime with his unique style, high head carriage and U-shaped back, Joey went against everything traditional. But he loved to jump, particularly when he was going very fast!”

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on Checkmate 4: “A mischievous little boy”

The son of Contender x Pik Bube II was born in Germany in 1995, bred by Renate Gerlach out of her dressage mare Petite Cardinale. He came to Meredith in 2001 after her friend Soeren von Roenne told her she had found “the perfect horse”.

Then known as Carpaccio, the 15.3hh six-year-old Hanoverian was described by Meredith on first appearances as “small, short-legged and very sway in the back” but as soon as she jumped the youngster, Meredith knew he was “the one”. He was bought by Jim and Nancy Clark and renamed Checkmate.

He was “feisty” in his early days and liked to buck and run, but Meredith attributes this “fiery character” for helping him to become “one of the best horses in the world”.

Among Checkmate’s lengthy list of achievements was team gold at the 2005 European Championships in San Patrignano. Five years later the pair earned their second team gold medal, at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. They were part of the bronze medal-winning German squad at the 2009 European Championships in Windsor and contested two World Cup Finals, in 2006 and 2011. Meredith and Checkmate teamed up to win the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Preis in Zurich, the Championat von Hamburg, and several five-star grands prix, and were a key part of Germany’s Nations Cup teams for many years, winning almost €2m.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Checkmate 4 competing at Olympia in 2011. (Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

Meredith Michaels-Beerbuam described her beloved Checkmate 4 as “a mischievous little boy” and he was still winning five-star competitions well into his late teens. His final international appearance came at CHI Geneva at the end of 2014, after which he was retired.

Checkmate 4 and Shuttefly: friends for life

“Joey carried me to victories in some of the fastest jump-offs I’ve ever ridden, including numerous World Cups and grands prix,” said Meredith.

“He showed actively until he was 19 years old and then joined his friend Shutterfly on the field behind our home for his remaining years. I hope he will reunite with his friend ‘Petey’ once again in the heavens above. I will miss you Joey.”

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(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

‘His groom would stay up all night playing him classical music’: 8 things that may surprise you about the legendary Shutterfly

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‘One of the greatest horses to ever live’: legendary showjumper dies aged 30

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‘I never wanted it to end’: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on her legendary partnership with Shutterfly H&H Plus

(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

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‘His groom would stay up all night playing him classical music’: 8 things that may surprise you about the legendary Shutterfly

Jennifer Donald — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:02:01 +0000

With the sad news last week that the legendary showjumping horse Shutterfly had died at the age of 30, we wanted to celebrate the unforgettable gelding and the phenomenal 12-year partnership he had with his devoted rider Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

The full story of Shutterfly’s rise to stardom is an emotional journey, but when he reached the top, he dazzled us with his presence, athleticism and apparent will to win. Here, Meredith reveals some often surprising things about this beautiful bay gelding, who will be remembered as one of the most successful showjumping horses of all time.

Classical music helped Shutterfly to relax

Meredith and her devoted groom of 25 years, Anu Harrila, took on the role of “safety blanket” to the “spooky and sensitive” Shutterfly.

“Sometimes at shows Anu would stay in his stall all night playing classical music to help him relax – he was high maintenance!” says Meredith. “But that’s what made him special and he was absolutely worth it.”

His original name was Struwwelpeter

The German-bred Silvio I gelding was originally named Struwwelpeter, after a character in a German fairytale on whom the movie Edward Scissorhands was based. When he was purchased for Meredith, Struwwelpeter was renamed Shutterfly after his new owner Jim Clark’s US digital photo company, although his stable name “Petey” remained.

“I liked the name Shutterfly because it was elegant and so suited him,” says Meredith.

2D2FPF4 Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum rides on her horse Shutterfly during the show jumping Grand Prix at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO in Aachen July 6, 2008. Albert Zoer of the Netherlands won the competition ahead of Ludger Beerbaum and Carsten-Otto Nagel of Germany. REUTERS/Alex Grimm (GERMANY) BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

He won three World Cup Finals, the third at the age of 16

Meredith and Shutterfly completed a hat-trick at this prestigious event, winning in 2005, 2008 and 2009.

“The icing on the cake was the third one when he won every single leg and he never made a mistake, and that’s very rare,” says Meredith.

Meredith never rode Shutterfly in prize-givings

Although exceptionally brave over fences, Shutterfly was anxious about his surroundings and many people will remember the scenes as he struggled to cope with the four-way horse-swap at the World Championships in 2006. He was sensitive to loud noises and jumping him indoors proved difficult at times, but Meredith discovered early on that prize-givings would push him over the edge.

“He would freak out, pawing and sweating, until finally one day he got so upset he almost lay down in the ring,” recalls Meredith. “That was the last prize-giving I ever rode him in, when he was nine.”

KG6C59 Olympic Games 2008, Hong Kong (Beijing Games) August 2008, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) riding Shutterfly, team jumping final (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Shutterfly won medals at the European and World Championship, but never at the Olympics

In a highly decorated career together, Meredith and Shutterfly won team and individual bronze at WEG in 2006 and team silver and individual gold at the Europeans in 2007. However, they just missed out at the Olympics, finishing fourth after a seven-way jump-off to Eric Lamaze and Hickstead in 2008.

“I felt so responsible for Shutterfly because I knew it would be his last Olympics and he wasn’t going to win a medal,” says Meredith.

He would bolt if horses came up behind him

At Meredith’s home in Thedinghausen, Germany, there was an unspoken rule that every time Shutterfly was cantering, everyone else had to stop and walk.

“That was how much he’d earned his place on the yard,” says Meredith. “But he would bolt if he heard the noise of hooves coming behind him in our arena.”

AACHEN, GERMANY - JULY 13: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany on her horse Shutterfly celebrates after winning the Warsteiner jumping competition at the CHIO on July 13, 2011 in Aachen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (Image credit: Bongarts/Getty Images)

The pair won more than €3.5million in prize-money

Durning a phenomenal 12 years together in the ring, Meredith and Shutterfly won a glittering array of accolades, including the grand prix of Aachen in 2005, a brace of Top 10 Finals (2004 and 2006) and more than 20 top-level grands prix and World Cup qualifiers. He also helped Meredith to achieve the world number one spot, the first female rider to do so.

“He blossomed into one of the greatest horses to ever live,” says Meredith.

Petey enjoyed his retirement at Meredith’s home

After his retirement from the sport at Aachen in 2011 (pictured winning his final competition, above) at the age of 18, Shutterfly enjoyed a “chilled” retirement for the next 12 years at Meredith’s home.

“He will live in our hearts forever,” says Meredith.

As Meredith says of her beloved Shutterfly, “Everyone dreams of having a wonderful partnership in their lives, whether it’s with a husband or a child – in my case it was with a horse.” They’ve undoubtedly earned their place in showjumping history – Shutterfly and Meredith, a partnership we will never forget.

‘One of the greatest horses to ever live’: legendary showjumper dies aged 30

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 13:57:48 +0000

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum has paid tribute to the incomparable Shutterfly, the “greatest partner anyone could ever have”.

The legendary showjumper, who won three World Cup Finals and individual European gold with Meredith in their stellar career together, died on 28 January, aged 30.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I am sad to announce that we lost Shutterfly this morning,” Meredith said. “He was a unique and irreplaceable part of our lives.”

Meredith spotted the Silvio I gelding as a six-year-old; a “doubtful, unsure youngster” who “blossomed into one of the greatest horses to ever live”.

“He won three World Cup finals, two top ten finals, the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, amongst many other prestigious titles,” she said. “He brought me to the top of the world ranking list, as the only women ever, where I was able to enjoy #1 for 24 months.”

Meredith and “Petey” finished fourth individually at the 2008 Olympics and won individual and team bronze for Germany at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen. He also jumped – and won – his last class at Aachen in 2011, beating the best in the world to take the Preis von Europa aged 18.

He had since been enjoying his retirement with Meredith at home.

“We will miss the kind and sweet-hearted Petey who stuck his nose in the baby carriage and softly nuzzled my daughter Brianne just days after she was born,” Meredith said. “I am sure that caress gave her the passionate love for horses she has today.

“I will miss you my friend and I appreciate every moment I had with you. You were the greatest partner anyone could ever have. You will never be forgotten Petey. Rest in peace my love.”

