Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (born 26 December 1969 in Los Angeles) is an American-born German equestrian who competes at the international level in show jumping.

Born in Los Angeles, the daughter of film director Richard Michaels grew up riding ponies and had a successful career as a Young Rider, both in equitation and in show jumping. As a young-adult, Michaels-Beerbaum studied political science at Princeton University, continuing to compete during her college years despite a serious accident in 1991 leaving her with two broken wrists. She then went to train in Germany with Paul Schockemöhle in 1991, planning to remain only for a summer, which eventually turned into a permanent stay. First she decided to buy the training center in Balve. Following her marriage to the well-known German show jumper Markus Beerbaum in 1998, she changed her citizenship. Together the Beerbaums have one daughter, Brianne Victoria Beerbaum, born in 2010. Through her marriage, Michaels-Beerbaum is also sister-in-law to Ludger Beerbaum, who has won multiple Olympic and championship medals in show jumping.

Her past and current top horses include Shutterfly, Checkmate, Bella Donna, Kismet, Cantano, Stella, and Quick Star.

Achievements

• Gold Medal winner of the 2009 World Cup Final in Las Vegas, USA (Shutterfly); Winning all three rounds
• Gold medal winner of the 2008 World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden (Shutterfly)
• The first woman to have reached the No. 1 position on the FEI show jumping world rankings (December 2004)
• Ranked #1 in the world four consecutive months (February–May 2007)
• Individual and team bronze at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany (Shutterfly)
• Individual gold and team silver, European Championships, Mannheim 2007 (Shutterfly)
• Gold medal team member at the 2005 European Championships in San Patrignano (Checkmate 4)
• Gold medal team member, 9th individually, at the 1999 European Championships in Hickstead, England (Stella)
• 5th place at the 2006 World Cup Final in Kuala Lumpur (Checkmate 4)
• Gold medal winner of the 2005 World Cup Final in Las Vegas, NV (Shutterfly)
• Silver medal at the 2004 World Cup Final in Milan, Italy (Shutterfly)
• Nations Cup starts:27 Wins:8
• Ladies German Championships Gold Medal in 1999 and 2001, Silver medal in 2002, Bronze medal in 1998, 4th place in 2004
• German Championships Bronze Medal in 2004, 5th place in 2002
• German Championship Winner in 2008 at Balve Optimum
• First woman to win the World Cup Finals three times (2005, 2008, 2009)
• Ranked #1 in the world 11 straight months in 2008 (February thru December)

References

• FEI Rider's Biography
• http://www.michaels-beerbaum.de/20-Biographie.htm

Ranked #1 in the Rolex World Rankings for 11 consecutive months in 2008 (February–December).

External links

• www.michaels-beerbaum.com (German)