Source:  News Release

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Malou Double the Fun with a Second
$50,000 Grand Prix Win

THERMAL, CA  - In a stunning repeat performance, Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and the nine-year-old mare Malou, owned by Octavia Farms, scored victory in Sunday’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. They also won the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix last Sunday.  “Malou has emerged as my most successful horse of the Desert Circuit,” Michaels-Beerbaum said immediately following the class, and she wasn’t exaggerating.

Malou has been in the money in every Thermal grand prix in which she’s shown – a total of nine beginning with Desert Circuit II. She also landed in the ribbons in the $5,000 PCHA Jimmy Williams Classic that was her starter class during week one. “The mare is jumping beautifully. I’m delighted,” Michaels-Beerbaum said.  Whatever horse she is on, Michaels-Beerbaum is a force to be reckoned with. Riding Windward Farm’s Unbelievable 5, she also placed fourth in a very hard-fought contest for DC VI’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix. There were 47 starters, with seven making the jump-off, and of those seven only four were able to go double clear.

In what was a climactic finish to an electrifying competition, Michaels-Beerbaum and Malou were the first in on the jump-off and laid down a Great American Time to Beat that could not be topped – 41.07 seconds.  New Zealand rider Duncan McFarlane, who lives in San Ramon, California, was second to go on Simone Coxe’s Mr. Whoopy, and their time of 41.51 seconds put them into a snug red-ribbon position.

“Hopefully we’re peaking at just the right time,” said McFarlane, who came in second in the 2011 HITS Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix in Saugerties with Whoopy and plans to ride the stallion in the AIG Thermal Million next week. “It was a great outcome with seven in the jump-off and no crazy runs. Everybody had the same number of strides across the first line, rollback to a skinny then one stride and you could gain speed and leave a stride out coming home. I thought it was a really good course.”

Two rides later, Will Simpson of Westlake Village, California, and the Monarch International mare Acorina gave it their best shot, but landed in third with a time of 41.60 seconds. “It was a great grand prix – the best course Olaf Petersen, Sr. designed all week,” said Simpson, who seemed to be a crowd favorite, generating shrieks and cheers as he and Acorina raced around the ring.

Two trips later, Michaels-Beerbaum returned with Unbelievable 5 and the two gave it everything they had, which turned out to be good enough for fourth in 41.66 seconds. When the dust settled, just six-tenths of a second separated the top four.

Paige Dotson of Laguna Hills, California and her family’s Rockford I was fastest of the four-faulters in the jump-off, earning fifth place with a time of 48.47 seconds. Woodside, California-based Karl Cook had a rail and a refusal at the third fence, but still finished within the time allowed for sixth with an eight fault score in a time of 51.91 seconds. In an effort to beat the clock, Brazil’s Eduardo Menezes and his own Caruschka had three rails for a total of 12 faults in 42.86 seconds to finish seventh.

©Flying Horse Photography
While nearing the end of wildly successful HITS Desert Circuit for she and Malou, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is showing no signs of slowing. She and Malou won the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal on Sunday.

©Flying Horse Photography
HITS’ Tony Hitchcock presents Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Malou with winning honors after the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal.

$3,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Junior & Amateur Jumper Low Classics
Earlier in the day, Canada’s Jackie Herod riding Shima won the $3,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Amateur Jumper Low Classic. Sarnia Staehle placed second on Chablis Z, and third was Canada’s Ali Ramsay on Alonzo. Each rode their own horse.

The $3,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Junior Jumper Low Classic was dominated by Canada’s Tess Disturnal on her own Lafayete, followed by Bethany Bolen riding Blair Cudmore’s Odaus, and in third, Sarah Jane Haskins with her Weopatra.

©Flying Horse Photography
Jackie Herod and Shima on course in the $3,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Amateur Jumper Low Classic.

©Flying Horse Photography
Tess Disturnal and Lafayete on course in the $3,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Junior Jumper Low Classic.

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