Shutterfly (January 14, 1993[1] — January 28, 2023[2]) was a Hanoverian gelding ridden in competition by Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum. Considered the "ultimate jumping horse",[3] Shutterfly won medals at several World and European Championships, placing first in the World Cup final three times.[4] With lifetime winnings of €3,520,864, he was the most successful show jumper of the 2000s and one of the highest earning show jumpers of all time.[5]

Shutterfly
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with Shutterfly, 2007 World Cup Final in Las Vegas, NV, USA
BreedHanoverian horse
DisciplineShow jumping
SireSilvio I
DamFamm
Maternal grandsireForrest XX
SexGelding
Foaled1993
Died2023
CountryGermany
BreederUwe Dreesmann
OwnerMeredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Octavia Farms LLC (Nancy Clark)
TrainerCarsten Raschen (first trainer)
RiderMeredith Michaels-Beerbaum
Earnings
3.520.864 €
Major wins
2005, 2008 and 2009 Show Jumping World Cup Finals
Awards
2007 FEI Horse of the Year

Background

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Shutterfly, originally named Struwwelpeter, was foaled on January 14, 1993[6] at the farm of Uwe Dresmann. He was trained by Carsten Raschen as a five and six year old, where he qualified for the National Championships.[7][8]

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum discovered the horse when he was six years old, after finding him in a competition for young show jumping horses. Michaels-Beerbam eventually encouraged Uwe Dresmann to sell him, and he was purchased by Nancy Clark.[7] After he was sold, his name was changed to Shutterfly. His barn name was Petey.[8]

As a young horse, Shutterfly was challenging to ride. He was described as "spooky" and "frightened of everything".[8] At seven years old, Michaels-Beerbaum entered Shutterfly in the finals of CHIO Aachen, which ended disastrously after Michaels-Beerbaum fell off. It would take Michaels-Beerbaum a year to regain the horse's trust.[9][10]By 1999, Michaels-Beerbaum credited Shutterfly with helping her top the FEI World Show Jumping rankings.[9]

As Shutterfly developed into a champion show jumper, he remained insecure and nervous in the show ring. Michaels-Beerbaum noted his bashfulness, compared to other show jumpers. His insecurity left him sheltering behind his groom as he entered the arena,[11] who would use music to soothe him.[12]

After placing second at the 2004 World Cup final in Milan, Shutterfly tested positive for the banned substance acepromazine. As a result, Michaels-Beerbaum was not selected for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.[13][14] The decision was controversial at the time.[15] The positive ruling was overturned months later and Shutterfly returned to competition in 2005.[8] Two weeks after the decision was overturned, Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly won the 2005 World Cup Finals in Los Vegas.[16][17]

At the 2006 World Equestrian Games, Shutterfly was rattled during the final four horse rotation phase, reacting "extremely nervous and upset".[18] When changing riders, Shutterfly began rearing in the practice area. The horse's reaction caused some commentators to question the necessity of the horse rotation round.[19] Michaels-Beerbaum would not bring Shutterfly back to the World Equestrian Games, and the horse change was eventually eliminated from the format.[20]

In 2007, Shutterfly tested positive in a doping test at the European Championships in Mannheim for the use of Triamcinolone, a corticosteroid.[21] The medication use was disclosed to stewards before the event and was allowed to start.[22]

In 2008, the pair were selected for the Summer Olympics in Beijing, and were expected to be medal finalists going into the competition.[23] The combination eventually placed fourth in the individual competition.[6] The next year, Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly won every round of their competition at the 2009 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, winning the gold medal.[24] It was the third World Cup Finals the pair would win together.[25]

In 2011, at the age of 18 Shutterfly won the Warsteiner Prize at CHIO Aachen.[26][10] After the win, Michaels-Beerbaum's husband Marcus Beerbaum encouraged her to retire Shutterfly, to end his career on a high note.[9] A few days later, Shutterfly was retired in a ceremony at CHIO Aachen.[27][28]

After retiring from competition, Shutterfly went to live at the Beerbaums’ German base in Thedinghausen, Germany.[8] On 28 January 2023 Shutterfly died at the age of 30.[29][30]

