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Bye Bye Shutterfly!

Published on Friday, July 22, 2011 in General

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum retired her 18 year old champion Shutterfly from international competition at the CHIO Aachen after winning the 'Preis von Europa' on 13 July 2011 (pictured - photo: FEI).

Shutterfly is a sensitive gelding that hates having the saddle put on, is scared of noise, strangers  and prize giving ceremonies - hence he hasn’t been to one for nine years. He was nicknamed 'Spaghetti' as a young horse because he could not go in a straight line. However, he developed into the best jumping horse in the world.

About 40,000 spectators in the stadium witnessed Shutterfly’s farewell. For his rider and part owner Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, it was a very emotional day. She had ridden Shutterfly since he was 6-years-old and the decision to finish the career of this great horse was a difficult one as the gelding is still fit and strong and very competitive.
The night before the Grand Prix of Aachen Meredith thought a lot about what was best for Shutterfly and what he deserves, until she decided at 5 o'clock in the morning to retire the best horse in the world at the the best show in the world in front of the best audience in the world
"Thank you Shutterfly That's the best thing I can say today. Thank you so much Shutterfly! "  said a tearful Meredith.
To the strains of "Nobody Does It Better," he galloped with Meredith the final laps of his sporting career.
Shutterfly was seven years old the first time he competed at the CHIO in Aachen. Then under the name Struwwelpeter. This year was his 11th time in Aachen where he won the Warsteiner Grand Prix.
He celebrated his greatest successes in Aachen with the victory in the Rolex Grand Prix in 2005. 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 he won with the German team in the Nations Cup. In all these competitions Shutterfly did not have one jumping fault.
He also won double bronze at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006. It was followed by individual gold and team silver at the European Championships 2007 in Mannheim, and a fourth  place in the individual standings at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong 2008.
In 2009 Meredith and Shutterfly won the FEI World Cup title for the third time, where they were clear and won every round.
He earned Meredith more than 3.5 million euros in prize money.
Shutterfly is now enjoying his retirement in Thedinghausen.
SHUTTERFLY:
Born: 14 January 1993 dark brown Hanoverian gelding Sire: Silvio I (Sandro) Mother: Famm (from Forrest xx) Nickname: Petey
Height: ~ 1.66 m Owner: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Octavia Farms LLC (Nancy Clark) Breeder: Uwe Dreesmann. .
Five-and six-year-old he was riden by by Carsten Raschen in the show jumping, winning many placings and qualifying for the Federal Championships in Warendorf. Meredith finally discovered him as a six-year-olds in a jumping competition in the Class M Rastede, she tried him two days later and wanted to buy him immediately.
The breeder did not sell him straight away, but in 19999 after half a year of Meredith trying to buy him he moved into the stables of Meredith and Mark.
Because his American owners could not pronounce "Struwwelpeter" they dubbed him Shutterfly.
"He is a sensitive and timid horse and only when he comes on the course, he is great. Because he knows that he has the ability and is confident at the moment. In the stable and with the groom, he is very calm," says Meredith of the gelding.
Because he is very sensitive to noise so he rarely attends ceremonies.
Among his greatest successes are (in addition to numerous wins and placings in Grand Prix, World Cup Jumping and Nations Cups): winning the World Cup Finals 2005, 2008 and 2009, 1st place at the Grand Prix of Aachen in 2005, winning the Top Ten Final in Geneva in 2004 and 2006, and two Bronze medals at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen.  2007 was among his most successful seasons. He won the European Championship in Manneim with Meredith, the team silver and individual gold medal and, all without making a single mistake.
He also won the Grand Prix of Arezzo, among others, Lyon and Stuttgart and helped Meredith to her third Riders' Tour victory.

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