Chip off the old blocks: legendary showjumpers’ daughter wins at WEF

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 14:03:51 +0000

Following in the footsteps of her legendary showjumping parents Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum, 12-year-old Brianne Beerbaum showed tremendous style when landing the champion title of the large pony hunter division at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Florida, USA, on Sunday (27 March).

A field of 18 riders lined up for the division’s final three over-fences classes and Brianne produced a string of consistent performances riding Heritage Farm’s 10-year-old German-bred jumping pony Rashinga. The pair won three classes and took fifth position in the under-saddle class, tallying a total of 31 points to take the title.

“Rashinga is actually normally a jumper pony when we are over in Germany most of the year,” said Brianne, a championship winner at WEF last year too. “She only competes as a hunter when we are here at WEF. This is our second year in the large pony hunter division together.

“In Germany, the jumpers are sometimes scored so that helps a bit, but it is a totally different mindset over there,” she explained. “I am grateful she switches between both the disciplines well. She is not the fastest jumper but she is a good jumper with a fair amount of scope. I think she enjoys the variety.”

Brianne’s mother Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum secured many accolades during her distinguished career, including being crowned the European showjumping champion in 2007 and winning team gold at the 2010 world championships, and she was part of the bronze-medal winning German team at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Meredith is well known for her partnerships with such legendary horses as her three-time World Cup Final winner Shutterfly, Checkmate and Fibonacci.

Brianne’s father Markus Beerbaum was also a multi-grand prix winning rider; he won team gold at the European championships in 1997 and team gold at the World Equestrian Games in 1998, while her uncle is another legendary German rider, Ludger Beerbaum.

‘I never wanted it to end’: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on her legendary partnership with Shutterfly H&H Plus

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 20 Feb 2021 15:00:40 +0000

This sensitive soul may have relaxed to classical music in his stable, but in the arena he was a powerhouse, says Jennifer Donald, winning a hat-trick of World Cup Finals

“Everyone dreams of having a wonderful partnership in their lives, whether it’s with a husband or a child — in my case, it was with a horse,” says Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, talking of course about Shutterfly.

The exquisitely beautiful bay gelding was a powerhouse in the ring, helping his petite rider secure victory in three World Cup Finals, the Aachen grand prix and a European Championship during a 12-year relationship in which they ruled the world. But behind Shutterfly’s dazzling stage presence lay a complex character, who was plagued by anxiety in his younger days and never felt fully comfortable in his sporting surroundings.

US-born German rider Meredith discovered a six-year-old Shutterfly competing at a national show near her home in northern Germany during the summer of 1999.

“He certainly made an impression on me when he came in the ring — how beautiful and elegant he was,” remembers Meredith. “His jump was nice and easy, but it wasn’t flashy and he definitely wasn’t showing the tremendous scope he had later. So when he finished the course, I asked the rider if the horse was for sale.”

Shutterfly’s breeder Uwe Dreesmann still owned him and wasn’t prepared to sell his Hanoverian son of Silvio I, but six months later he changed his mind and Meredith received the call that would change her life.

“I went to try him with my husband Markus and we liked him a lot,” says Meredith. “We did not see his potential as one of the best horses in the world at that time, but he struck us as a nice prospect. So we actually bought a half share in him to start with.”

But things did not bode too well when Meredith took “Petey” to his first show in Verden.

“He was so di ffiult that I thought he was going to knock a lot of rails in the ring,” she recalls. “He had no concentration – he was terriffied. I said to my groom as I walked in, ‘I hope this round is not a complete disaster.’

“He was so spooky, I could barely get him to the first fence. Then, magically, he flew up in the air over that jump and soared over the whole course – he gave every fence at least two feet. I’d expected him to get smaller and afraid in the ring, but actually he grew three sizes. In that round he’d shown all his scope and talent; it was amazing. I said to my husband, ‘We have to buy the rest of this horse!’”

But Meredith explains it was a very long road to the top for this sensitive and insecure soul.

“I was lacking in horsepower so, even though he was only seven, Shutterfly came to all the big international shows and jumped the smaller classes – which were actually around 1.45m. He grew up quickly!” she says. “He was still spooky and sensitive, but very brave and he always tried his best – he was proving very good.”

That summer in Aachen, Meredith’s top horse Stella was just returning from injury and the opportunity arose for Shutterfly to step up a level.

“I rode him in the opening 1.45m and he jumped it so well, we decided to put him in the big class later that day – a 1.50m/1.55m qualifier for the grand prix,” explains Meredith. “He jumped clear until I came round to the final combination, which was a double of gates with round Liverpools [water trays] underneath, which heavy rain was splattering on. He stopped and I fell off.”

It took Meredith a whole year to regain Shutterfly’s trust.

“He would not forgive me for putting him in that class,” Meredith says, sadly. “He was way spookier, scared of everything and he would refuse anything that looked a bit unusual – I fell off a lot. My husband and I really thought we’d lost him forever and felt terribly responsible for our mistake. We did it because we thought he could handle it and we were trying to protect my other horse, but it was a bad decision.”

To regain his confidence, Meredith dropped Shutterfly right back down to jumping small classes and the following summer “he was able to shine again”.

His anxieties continued to simmer, however. He was extremely sensitive to loud noises so jumping indoors was particularly difficult, but it was prize-givings that pushed him over the edge.

From then on, Meredith and her groom Anu Harrila took on the role as Shutterfly’s “safety blanket”.

“He was so terrified, he would walk to the ring with his head pasted to Anu’s back,” says Meredith. “Sometimes at shows, she would stay in his stall all night playing classical music to help him relax – he was high maintenance! But that’s what made him special and he was absolutely worth it.”

He enjoyed a wonderful bond with Anu, who has been Meredith’s groom for 25 years and says she was “very lucky to have been part of Shutterfly’s career”.

“I always had great belief that he was going to be amazing and I don’t think I’ve had that with any other horse,” says Swedish-born Anu. “He was cautious of people, but when you got to know him he became a great friend.”

He became more confident as he got older, although he was still easily upset.

“But the minute he trotted into the ring, it was as though he knew his job; he was no longer afraid and jumped everything that was in front of him,” says Meredith. “In the end, he was so confident he would trot into the ring at the Olympics or the World Cup Final with his chest puffed out and his head raised – he knew he was good! He was just very insecure about it.”

Drawing on so many memories with her charismatic gelding, Meredith picks out her hat-trick of World Cup Finals in 2005, 2008 and 2009 as a “tremendous” highlight – “just perfect”, in fact.

“The icing on the cake was the third one when he won every single leg and he never made a mistake, and that’s very rare; he was 16 years old, too,” she says. “We had strong competition that year with McLain Ward on Sapphire, who was second in every leg, breathing down our necks.”

Meredith describes the 2008 Olympics, where she finished fourth individually after joining a seven-way jump-off for the bronze medal, as a “heartbreaker”.

“I went into the jump-off and thought, ‘Come on Shutterfly, we have to give it our best and ride for the medal,’” she says. “I actually had one of the best jump-offs of my life and I was almost 100% sure I had that medal.”

But she hadn’t factored in McLain Ward spotting a cheeky shortcut over a decorative hedge and it opened the door for Beezie Madden to beat her time and claim bronze. “I didn’t even imagine that was allowed, so I can’t tell you the disappointment of being caught off guard and losing the medal because of it,” says Meredith. “I also felt so responsible for Shutterfly – I knew it would be his last Olympics and he wasn’t going to win a medal. “He won so many great events, but most memorable was the day I became world number one and he, along with Checkmate, was largely to be thanked for that. I maintained that number one spot for a total of 24 months, although not consecutively, so it just showed how consistent he was over a really long period.”

Meredith and Shutterfly t the 2008 Olympics (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Also among Shutterfly’s extensive roll of honour is the individual European crown – which they won with four faultless rounds – a list of global grands prix too numerous to mention and a brace of Rolex Top 10 Finals. But many people will remember the scenes at the World Equestrian Games at Aachen in 2006, when the pair helped the German team to win bronze before taking centre stage as the top four riders swapped horses to decide the individual medals.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and incredible to be part of,” says Meredith. “But for such a sensitive horse, it was really tough. He had to remain in that ring, with all the noise and crowds and he got so stressed he didn’t know what he was supposed to do.

“It was like seeing somebody hurting my child – I had to look away.”

Meredith won bronze, but again the experience haunted Shutterfly for a long time afterwards.

In the ring, Meredith and Shutterfly produced a striking image – the rider with her trademark long rein and the softest hands, with the sublimely handsome gelding’s ears pricked forward as he gamely soared over the biggest obstacles. What gave him the winning edge?

