MMBeerbaum WC2_1.jpgThere was no way course designer Anthony d’Ambrosio could stop the top riders of the 31st Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final from performing clear rounds. Both horses and riders were simply too brilliant to be fooled or overpowered by d’Ambrosio’s demands. While Meredith Michaels Beerbaum seemingly effortlessly collected her third Rolex FEI World Cup™, she had more trouble holding on to the cup during the spectacular prize giving ceremony in the hectic Thomas & Mack Center. The horse she was using for the ceremony gave her a hard time and while the rails all stayed up during the competition, the prestigious World Cup fell from her hands on the magic Las Vegas sand.

McLain Ward, second placed after two tough rounds of competition, had to wait and see if his former compatriot from California would copy his perfect final round. Meredith Michaels Beerbaum, who stated earlier this week that she is known for doing things differently, did not copy McLains strategy to stay clear. In the final round, she was the only one to make her horse do five strides towards the double combination, in stead of four.

Also Albert Zoer could only maintain his third position producing two superb clear rounds aboard his fighter Okidoki. Christina Liebherr stayed in fourth place, thanks to her fanatic super jumper LB No Mercy, who – accidentally – was produced as a young horse by Albert Zoer and was sold to Liebherr by his father.

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