Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly Win 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Final

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly won their second World Cup title since 2005 at the 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden. Rich Fellers of the United States on Flexible came second while Germany’s Heinrich Hermann Engemann and Aboyeur W, who won the opening speed class Thursday, finished third.

Ireland’s Jessica Kuerten and Castle Forbes Libertina who came into Sunday’s final at the top of the leaderboard after capturing the second leg of the contest Friday faltered on Sunday scoring 8 faults in the first round and 4 in the second. The pair tied for fourth with last year’s champion Beat Mandli and Ideo du Thot of Switzerland and Ludger Beerbaum of Germany and All Inclusive NRW.

Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills, ON, and Darrin Dlin, originally of Calgary, AB, and now residing in Wellington, FL, represented Canada. Following two days of competition, Henselwood placed 28th overall while Dlin finished in 34th position.

The first round of competition held Thursday was a speed phase. Henselwood, the Canadian World Cup League winner, finished in 28th position with a time of 81.49 seconds riding Black Ice, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Stacie B. Ryan and Juniper Farms. Dlin, riding Odyssey Venture Inc.’s Catwalk, a 10-year-old Canadian-bred Oldenburg mare sired by Rio Grande, had a time of 91.69 seconds for 36th place. The class was won by Heinrich Hermann Engemann of Germany aboard Aboyear W in a time of 68.37.

In Friday’s contest, won by Kuerten, Hensellwood scored 9 faults in the first round and ended in a seven way tie for 18th position whil Dlin scored 24 faults and ending his bid in 33rd position.

One of the biggest dissapointments was Marcus Ehning of Germany riding Sandro Boy. The pair, had won the 2006 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur but have had repeated problems since the 2006 World Equestrian Games, were eliminated in the first round when the horse twice refused to approach the same jump.

For complete results visit: http://events.horses.nl/2008/goteborg/results/results.htm