“You never felt he was even trying, let alone giving full effort over the jumps,” explains Meredith. “He sailed through a triple combination at Aachen – one of the world’s hardest courses – like he was doing gymnastics at home. He was athletic and

so adjustable; as a rider, you had utmost confidence that if you messed up a distance, he could handle it. Indoors or outdoors, sand or grass, night classes, it didn’t matter – any facility suited him, that’s what made him so amazing.”

At Meredith’s home in Thedinghausen, Germany, Shutterfly has deservedly always reigned as king.

“In his older age, he became much more laid-back; he could even be lazy and I would let him – he was the king, he could do as he wanted,” says Meredith. “But he would bolt if he heard the noise of hooves coming behind him in our arena, so there was this unspoken rule that every time Shutterfly was cantering, everyone else had to stop and walk. That was how much he’d earned his place on the yard. Nobody said a word, nobody would complain, they just all knew the rules!”

The decision to close the curtain on Shutterfly’s phenomenal career came at Aachen in 2011 when the gelding was 18.

“He was still jumping well and we were carefully placing him in the right classes in consideration of his age,” says Meredith. “Then he won the Prize of Europe at Aachen – one of the biggest events of the show – and it was just incredible. I had tears even when he jumped clear in the first round, then to win it against the best horses and riders in the world…

“That was when Markus suggested we retire him. I said, ‘No! Are you kidding? He’s so good!’ But we had the same discussion every evening over dinner. I went to bed on Saturday night thinking about it and woke up on Sunday absolutely sure that it was the right thing to do. I thought, ‘He’s my best friend – what would he do for you?’ and he would let me stop right at the top when I was still at my best, so that’s what I owed him.

“But it was the perfect partnership and I never wanted it to end.”

Shutterfly at his final competition in Aachen (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Now 28, the “sweet and kind” Petey is out in the field at Meredith’s home and “having a great time – totally chilled about everything”.

“I’m sure there are riders who could have produced him equally well, but it was our partnership that made it so successful,” reflects an emotional Meredith. “It was a give-and-take relationship but I learnt to protect him, and he protected me; we had a mutual love and understanding.

“In the wrong hands, he would never have developed because he was so sensitive and he needed time and to be trusting of his environment. I was also lucky that I had Anu to take care of him his whole life. She is absolutely responsible for all our success.

“He was my lifetime partner and I will cherish that for the rest of my life.”

Michael Whitaker on Shutterfly

“Shutterfly had a right spring, all the scope and he was such a careful type – just a real winner,” remembers Michael, who rode Portofino to finish second behind the pair in the 2005 World Cup Final.

“He had to jump clear to beat me but had a really shaky moment in the warm-up [when he wouldn’t even jump a cross-pole] and I thought ‘Well, he has no chance now’ – I was sure I’d won the World Cup Final.

“But he jumped round and the nearest he got to a fence was about a foot! I was cursing him at the time, but could appreciate his brilliance.

“Meredith rode him with an unbelievable amount of confidence,” Michael continues. “You never saw her push to the big oxers and he wasn’t a big horse. He was reliable too, over many years – he was no flash in the pan.

“Would I have liked him in my string? I wouldn’t have minded having a go, but it would have been difficult to ride him better than Meredith.”

How Shutterfly got his name

Shutterfly was originally named Struwwelpeter, a character from a German fable on whom the movie Edward Scissorhands was based.

“Struwwelpeter was this young boy who was really messy, never washed his hair and never cut his nails – it was totally not Shutterfly!” laughs Meredith. “He was gorgeous, elegant and glamorous, not at all dirty or mischievous.”

The gelding was bought for Meredith by Jim and Nancy Clark, who owned US digital photo company Shutterfly, and was renamed with the far more pronounceable moniker, although the shortened “Petey” remained his stable name.

“I liked the name Shutterfly because it was elegant and so suited him,” says Meredith.

Ref: 18 February 2021

‘It was ground-breaking for a woman to win it’: the ladies who paved the way in equestrian sport H&H Plus

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 12:00:39 +0000

Male and female riders may now compete as equals, but a few skilled horsewomen paved the way in a historically masculine sport, finds Jennifer Donald

Since a lady first chose to ride astride instead of side-saddle, female riders have been breaking the glass ceiling in the equestrian world. Equestrianism is the only Olympic sport other than sailing in which men and women can compete on equal terms, but the playing field hasn’t always been level and we are still waiting for a female showjumper or eventer to win individual gold at the Games.

In 1984, the all-conquering Ginny Elliot, then Holgate, and Karen Stives of the USA became the first female eventers to win individual medals at the Los Angeles Olympics. Despite it not being recorded in the record books, Torrance Watkins had won an individual bronze four years previously at the alternative Olympics in Fontainebleau, but it would be Ginny and Priceless who made official history when they won bronze in the year Mark Todd took gold on Charisma, with Karen in silver on Ben Arthur.

“I’m not sure a big deal was made of it at the time and I suppose the fact I won a medal, and a team one as well, was so overwhelming that you didn’t really think about being the first woman,” says Ginny. “It wasn’t until someone mentioned it not long after that I realised no woman had won an individual medal until I rocked up. So that was a great thrill.

“I suppose, having been brought up from the get-go that you are competing on level terms with men, it just seems normal, but there’s always competitive banter when the girls win and the boys don’t! But it is surprising that a woman has yet to win the Olympics.”

Ginny followed in the wake of some trailblazing horsewomen. Due to the military history behind Olympic equestrian events, women were not allowed to ride at the Games until 1964 in Tokyo, when US rider Lana Du Pont was the first woman on an eventing team, helping her team to clinch silver in the process.

Margaret Hough is remembered as the first woman to triumph at Badminton, taking the title in 1954 with Bambi V (pictured).

“It was ground-breaking for a woman to win it,” says her son Peter Gleave. “Especially as one or two of the men at the time looked down at women having a go and doing well. But although she knew what she’d achieved, she never made a big deal out of it. My father was always dead proud of her; he’d always be telling people about it and she’d look at him almost as though she was telling him off!”

Later that decade, the supremely gifted Sheila Willcox became the first rider to win the event three times in succession, from 1957 to 1959, an achievement yet to be matched. Her first victory came at the age of just 21, at a time when women were still prohibited from competing in the Olympics, meaning her first team call-up came in the 1957 European Championships when she rode High And Mighty to become the first female champion.

As Mary King says, she was “one of the first really successful female riders in a male-dominated sport”.

In a golden era for the fairer sex, while Sheila was soaring round Badminton, Pat Smythe was carving a name for herself in showjumping. She became the first British female showjumper to ride at, let alone win a medal from, the Olympics, in 1956, helping the team win bronze. In a career full of fine accolades, Pat was also the first woman to win the Hickstead Derby, in 1962 on Flanagan.

It would be Marion Coakes who became the first female showjumper to win an individual medal at the Olympics, riding the great Stroller to silver in Mexico City in 1968, while the pioneering Liz Edgar finally beat her male rivals to take the title at the world-famous Aachen grand prix in 1980.

On home soil, the historic King George V Gold Cup at the Royal International dates back to 1911, but was men-only until being opened up to women – somewhat controversially at the time – in 2009. Five years later, US rider Beezie Madden lifted the solid gold trophy for the first time, returning for a second successive victory on the flying Cortes C.

“We girls were always a bit jealous we didn’t get to jump in this class, so it was a great feeling to win it,” says Beezie.

Behind the scenes, too, women have been paving their way. Di Lampard, a hugely successful international showjumper in her own right, became the first female chef d’equipe in British equestrian sport when appointed to the role in 2015.

“I wasn’t aware of that when I took the role but when it was brought to my attention, I did think, ‘Gosh, yes, that’s pretty special,’” says Di. “It just felt normal for me, having competed so much against the men – equestrianism is very much a sport where men and women go toe to toe. But you do see a bit more balance behind the scenes in other sports now, with more female referees and so on.”

Di has been credited for championing female talent on her teams but, she says, that’s more about how the sport has evolved.

“You take the best partnerships available at the time, but it has slowly changed,” she says. “But we’ve had some great role models over the years – I certainly followed Caroline Bradley, Liz Edgar and had many pictures of Pat Smythe in scrap books.”

Canada’s Gail Greenough became the first world champion in 1986 but it was only as recently as 2018 that Germany’s Simone Blum riding DSP Alice equalled her feat, herself becoming the first woman to win a title at a World Equestrian Games (WEG). Then, 16 years ago, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum earned the number one spot in the world rankings, the first woman to do so; no woman had ever ridden on the German team before the US-born rider earnt her place, either.