Top results

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References

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  1. ^ "Happy Birthday, Shutterfly! Eine Legende wird 30" (in German). January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Goodbye, Shutterfly! Springsport-Legende mit 30 Jahren gestorben" (in German). January 28, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  3. ^ Horse & Hound (February 16, 2009). "Shutterfly, the ultimate jumping horse?". Horse & Hound. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Tregoning, Sarah. "Shutterfly red hot for Vegas". The National. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  5. ^ R. T. L. Online. "Reitsport: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum trauert um ihr Parade-Pferd Shutterfly" (in German). Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Shutterfly (100ET01)". FEI.org. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Meredith Michaels-Beerbaums Erfolgspferd Shutterfly lebt nicht mehr -". St.GEORG. January 28, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Horse of a Lifetime: Shutterfly". FEI.org. February 8, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Murphy, Julia (February 24, 2023). "Remembering Shutterfly". Practical Horseman. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Horse Of A Lifetime: Shutterfly - The Chronicle of the Horse". Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  11. ^ "Dear Shutterfly, You Are The Horse of a Lifetime". NOËLLE FLOYD. July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  12. ^ "'His groom would play him classical music': 8 things that may surprise you about Shutterfly". Horse & Hound. February 2, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "2004 Olympic Germany Show Jumping Roster - The Chronicle of the Horse". Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  14. ^ Germany, From Jenny MacArthur in Aachen (July 27, 2024). "Drugs row casts gloom over German hopes". The Times. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  15. ^ "The 2004 Olympic Equestrian Team Ready to take their place on the world stage - August 2004". Horse Connection Magazine. March 10, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Butler, Jeff (April 25, 2005). "World's best rider easily wins show jumping title". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  17. ^ "Meredith Michaels Beerbaum Just Knew It Was Her Day At The Budweiser FEI World Cup Final - The Chronicle of the Horse". Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  18. ^ "The Voice of the Riders: Changing the format of the World Championships - Part Two". worldofshowjumping.com. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  19. ^ Equisearch (September 3, 2006). "Madden Wins Individual Jumping Silver at WEG". EquiSearch. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  20. ^ "Riders React To Removal Of Final Four From WEG Show Jumping - The Chronicle of the Horse". Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  21. ^ Horses.nl, Redactie (August 21, 2007). "Shutterfly positief bij dopingcontrole". Horses (in Dutch). Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  22. ^ "Wirbel um Sieger Shutterfly". FAZ.NET (in German). August 21, 2007. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  23. ^ "Germans ride into jumping as favourites". RTE. August 15, 2008.
  24. ^ "That Special Bond – with Anu Harrila: "Shutterfly is of course my special one!"". worldofshowjumping.com. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  25. ^ "Shutterfly Shuts Out The Competition At Rolex FEI World Cup Final - The Chronicle of the Horse". Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  26. ^ "Shutterfly – das gewinnreichste Springpferd der Welt?" [Shutterfly – the most profitable show jumper in the world?]. horseweb.de (in German). December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on December 9, 2011.
  27. ^ "Michaels-Beerbaum Retires Shutterfly - The Chronicle of the Horse". Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  28. ^ "Horsezone News: Bye Bye Shutterfly!". horsezone.com.au. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  29. ^ Equestrian Worldwide (January 30, 2023). "RIP Shutterfly: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaums Ausnahmepferd ist tot - Equestrian Worldwide | Pferdesport weltweit | EQWO.net" (in German). Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  30. ^ "'One of the greatest horses to ever live': legendary showjumper dies aged 30". Horse & Hound. January 30, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  31. ^ MacArthur, By Jenny (July 27, 2024). "Shutterfly brings the house down in tumultuous finish at Olympia". The Times. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  32. ^ "FEI European Jumping Championship, Mannheim (GER), 14-19 August 2007". FEI. August 16, 2007. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  33. ^ "Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly Win 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Final". Horse Sport. April 28, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  34. ^ "McLain Ward and Sapphire go one Better but Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly Win Again and Continue to Lead 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final". US Equestrian. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  35. ^ "Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly win World Cup showjumping". The Telegraph. April 20, 2009. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  36. ^ "Shutterfly on autopilot: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum wins MERCEDES GERMAN MASTER for the second time". stuttgart-german-masters.de. November 20, 2010. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  37. ^ "Aachen Belongs To Michaels-Beerbaum - The Chronicle of the Horse". Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  38. ^ "Meredith Michaels Beerbaum wins Grand Prix of Stuttgart". stuttgart-german-masters.de. November 19, 2006. Retrieved July 27, 2024.