Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum reigned supreme in Wellington
A large field came to compete on Sunday in the $32,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic, and it was Olympian Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) on Octavia Farms LLC's Checkmate 4 who came away with the win. Cian O'Connor (IRL) and Everything, owned by Abdulla Humaid Al Muhairi, were second, while Kirsten Coe (USA) rode Ilan Ferder's Baronez to third.
In the morning, Canada's Jordan MacPherson rode to the top of the standings in the Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series (presented by Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte), when she and Piccobello Du Val De Geer won the first $15,000 class. Little competitors also took to the ring, and Erica Felder rode Thumbs Up to the tricolor in the Pine Hollow Short Stirrup Hunters.
Today's 1.50m class was held under FEI rules and was a FEI ROLEX world ranking competition. Guilherme Jorge of Brazil set the courses in the International Arena. There were 68 entries, and nine returned for the jump-off. Michaels-Beerbaum and Checkmate 4, a 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Contender x Pik Bube II, returned second to last in the jump-off. They lowered the winning time to 35.31 seconds.
“I watched Cian and he had a really super round with his nice young horse. He's a really fast rider, so I just tried to do my best,” she said afterward. “I have a lot of experience with Checkmate. He's 17 years old already. I've been riding him since he was six, so I think experience came into play. I could just shave a couple of tenths off his time I think.”
O'Connor and his first horse in the jump-off, Everything, set the early pace with a clear round in 35.82 seconds, which would hold up for second. Kirsten Coe and Baronez were just behind in third place with a time of 36.91 seconds. The last double clear round was O'Connor and his second mount, KEC Alligator Alley, who finished in 38.31 seconds.
Michaels-Beerbaum was very happy with Checkmate 4, her partner of 11 years. They have won many grand prix classes together and scored the clear round that helped the German team win the gold medal at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The pair was clear in Thursday's WEF Challenge Cup as well, getting a great start to their circuit in Wellington.
Michaels-Beerbaum related, “You don't see many at 17 winning at the international level. He's really an outstanding horse. We've won a lot of grands prix together, so I'm delighted he's still going so well. Last year he was injured quite a bit of the year, so this is really a nice comeback.”
Final Results: $32,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic
1. CHECKMATE 4: 1995 Hanoverian gelding by Contender x Pik Bube II
MEREDITH MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER), Octavia Farms LLC: 0/35.31
2. EVERYTHING: 2004 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Toulon x Mast VD Vrombautshoeve
CIAN O'CONNOR (IRL), Abdulla Humaid Al Muhairi: 0/0/35.82
3. BARONEZ: 2001 Warmblood mare by Heartbreaker x Unknown
KIRSTEN COE (USA), Ilan Ferder & Kirsten Coe: 0/0/36.91
4. KEC ALLIGATOR ALLEY: 2002 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Aldatus Z x Clover Hill
CIAN O'CONNOR (IRL), Sinead & Oonagh Kennedy: 0/0/38.31
5. TALOUBET: 2000 KWPN gelding by Baloubet Du Rouet x Quidam De Revel
PAULO SANTANA (BRA), Jennifer Santana: 0/4/35.19
6. WHISKY MAC IV: 2003 Scottish Sporthorse gelding by Emilion x Burggraff
SCOTT BRASH (GBR), Mr. Stanley Brash: 0/4/35.93
7. NOUGAT DU VALLET: 2001 Selle Francais gelding by Scherif D'elle
KATHERINE DINAN (USA), Grant Road Partners: 0/4/37.26
8. VALENTE: 2002 KWPN gelding by Gentleman x Sit This One Out
TIM GREDLEY (GBR), Mrs. R. Gredley: 0/4/39.97
9. VORST: 2002 KWPN gelding by Lux x Jeraldo
MICHAEL MORRISSEY (USA), EH Redman: 0/8/34.31
10. QUITE EASY 4: 2004 Oldenburg gelding by Quidams Rubin x Zapateado
BEN MAHER (GBR), Quainton Stud: 1/78.52
11. HELLO SAILOR: 1999 KWPN gelding by Kigali x Indoctro
TINA FLETCHER (GBR), Lady P. Harris & Lady P. Kirkham: 1/78.54
12. AVENIR: 2000 BWP gelding by Phin Phin x Flamingo
CHRISTINE MCCREA (USA), Candy Tribble: 1/78.76