Dressage is one discipline in which women have often reached the top. Germany’s Isabell Werth holds the record for the most Olympic medals won by any rider, while among Charlotte Dujardin’s astounding list of achievements is to have been the first British woman to retain an individual Olympic title.

But it was 20 years after women were admitted to the Olympic dressage competition – previously it had been open only to commissioned military officers – that Liselott Linsenhoff became the first lady to win gold, with the team medal in 1968 and the individual crown in 1972.

The remarkable dressage rider Lis Hartel, from Denmark, was one of the first women to compete head-to-head with men in an equestrian sport at the Olympics in 1952, and her ground-breaking silver medal was even more remarkable as in 1944, at the age of 23, she had contracted polio and was left paralysed below the knees and with limited mobility in her arms. Seeing her struggle to dismount, the gold medallist, Henri Saint Cyr from Sweden, helped her to the podium to stand side-by-side with her male counterparts. Her success was a defining moment for equality in our sports.

On the racecourse, Meriel Tufnell paved the way as the first female jockey to win a race under Jockey Club rules in 1972. But it is only very recently that the voices have finally been heard calling for all jockeys to be classed as such, rather than defining the accomplishments of women on the racetrack by their gender. This change has been driven in part by Great British Racing’s #JustJockeys initiative. Since 2015, the number of winners from female jockeys has risen by a huge 76% thanks to skilled riders such as 24-year-old Hollie Doyle, who broke her own record for Flat winners in a season (116) last year.

“I have made the point many times that I think gender is irrelevant when it comes to jockeys,” says ITV Racing presenter Francesca Cumani. “For too long, female riders have not had the same opportunities as their male counterparts and have not had the chance to show the extent of their skills. “Hollie has proved that, when given an opening, she is just as capable, if not more so, as any of her colleagues.”

Charlotte Brew was the first woman to ride in the Grand National, in 1977, raising the tape on the race to find a female winner of Aintree’s legendary steeplechase. The strike rate has been much higher at the Cheltenham Festival, both in the saddle and from the training ranks. In March 1987, 21-year-old Gee Armytage became the first female jockey to win against the professionals, when landing the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, doubling up in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup the next day on a horse aptly named Gee-A.

“I actually had five rides at Cheltenham that year and that in itself was a big story at the time,” says Gee. “My first ride in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle didn’t go to plan though, and I was carried out by a loose horse at the second obstacle. As I cantered back up the straight, people were throwing plastic bottles at me and shouting, ‘Useless girl.’ I just had to keep my head held high. But of course after I’d ridden those two winners, I was the hero again.

“I do look back and think how lucky I was, but it all happened so easily for me then; I was riding lots of big winners. I was so confident in those days and would push trainers to be allowed to come and ride out. If I hadn’t done that, undoubtedly I wouldn’t have had nearly as many opportunities.

“Being singled out as a woman jockey actually helped me, because people were so anti them then that you got a lot of attention when you did well. Some trainers would never have put a girl up, but almost in desperation I did get the ride on horses that weren’t going well.”

Three years earlier, Jenny Pitman, a phenomenal trailblazer for women, sent out Burrough Hill Lad and became the first woman to train the winner of the Gold Cup – a year after she trained her first Grand National winner, Corbiere.

These days, the likes of Bryony Frost, the first female to win a Grade One at the Festival, Hayley Turner, Bridget Andrews and Rachael Blackmore have made finishing first past the post a far more frequent occurrence. We also saw Khadijah Mellah hit the headlines last year as the first hijab-wearing jockey, winning the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood.

Success and opportunity have not always come easily for women. Fortunately, long gone are the days when US polo player Sue Sally Hale had to disguise herself as a man when she first rode in the 1950s. There is still work to do, but let’s celebrate these pioneers who paved the way for the next generation to enjoy this wonderful sport on their terms.

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Meredith and Shutterfly, Rodrigo and Baloubet, John and Milton — who was your favourite World Cup winning legend?

Jennifer Donald — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 07:24:36 +0000

This week (15-19 April), we were due to be dazzled by the world’s best showjumpers contesting the 2020 World Cup Final in Las Vegas, USA. Sadly, the worldwide pandemic has brought the sport to a standstill, so instead we decided to dip into the archives to remember some of the legendary partnerships to have won multiple World Cup crowns in the competition’s 41-year history.

1. Rodrigo Pessoa and Baloubet Du Rouet: winners in 1998, 1999 and 2000, placed in 2001, 2002 and 2003

Brazilian rider Rodrigo Pessoa remains the only rider to secure a consecutive winning hat-trick of World Cups on the same horse, achieving the feat with the great chestnut stallion Baloubet Du Rouet in Helsinki, Gothenburg and then Las Vegas in 2000. They came within a whisker of making it four-in-a-row in 2001 when finishing second, going on to claim two more podium spots together.

“He was a horse of a lifetime and a freak of nature,” Rodrigo told H&H. “He had everything – the power, the health, he was careful and intelligent. We as riders are just fortunate to be able to cross paths with horses like that.”

2. Hugo Simon: winner in 1979 on Gladstone, then in 1996 and 1997 on E.T

Representing Austria, Hugo Simon won the inaugural World Cup in Gothenburg in 1979 and then, after a 17-year hiatus, returned for back-to-back victories in 1996 and 1997 with the renowned E.T. His third win came about on a return to the Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg when Hugo was 55.

3. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly: winners in 2005, 2008 and 2009, runner-up in 2004 (pictured)

American-born Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum represents Germany and she is the only female rider to win three World Cups. After narrowly missing out on the crown in 2004, Meredith made amends with her first victory in Las Vegas the following year with her phenomenal partner Shutterfly. The pair’s hat-trick came in the same city four years later, where the then world number one rider led throughout all three legs — Shutterfly didn’t touch a pole throughout — en route to claiming the title. “That was my most perfect victory,” said Meredith at the time. She describes her beloved “Petey” as “the most perfect horse in the world. He only became great when he entered the ring. There he knew he had ability and he became confident,” she says.

4. Marcus Ehning: winner in 2003 with Anka, 2006 on Sandro Boy and again in 2010 riding Noltes Kuchengirl and Plot Blue

Esteemed German horseman Marcus Ehning’s first World Cup success came in the 25^th running of the World Cup, held in Las Vegas, the day before his 29^th birthday.

“I never thought I would win,” he said. “If you think about it too much, it can hurt, so I tried not to overthink it but it really couldn’t have turned out any better.”

Less than a fence separated the top three riders going in to the final round but another faultless performance with the 12-year-old mare Anka claimed the top spot. In 2010 in Geneva he became one of the elite group of riders, now standing at five, who have won three World Cups.

5. Steve Guerdat: winner in 2015 riding Albfuehren’s Paille, 2016 on Corbinian and again in 2019 with Alamo; he finished second in 2013 on the great Nino Des Buissonnets

The reigning World Cup title-holder Steve Guerdat of Switzerland misses the chance to claim a historic fourth win in Vegas this year but still rules as one of the most successful riders in the competition’s history.

“The first one was amazing, the second one was amazing, the third one… I don’t know what to say,” said an emotional Steve after claiming his hat-trick in Gothenburg last year. “I just love being a part of this championship.”

6. John Whitaker and Milton: champions in 1990 and 1991, runners-up in 1989 and again alongside Grannusch in 1993. John went on to finish second again in 1997.

The legendary pairing of John Whitaker and the great Milton, one of the sport’s most popular combinations, couldn’t have come closer to claiming a World Cup hat-trick, but the achievement just eluded them. The duo’s victories came in Dortmund and Gothenburg, with the latter being one of the mighty grey gelding’s final major successes.

“He was a brilliant jumper and he just felt special from the very first fence I jumped on him,” John told H&H. “I’ve been very spoilt with some of my horses but he was so careful — when you went up in the air on Milton you felt as though you were never going to come down.”

7. Ian Millar and Big Ben: title-holders in 1988 and 1989, runners-up in 1986

In this Who’s Who of showjumping legends, the Canadian Ian Millar and his great partner Big Ben join John Whitaker as a rider to have come agonisingly close to a World Cup hat-trick. The pair gained three top 10 finishes between 1985 and 1987 before taking top spot in Gothenburg in 1988 and again in Tampa, Florida, the following year. The Belgian-bred Big Ben, who captured the hearts of showjumping fans around the world, goes down in World Cup history as the first horse to win the title back-to-back.

