Showjumper Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s nice horse Checkmate 4 has died on the age of 30.
“Joey” as he was recognized at dwelling, helped the US-born German rider to 2 workforce gold medals and gained the German championships twice throughout a glittering worldwide showjumping profession spanning nicely over a decade.
“I’m very unhappy to say I misplaced my good friend and associate in crime,” mentioned Meredith.
“A horse of a lifetime together with his distinctive model, excessive head carriage and U-shaped again, Joey went towards every little thing conventional. However he cherished to leap, significantly when he was going very quick!”
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on Checkmate 4: “A mischievous little boy”
The son of Contender x Pik Bube II was born in Germany in 1995, bred by Renate Gerlach out of her dressage mare Petite Cardinale. He got here to Meredith in 2001 after her good friend Soeren von Roenne advised her she had discovered “the proper horse”.
Then often called Carpaccio, the 15.3hh six-year-old Hanoverian was described by Meredith on first appearances as “small, short-legged and really sway within the again” however as quickly as she jumped the teenager, Meredith knew he was “the one”. He was purchased by Jim and Nancy Clark and renamed Checkmate.
He was “feisty” in his early days and appreciated to buck and run, however Meredith attributes this “fiery character” for serving to him to grow to be “top-of-the-line horses on the earth”.
Amongst Checkmate’s prolonged record of achievements was workforce gold on the 2005 European Championships in San Patrignano. 5 years later the pair earned their second workforce gold medal, on the World Equestrian Video games in Kentucky. They had been a part of the bronze medal-winning German squad on the 2009 European Championships in Windsor and contested two World Cup Finals, in 2006 and 2011. Meredith and Checkmate teamed as much as win the celebrated Mercedes-Benz Preis in Zurich, the Championat von Hamburg, and a number of other five-star grands prix, and had been a key a part of Germany’s Nations Cup groups for a few years, profitable virtually €2m.
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Checkmate 4 competing at Olympia in 2011.
Meredith Michaels-Beerbuam described her beloved Checkmate 4 as “a mischievous little boy” and he was nonetheless profitable five-star competitions nicely into his late teenagers. His closing worldwide look got here at CHI Geneva on the finish of 2014, after which he was retired.
Checkmate 4 and Shuttefly: buddies for all times
“Joey carried me to victories in a few of the quickest jump-offs I’ve ever ridden, together with quite a few World Cups and grands prix,” mentioned Meredith.
“He confirmed actively till he was 19 years previous after which joined his good friend Shutterfly on the sphere behind our dwelling for his remaining years. I hope he’ll reunite together with his good friend ‘Petey’ as soon as once more within the heavens above. I’ll miss you Joey.”
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H&H showjumping editor
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her function as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her world wide reporting from reveals and interviewing riders, connections and people concerned behind the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on each topic throughout the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to secure administration — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand expertise of working within the equestrian business as a driving teacher and yard supervisor.
