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.
You may also like…
Irish riders win the $140,000 1.50m classic final – and the series – at the Winter Equestrian Festival
New name for the home of the Winter Equestrian Festival is revealed
British rider on a mission beat 88 others to win at the Winter Equestrian Festival
Subscribe to Horse & Hound this spring for great savings
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