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8. Ludger Beerbaum: winner in 1993, with 12 top six finishes between 1992 and 2014

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‘I have big shoes to fill’: young rider takes on Olympic horse

Rachael Turner — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 13:46:06 +0000

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s Olympic horse Fibonacci, known as “Nacho” at home, has been sold to 20-year-old Lillie Keenan of the United States

Meredith, who took team bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games with the 12-year-old by For Feeling, said Lillie has a “wonderful future” ahead of her with the talented gelding.

“I am happy to congratulate Lillie on the purchase of Fibonacci,” said the German rider.

“It is not always easy when a partnership comes to an end, but in this case I am thrilled to watch a new partnership begin.

“Nacho has been an extraordinary horse for me over the past three years and I am truly appreciative of the successes we enjoyed together.”

On top of their Rio success, Meredith and Nacho claimed team silver at the 2015 European Games and enjoyed numerous grand prix wins.

“Now it is time for him to help a very talented young rider clear the obstacles in her path and achieve her dreams,” added Meredith.

“And with the great support and management of your coach Cian O’Connor, I am excited to see the places you will go.”

Lilly is “thrilled” to have Nacho on her team.

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to be a part of Nacho’s career as I take over the reins from Meredith,” she said.

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“I have big shoes to fill, and I could not be more excited about the 2017 show season.

“Nacho will now join the wonderful team of horses that I am so lucky to have.

“Thank you so much to Cian for the foresight of this partnership, making it possible for me to work with one of the most talented horses in the world. And special thanks to Meredith for sharing Nacho – I will do all I can to follow in your footsteps!”

Tales from Rio: ‘I found out I was jumping today at 7am’

Alice Collins — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 17:10:38 +0000

It’s the call-up you always dream of. But you never envisage having only a couple of hours to prepare to ride at an Olympic Games. That was exactly what happened to Germany’s reserve rider, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum when team member Marcus Ehning and his horse Cornado NRW were withdrawn this morning.

“I was on the way to the stadium this morning and I had my training outfit on,” she explains. “I was going to take a day off from riding today and just watch everything — give my horse Fibonacci some grass.

“Then I got a message on my phone: ‘Do you have your white riding breeches with you?‘ I was like ‘Oh my gosh!’ I had lots of emotions and tears came to my eyes, but I had to quickly turn the emotions down low. I really wanted this [to ride in Rio] and I thought I would have to give it up as a reserve rider.

“It was a shock and a surprise and thank my lucky stars that I’m able to compete on this fabulous horse.

“We had to rush around to get ready for this class at 10am. But it was fun rushing and here I am.”

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Meredith nearly didn’t even make the trip to Rio when she and the 11-year-old Fibonacci were selected as the reserve combinations, rather than stright onto the team.

“The owner was reluctant to go as the reserve, but we slept on it. This is sport and we didn’t want to be bad sports. I’m delighted I came – can you imagine if I was sitting at home?”

Talented but fragile

Fibonacci is nicknamed Nacho at home. The horse is “an incredible talent but mentally fragile“, says Meredith.

“He’s a little particular about his surroundings,” adds Meredith.

Luckily her groom, Anu Harrita, knows exactly how to keep the horse — and Meredith — happy.

“She is the best braider [plaiter] on the face of the earth,” grins Meredith. “She used to do Shutterfly too and has been working for me for 18 years.”

In the first days’ jumping, Meredith and Nacho put in a spectacular clear round and are cleanly through to the next round.

Her team-mate Ludger Beerbaum — who is her husband Markus’ brother — adds: “Having Meredith as your reserve is a luxury.”

German dressage and showjumping teams announced for Rio Olympics

Pippa Roome — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 14:55:35 +0000

The German dressage and showjumping teams have been announced for the Rio Olympics at a press conference held in Aachen today.

Dressage:

Kristina Bröring-Sprehe (above) on Desperados FRH
Sönke Rothenberger on Cosmo
Isabell Werth on Weihegold OLD
Dorothee Schneider on Showtime FRH
Travelling reserve: Hubertus Schmidt on Imperio

Showjumping

Christian Ahlmann on Taloubet Z
Ludger Beerbaum on Casello
Daniel Deusser on First Class Van Eeckelghem
Marcus Ehning on Cornado NRW
Travelling reserve: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on Fibonacci 17

Meredith’s listing is to be confirmed as she has to check her owners are happy for the horse to travel on the reserve basis.

The dressage team is exactly the same as the quartet which has dazzled this week in Aachen, winning the Nations Cup with three plus-80% scores in both the grand prix on Thursday and the special today. Sönke is an Olympic debutant, but the other three all have Games experience.

The showjumping team also has one Olympic first-timer in Daniel Deusser, who was the World Cup champion in 2014.

The Germans won the showjumping Nations Cup in Aachen last Thursday evening, when Meredith was in the team and Daniel was left on the bench. Casello and Fibonacci were on that Nations Cup team, with Christian riding Epleaser Van’t Heike and Marcus on Pret A Tout.

The German eventing team is expected to be announced imminently too, after the conclusion of the Aachen Nations Cup this morning. Germany finished second to Australia, but this will not cause the reigning Olympic, world and European champions any concerns as they were only fielding one of their expected Rio quartet in the team. Michael Jung won the class individually on FischerTakinou, who is his preferred mount for Rio.

Full report from Aachen in H&H this week, out Thursday, 21 July.

Scott Brash second in GCT series as Portugal’s Luciana Diniz wins VIDEO

Pippa Roome — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 19:33:48 +0000

Scott Brash took second in the Longines Global Champions Tour series tonight (14 November) in Doha, as Portugal’s Luciana Diniz won both the grand prix and the overall title.

As first rider in for the second round, Scott knew he had to be fast to have a chance of a good placing and gaining points to help him win overall. And while they did indeed put in a speedy time, Scott and Lord and Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s Hello Sanctos rolled a pole off the upright at fence 11. They finished eighth in the grand prix.

“I’m happy but disappointed too,” said Scott after his overall second place was confirmed. “I had a silly fence in the first round and in the second round I felt I had to beat the other four-faulters to have a chance of getting points — that’s why I had the fence down.”

Scott Brash on Hello Sanctos. Picture by Stefano Grasso/LGCT (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Four riders remained fault free after the second round and went through to a jump-off, including Luciana and Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, who was also in the running for the overall title.

Qatar’s Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani led off the jump-off on First Devision but ran into trouble with the first fence down and another further round.

Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, the second rider in, laid down a fast time with the grey Fibonacci 17 and Rolf-Göran could not better her target with the great veteran Casall ASK.

But Luciana shot round the course on the little chestnut Fit For Fun, scooting ahead by 0.45 of a second.

“I have no words – I’m just so happy,” said Luciana. “I never expected to even win the class and I’ve won the class and the series. Our win is down to teamwork and I’m so grateful to everyone – my horse and all my friends.”

Full report from Doha in H&H magazine this week, out Thursday, 19 November.

Top international showjumper retired

Hannah Lemieux — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 14:05:11 +0000

Top showjumper Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum has retired her long-term campaigner Checkmate 4 at the age of 20.

The American-born German international rider enjoyed much success with the son of Contender.

Checkmate 4 is out of a Pik Bube II mare and the pair were part of the gold medal-winning team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky.

“Joey” is owned by Octavia Farms and was bred by Renate Gerlach. Meredith’s accolades with 15.3hh Checkmate also include team bronze at the 2009 European Championships in Windsor.

Riding for Germany, Meredith also teamed up with the dark bay Hanoverian-bred gelding as part of the winning Nations Cup team in Wellington in 2012.

“To the public he has always been a little in Shutterfly’s shadow. But Checkmate’s a very successful showjumper,” said Meredith.

“He has won almost €2million in prize-money and more than 50 open classes. That is a little surprising since his mother, Petite Cardinale, was a dressage horse. But his father is the well-known Holsteiner jumping stallion Contender.”

In 2010, they claimed World Cup honours in Lyon, plus a Global Champions Tour (GCT) grand prix in Estoril in the same year.

The gelding will spend his retirement in the field alongside his previous travelling companion and Meredith’s superstar Shutterfly.

Meredith retired the popular Shutterfly at the age of 18, in front of a crowd of 40,000 at CHIO Aachen in 2011 after winning the Warsteiner Prize.

She decided to retire him while he was still jumping at the top level. The gelding, now 22, won two World Cup finals, a bronze medal at the 2006 World Equestrian Games and had four Nations Cup victories. She had ridden him since he was a six-year-old.

Meredith is ranked 53rd in the world showjumping rankings and is married to fellow showjumper Markus Beerbaum.

Big win for Ben Maher in Florida World Cup

Jennifer Donald — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 08:33:21 +0000

Ben Maher and the chestnut mare Diva II soared to victory in the $372,000 FEI World Cup grand prix in Wellington, Florida last night (Saturday, 7 March).

In a thrilling three-rider jump-off, last-drawn Ben and the British-bred 10-year-old relegated Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Fibonacci 17) into second with the only other double clear. Finishing third was Laura Kraut of USA on the 17-year-old Cedric with one down against the clock.

“That jump-off probably was not my best ever round. Diva is hairy in the way she goes,” said Ben, who is currently based in Florida for the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival circuit at the Palm Beach Equestrian Center.

“She is not so conventional always, but I did not have a lot to lose. Tonight I knew I would be top three, so I figured that I would have a go and with a little bit of luck here and there, it paid off.”

Diva II was bred by Liz Edgar and was bought for Ben to ride by Tatiana Korsakova. The pair won the grand prix at Olympia in December.

“This is the first horse that they have owned a horse at this level and hopefully this will bring new partnerships into the sport and something good for the future,” said Ben.

Paying tribute to the strength of opposition he faced in the jump-off, Ben added: ”Cedric is one of the best horses in the world for a long time and Meredith’s horse is probably right there coming into its prime. Diva could not have been in better company.”

Results of the $372,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Ben Maher & Diva II (GBR)
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum & Fibonacci 17 (GER)
Laura Kraut & Cedric (USA)
Roberto Teran & Woklahoma (COL)
Lauren Hough & Ohlala (USA)
Margie Engle & Royce (USA)

Don’t miss the full report from the World Cup qualifier and the rest of the weekend’s international action in next week’s Horse & Hound (out Thursday, 12 March).

Ariat to sponsor Olympic showjumpers Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum

Sophia Heath — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 17:00:41 +0000

Equestrian clothing company Ariat has announced its sponsorship of husband and wife Markus and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

Meredith was the first female showjumper to be ranked number 1 in the world. She was forced to miss the European Championships due to a spinal compression but will now be aiming for the World Equestrian Games in France next year and the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Her husband Markus has been a top, international showjumper since 1990. He is achievements include winning team gold at the World Championships and team gold at the European Championships.

“Having two show jumping icons like Meredith and Markus join the Ariat team is a real honor,” said Melanie Selman from Ariat Europe.

“They are extremely accomplished riders that bring extraordinary grace and true athleticism to the sport of international showjumping.”

Meredith and Markus are both based in Thedinghausen, Germany.

Blow to German Olympic showjumping team

Charlotte White — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:08:11 +0000

The German Olympic showjumping team will now include Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Bella Donna after Philipp Weishaupt’s horse Monte Bellini suffered a fever and infection late last week.

Mr Weishaupt was competing at Hickstead when he heard, on Friday, that the 10-year-old Westphalian stallion would not be travelling to London.

In a statement, German chef d’equipe Otto Becker said: “I am very sorry for Philipp, he and the stallion presented themselves really well over the whole season and Philipp was so happy about his first Olympic Games.”

Michaels-Beerbaum and Bella Donna were named as reserves for the team after finishing third behind Michael Whitaker in the Aachen Grand Prix.

Now Thomas Voss and Carinjo move into the reserve slot.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum retires Shutterfly at Aachen

Amy Mathieson — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:40:49 +0000

Shutterfly, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s popular showjumper, was retired in front of a crowd of 40,000 at CHIO Aachen yesterday (17 July).

After winning the Warsteiner Prize at the show on Wednesday (13 July), Meredith decided yesterday to withdraw Shutterfly from that day’s grand prix and retire him while he was still on top.

Shutterfly has been with Meredith since he was six years old, but hasn’t taken part in a prizegiving since he was nine due to his aversion to noise and applause.

Meredith said she was “overwhelmed” by the win last week. “This is my thank you to him,” she said on his retirement.

The 18-year-old by Silvio I and out of Famm has won two World Cup finals, a bronze medal at the 2006 World Equestrian Games and had four Nations Cup victories.

View pictures of Shutterfly at home and in competition

For more see Thursday’s issue of H&H (21 July)

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum expecting her first baby

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:55:07 +0000

Triple World Cup-winning show jumper Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and her husband Markus are expecting their first baby.

“I feel great. Mark and I are both obviously very happy” said Meredith on her website. “At the moment I feel quite well and as long as I feel good, I’ll ride”.

Her World Cup-winning ride Shutterfly will have a break while she is pregnant.

The baby is due early next year.

Listen to interview with Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum wins third World Cup title

Horse & Hound — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:54:32 +0000

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly won their third Rolex World Cup final with another peerless display in Las Vegas.

The world number one, and still the only woman ever to be on a German championship team, described it as the “perfect week,” winning all three legs. She revealed that the win was extra special and dedicated to her father, who died only four weeks ago.

Listen to Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s interview

McLain Ward and Sapphire had given her no real margin for error but the superiority of Shutterfly is so marked that he was never going to need it. The pair were in a league of their own throughout.

McLain paid tribute to his former countrywoman and then to his horse. “I honestly don’t think we could have done any more and if we started the week all over again I’d still do it all the same.”

Dutch pair Albert Zoer and Oki Doki were third, staying ahead of 2008 runner-up Rich Fellers and Flexible, who looked out of their depth on the final day after making such an impact in the opening speed test.

Ben Maher and Robin Hood were a fantastic seventh on their World Cup debut, a result Ben described as “quite acceptable.”

Robin Hood’s clear in the final round was awesome and he gave the troublesome triple bar at least two feet. Maher will forever kick himself for booting out first and last fences in earlier rounds as these results are carried forward.

“These were silly mistakes I might have got away with somewhere else, but I was always go to have difficulty in the speed leg and you have to be pleased to have gone this well against combinations with five or more years more experience than me,” said Maher.

He will now rest Robin Hood before starting his campaign for selection for the European championships in August.

Listen to Ben Maher’s interview

Michael Whitaker made the final cut wth Portofino, who was contesting her sixth World Cup, but Michael retired after lowering three spreads.

Don’t miss H&H’s full report on all the action from the World Cup final, on sale Thursday 23 April, ’09

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on course for third World Cup title

Horse & Hound — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:23:20 +0000

Defending champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum remains at the top of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final leaderboard in Las Vegas after winning the second, jump-off leg on Friday.

Last to go in the 13-horse jump-off, the peerless Shutterfly (pictured above) looked if he already has a hat-trick of titles in the bag. With the first two days’ results converted into points, Shutterfly now has a two-penalty lead over the USA’s McLain Ward (Sapphire) and Albert Zoer of Holland (Oki Doki), with last year’s Gothenburg final runner-up, Rich Fellers, holding onto fourth with Flexible.

Listen to Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s interview

Switzerland’s Christina Liebherr lost her second-place ranking when No Mercy was distracted by a disturbance on the PA system and had to be re-presented at an oxer. Four faults and further time penalties saw them drop down the order.

Despite lowering a fence in the first round of Friday’s leg, Britain’s Ben Maher and Robin Hood have maintained equal eighth position, though with 14 points they will struggle to make an impression on the leaders. Michael Whitaker and Portofino also had four faults and have dropped three places to 21st.

With Las Vegas unlikely to stage another final until 2015, the home side are desperate for a win, though Ward did not seem certain he could depose Shutterfly.

“I was a bit anxious in the first round which was hard for Sapphire because it all about adding strides, which doesn’t suit her. Today, we just couldn’t have gone any faster.”

First time World Cup course-designer Anthony D’Ambrosio’s Grand Prix track was a triumph, using the irregular shape of the Thomas and Mack arena to test the horses’ lengthening and shortening capabilities. He aimed for eight clears.

“I may have been a bit conservative tonight, because I was thinking ahead to Sunday. I revisited the track over months; in the end you are just pleased when the competition arrives as then the tweaking can stop,” he said.

Friday’s results

1. Meredith Michaels Beerbaum (GER), Shutterfly, 0/32.77 sec, 0 pnts

2. McLain Ward (USA), Sapphire, 0/33.77 sec, 2 pnts

3. Albert Zoer (NED), Okidoki, 0/34.72 sec, 4 pnts

4. Beezie Madden (USA), Danny Boy, 0/34.83 sec, 21 pnts

5. Richard Spooner (USA), Ace, 0/65.97 sec, 15 pnts

6. Helena Lundbäck (SWE), Madick, 0/37.20 sec, 18 pnts

=14. Michael Whitaker (GBR), Portofino, 4/76.11 sec, 19 pnts

=14. Ben Maher (GBR), Robin Hood W, 4/78.19 sec, 14 pnts

Stay in touch with the news from Las Vegas on Horseandhound.co.uk and don’t miss H&H’s full report, on sale 23 April

Ben Maher clear in speed leg of Rolex World Cup finals

Horse & Hound — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:33:29 +0000

Ben Maher got his Rolex World Cup final off to a great start by finishing eighth in the opening speed leg on Thursday night.

Robin Hood made the course in the compact arena at the Thomas and Mack, Las Vegas, look easier than most and although he rubbed the very last — where oblique stripes on the rails offered an optical illusion — his clear round was never in real danger.

Title holder Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly went peerlessly into the lead, ahead of World Cup debutante Christina Liebherr of Switzerland on LB No Mercy and McLain Ward on Sapphire for the USA.

Though going towards the end of the competition, Meredith stuck to her original plan despite seeing just one other rider out of 44 attempt the same options.

“I could do this when maybe others can’t — my horse is old for a show jumper at 16, and I just know him so well,” she added.

Listen to Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s interview

Michael Whitaker and Portofino, in their 21st and sixth finals respectively, stand 18th, the only pair to lower the first element of a double.

Lying fourth are Rich Fellers and Flexible. Though runners-up at the final in Gothenburg last year, their presence here results from two remarkable acts of sportsmanship. After a late start in the West Coast league, Flexible was not qualified, so two riders ahead of him – Will Simpson and Jill Humphrey – stood aside, believing Rich was better equipped to win in Las Vegas.

America has been disadvantaged in recent decades as their qualifying rounds take place in spacious outdoor arenas. Indoor finals – particularly at the Thomas and Mack where there are rarely 10 strides between any fence – therefore come as a shock.

To remedy this, West Coast qualifiers were staged in tents, and it seems to have helped as the entire US contingent gave a good account of themselves.

Stay in touch with all the news from Las Vegas as it happens on Horseandhound.co.uk

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum: 10 fascinating facts

Horse & Hound — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:20:44 +0000

In December 2004, Meredith became the first woman to top the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) world rankings
Her victory in Gothenburg earlier this year was her second World Cup final win with Shutterfly — the duo also took the honours in 2005 in Las Vegas
Despite her brilliance in the saddle, Meredith’s family had no links with horses — her father is a film director and her mother an actress
She was born in Los Angeles on Boxing Day, 1969
She won an Ivy League place reading politics at Princeton, but gave up on her degree after three years of studying in order to pursue a career with horses
In 1991, Meredith went to Germany to train with the legendary Paul Schockemöhle. She planned to stay only for the summer, but ended up taking full German citizenship after meeting Markus Beerbaum. The pair married in 1998
Meredith is the first woman to ride on a German championship show jumping team
She was crowned individual European champion at Mannheim last summer, where she helped Germany to team silver. She also won two bronze medals at the 2006 World Equestrian Games
Away from riding, Meredith enjoys sailing and scuba-diving
Although she still visits California regularly, Meredith’s adopted country has taken her to its heart and in 2005 she won the Bambi Award, the German equivalent of our Sports Personality Award

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is world cup champion

Horse & Hound — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:29:28 +0000

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum claimed the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping title for the second time in her career on Sunday (27 April) with a magical performance from Shutterfly.

America’s Rich Fellers created a huge sensation when finishing second with Flexible, a horse who has achieved success against the most incredible odds, while Germany’s Heinrich-Hermann Engemann and Aboyeur W slotted into third.

Britain’s only representative, Michael Whitaker, finished ninth with Suncal Portofino.

Course designer Rolf Ludi built tracks asking huge questions about the rider’s ability to be accurate and the horse’s willingness to stretch themselves to their limit for this 30th anniversary fixture.

But Shutterfly proved more than equal to all of these questions, even when Meredith left the 15-year-old gelding with a lot to do at the triple combination in Sunday’s opening round but the horse just opened up his jump a little more to bring her home clear.

The second round track was shorter but the questions were still big with few able to master the awkward distance to the final fence. Last in to the ring, Shutterfly was like a piece of precision equipment and the crowd rewarded the German partnership with a huge roar as the horse and rider executed the last distance on a perfect four strides.

“I’m very proud to win my second world cup title,” said the rider who previously topped the line-up in Las Vegas in 2005. “Shutterfly showed he was in great form over three days and at 15 he is not young — he was super and he never had a rail down.”

American rider Rich Fellers was a surprise second with Flexible, an Irish-bred 12-year-old stallion by Cruising.

“You don’t know what they can do until you ask them, and when I asked him this week to jump higher and go wider he just kept saying ‘OK’,” the delighted American explained. Their success was all the more incredible because Flexible had previously been operated on for a blocked artery in a foreleg, as well as breaking his shoulder in a freak accident.

Don’t miss this week’s Horse & Hound for an in-depth report of all the action from the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final

Results

1, Shutterfly (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) Ger 4/0/0 – 4

2, Flexible (Rich Fellers) USA 2/4/0 – 6

3, Aboyeur W (Heinrich-Hermann Engemann) Ger 5/0/4 – 9

=4, Ideo du Thot (Beat Mandli) Sui 4/8/0 – 12

=4, All Inclusive NRW (Ludger Beerbaum) Ger 4/4/4 – 12

=4, Castle Forbes Libertina (Jessica Kuerten) Ger 0/8/4 – 12

=7, Esplanade (Peter Wylde) USA 3/12/0 – 15

=7, Tresor (Steve Guerdat) Sui 10/0/5 – 15

9, Suncal Portofino (Michael Whitaker) GBR 8/5/5 – 18

10, Ninja la Silla (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) Swe 15/0/4 – 19

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is on top of the world

Horse & Hound — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:58:05 +0000

New European Champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (pictured) has returned to the number one spot in the latest Rolex FEI World Rankings, demoting her German team-mate and brother-in-law, Ludger Beerbaum.

British number one Michael Whitaker has climbed up one place to sixth, while his brother, John, has also made an upward move to 21st. Nick Skelton (42nd) and Robert Whitaker (48th) complete the British presence in the top 50.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is show jumping champion

Horse & Hound — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:10:47 +0000

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (pictured) and the brilliantly athletic Shutterfly have become Germany’s 13th European Champions after jumping five faultless rounds throughout the whole competition.

The World Champions Jos Lansink and Al-Kaheel Cavalor Cumano, who beat Meredith into third at last year’s World Games, also performed five clear rounds to take the silver, their slower time in the opening speed class eventually counting against them.

Ludger Beerbaum and Goldfever, the 2003 silver medallists, clawed back from a fence down in the first round of the individual contest to take bronze.

The British challenge fell away with unfortunate rounds for David McPherson and Ellen Whitaker, who both fell foul of a difficult five holding stride distance from the water to an upright and both stopped at the subsequent double.

John Whitaker produced another briliant clear on Peppermill and faulted just once in the final round to climb from 13th to fifth.

The overnight leaders, Christine Liebherr and LB No Mercy, retired after crashing through the influential treble in the final round.

Results:

1, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Shutterfly, GER) 1.54pen

2, Jos Lansink (Al-Kaheel Cavalor Cumano, BEL) 2.42

3, Ludger Beerbaum (Goldfever, GER) 5.11

4, Albert Zoer (Okidoki, NED) 7.08

5, John Whitaker (Peppermill, GBR) 9.98pen

6, Jeroen Dubbeldam (BMC Up And Down, NED), 10.24

7, Olivier Guillon (Ionesco de Brekka, FRA) 10.50

8, Christian Ahlmann (Coster, GER), 10.53

9, Florian Angot (First de Launay* HN, FRA) 10.76

10, Morten Djupvik (Bessemeinds Casino, NOR), 11.55

Other GBR: 14, David McPherson (Pilgrim ll) 23.05

23, Ellen Whitaker (Locarno), 24.49

Full results on: www.em2007.de

Beat Mandli wins World Cup jumping final

Horse & Hound — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:26:42 +0000

Switzerland’s Beat Mandli was crowned FEI World Cup Jumping champion in Las Vegas at the weekend.

Riding Ideo du Thot, he took the title ahead of Germany’s Daniel Deusser, who rocketed up from 14th overnight with two clear rounds to finish second.

Fellow German Markus Beerbaum and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat took joint-third, while defending champion Marcus Ehning had to settle for fifth.

A shocked Mandli could hardy believe he had won: “I’ve never had this feeling before. I’ve never won a championship and I don’t think I am taking it in just yet but I’m very happy.”

Previously overshadowed by Mandli’s other top horses Principal and Indigo, Ideo du Thot wowed the crowds throughout the World Cup final.

“Ideo is now my number one horse,” Mandli said, who is only the second Swiss rider to win the World Cup final. “He’s very careful and good in his mind — he’s a great horse.”

Hot favourite Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was knocked out of contention by a freak fall at the end of the first round in the final competition. As Shutterfly put in a huge effort at fence 11, a big oxer with a water tray underneath, Meredith was fired out of the saddle to the right.

“It happened so fast she didn’t really know what happened,” her husband Markus Beerbaum explained later. “She wanted to go a little left to get an inside turn but he just seemed to disappear from under her — these things happen in our sport and you just have to accept them.”

Britain’s Michael Whitaker suffered an early set back when he was eliminated in the opening round of the competition with his top ride Suncal Portofino.

Don’t miss Horse & Hound’s full report of all the show jumping action in Las Vegas, including Michael Whitaker’s grand prix win, in this Thursday’s magazine

Women lead the equestrian field

Horse & Hound — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 16:24:47 +0000

On International Women’s Day (8 March), the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has paid tribute to the large number of women involved at the top level of equestrian sport.

Equestrianism is one of the few sports where men and women compete on equal terms – and with Meredith Michaels Beerbaum leading the World Jumping rankings, Anky van Grunsven as world dressage champion and Zara Phillips as World Eventing Champion, it would seem they are leading the field.

Women also make huge contributions to equestrianism from the ground. The FEI itself has been presided by women for the past 20 years: HRH The Princess Royal from 1986 to 1994, followed by HRH The Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón (ESP) 1994 – 2006 and now HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein (JOR). Both The Princess Royal and the current FEI President are Olympic athletes.

Women have not always been able to compete against men in equestrian sport – up until World War I they were still riding side-saddle. The military organised and competed in competitions and women watched from the sidelines. In the 1920s smaller competitions were organised for the wives and sisters of famous riders. It was only in the 1950s when civil authorities began to run equestrian events that female riders began to be taken seriously.

In the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, four women were allowed to compete against men in the Dressage discipline. Lis Hartel of Denmark — who eight years earlier had contracted polio and only partly regained the use of her limbs — won a silver medal. Women were included in the show jumping for the first time at the Stockholm Olympics in 1956 and in 1964 they competed in the eventing section of the Tokyo Olympics.

www.horsesport.org

World’s top jumpers contest Top Ten title

Horse & Hound — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 14:04:21 +0000

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly soared to success at the sixth IJRC Top Ten Final sponsored by Rolex in Geneva on Saturday. This was the second time the partnership had won this prestigious event after proving unbeatable in 2004.

The German rider was one of the favourites to take the substantial €50,000 winners purse, following her recent run of superb form which included winning the Munich Grand Prix and the FEI World Cup qualifier in Stuttgart, as well as finishing second in the Riders Tour final.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to win this competition again” said Meredith. “Shutterfly is the best horse in the world and I’m very proud of him. It has been so great that he could come out after two months rest following the World Equestrian Games in Aachen and find form again so quickly. This is a fantastic way for him to finish his year – I’m really delighted for him.”

Michael Whitaker was carrying British hopes in the final. A brisk first round performance on board Insul Tech Mozart des Hayettes to pick up two time penalties led the ground jury to re-consider the time allowed, reducing Michael’s penalties to just one.

Michael produced a clear inside the time at his second attempt but frustratingly it was only good enough for fourth place at the end of the competition. Afterwards he blamed himself for his first-round timing error. “It was stupid,” he said, knowing that the Top Ten title had slipped from his grasp.

Top Ten Final results

1, Shutterfly (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) GER 0/0 45.15;

2, MacKinley (Rolf Goran Bengtsson) SWE 0/0 47.38;

3, Eurocommerce Monaco (Gerco Schroder) NED 0/0 51.19;

4, Insul Tech Mozart des Hayettes (Michael Whitaker) GBR 1/0 56.56;

5, Nirmette (Markus Fuchs) SUI 0/4 47.00;

6, Lincoln (Albert Zoer) ND 4/0 47.57;

7, Gitania (Marcus Ehning) GER 4/4 51.85;

8, Jipey Dark (Jessica Kuerten) IRL 4/5 58.90;

9, Lorenzo (Christian Ahlmann) GER 0/1 49.75;

10, Gladdys S (Ludger Beerbaum) GER 0/Elim.

Three women in world jumping final

Horse & Hound — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 18:11:09 +0000

Michael Whitaker missed out on a place in the top four change-horse show jumping final at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen tomorrow when finishing eighth in today’s penultimate two-round competition with Insul Tech Portofino.

The top 25 horses and riders were tested to the limit today over two courses of colossal fences, and a single pole down for the British rider in the first round proved very costly. Portofino was jumping big and clean until catching the oxer at fence seven and although she never touched another pole, the mare completed with an additional two time faults. The British duo were foot-perfect at their second attempt but, lying 12th going into the final stages, were unable to catch the leaders.

For the first time in the history of the world show jumping championships, three women go forward to the final along with Belgium’s Jos Lansink. Australia’s Edwina Alexander steered the seasoned 15-year-old mare Isovlas Pialotta to a superb double clear to move up from over night 21st to earn her place. Lansink’s Cavalor Cumano continued to make it all look like a walk in the park as the big grey sailed over the immense tracks with apparent ease to join her.

The home crowd was ecstatic when Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum survived a single error at the water in the first round to stay in the race for Germany with Shutterfly while, completing a truly world-class line-up, long-time leader Beezie Madden, whose horse Authentic made his first mistake of the tournament when also getting his feet wet, completes the final-four line-up.

Only one woman has ever taken the coveted World Championship title — Canada’s Gail Greenough who came out on top in Aachen in 1986 — and all the talk around the arena tonight was about the possibility that tomorrow’s winner would be another female. Following yesterday’s competition, the three girls agreed that while their horses should be similar to ride, Lansink’s colossal grey could prove something of a challenge for them. The Belgian rider insisted that Cumano is ridden by a girl when working at home every day but the sheer size of the stallion is likely to create some interesting moments.

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“It is with a very heavy heart that I am sad to announce that we lost Shutterfly this morning,” Meredith said. “He was a unique and irreplaceable part of our lives.”

Meredith spotted the Silvio I gelding as a six-year-old; a “doubtful, unsure youngster” who “blossomed into one of the greatest horses to ever live”.

“He won three World Cup finals, two top ten finals, the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, amongst many other prestigious titles,” she said. “He brought me to the top of the world ranking list, as the only women ever, where I was able to enjoy #1 for 24 months.”

He had since been enjoying his retirement with Meredith at home.

“We will miss the kind and sweet-hearted Petey who stuck his nose in the baby carriage and softly nuzzled my daughter Brianne just days after she was born,” Meredith said. “I am sure that caress gave her the passionate love for horses she has today.

“I will miss you my friend and I appreciate every moment I had with you. You were the greatest partner anyone could ever have. You will never be forgotten Petey. Rest in peace my love.”

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“Rashinga is actually normally a jumper pony when we are over in Germany most of the year,” said Brianne, a championship winner at WEF last year too. “She only competes as a hunter when we are here at WEF. This is our second year in the large pony hunter division together.

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3. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly: winners in 2005, 2008 and 2009, runner-up in 2004 (pictured)

4. Marcus Ehning: winner in 2003 with Anka, 2006 on Sandro Boy and again in 2010 riding Noltes Kuchengirl and Plot Blue

5. Steve Guerdat: winner in 2015 riding Albfuehren’s Paille, 2016 on Corbinian and again in 2019 with Alamo; he finished second in 2013 on the great Nino Des Buissonnets

6. John Whitaker and Milton: champions in 1990 and 1991, runners-up in 1989 and again alongside Grannusch in 1993. John went on to finish second again in 1997.

7. Ian Millar and Big Ben: title-holders in 1988 and 1989, runners-up in 1986

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