Shutterfly (horse)

Shutterfly, originally named Struwwelpeter, was foaled on January 14, 1993 at the farm of Uwe Dresmann. He was trained by Carsten Raschen as a five and six year old, where he qualified for the National Championships.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-28 |title=Meredith Michaels-Beerbaums Erfolgspferd Shutterfly lebt nicht mehr - |url=https://www.st-georg.de/news/springen/meredith-michaels-beerbaums-erfolgspferd-shutterfly-lebt-nicht-mehr/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=St.GEORG}}

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum discovered the horse when he was six years old, after finding him in a competition for young show jumping horses. Michaels-Beerbam eventually encouraged Uwe Dresmann to sell him, and he was purchased by Nancy Clark. After he was sold, his name was changed to Shutterfly. His barn name was Petey.

As a young horse, Shutterfly was challenging to ride. He was described as "spooky" and "frightened of everything".{{Cite web |date=2023-02-08 |title=Horse of a Lifetime: Shutterfly |url=https://www.fei.org/stories/sport/jumping/horse-lifetime-shutterfly |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=FEI.org}} At seven years old, Michaels-Beerbaum entered Shutterfly in the finals of CHIO Aachen, which ended disastrously after Michaels-Beerbaum fell off. It would take Michaels-Beerbaum a year to regain the horse's trust.{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Julia |date=2023-02-24 |title=Remembering Shutterfly |url=https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/lifestyle/remembering-shutterfly/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Practical Horseman}}{{Cite web |title=Horse Of A Lifetime: Shutterfly - The Chronicle of the Horse |url=https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/horse-of-a-lifetime-shutterfly/ |access-date=2024-07-27}} By 1999, Michaels-Beerbaum credited Shutterfly with helping her top the FEI World Show Jumping rankings.

As Shutterfly developed into a champion show jumper, he remained insecure and nervous in the show ring. Michaels-Beerbaum noted his bashfulness, compared to other show jumpers. His insecurity left him sheltering behind his groom as he entered the arena,{{Cite web |date=2020-07-08 |title=Dear Shutterfly, You Are The Horse of a Lifetime |url=https://www.noellefloyd.com/blogs/sport/dear-shutterfly-you-are-the-horse-of-a-lifetime |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=NOËLLE FLOYD |language=}} who would use music to soothe him.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-02 |title=‘His groom would play him classical music’: 8 things that may surprise you about Shutterfly |url=https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/his-groom-would-stay-up-all-night-playing-him-classical-music-8-things-that-may-surprise-you-about-the-legendary-shutterfly-815516 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Horse & Hound}}

After placing second at the 2004 World Cup final in Milan, Shutterfly tested positive for the banned substance acepromazine. As a result, Michaels-Beerbaum was not selected for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.{{Cite web |title=2004 Olympic Germany Show Jumping Roster - The Chronicle of the Horse |url=https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/germany-show-jumping-roster/ |access-date=2024-07-27}}{{Cite web |last=Germany |first=Jenny MacArthur in Aachen |date=2024-07-27 |title=Drugs row casts gloom over German hopes |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/drugs-row-casts-gloom-over-german-hopes-cc3wxfq2rg3 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=The Times}} The decision was controversial at the time.{{Cite web |date=2014-03-10 |title=The 2004 Olympic Equestrian Team Ready to take their place on the world stage - August 2004 |url=http://horseconnection.com/the-2004-olympic-equestrian-team-ready-to-take-their-place-on-the-world-stage-august-2004/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Horse Connection Magazine}} The positive ruling was overturned months later and Shutterfly returned to competition in 2005. Two weeks after the decision was overturned, Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly won the 2005 World Cup Finals in Los Vegas.{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Jeff |date=2005-04-25 |title=World's best rider easily wins show jumping title |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2005/apr/25/worlds-best-rider-easily-wins-show-jumping-title/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Las Vegas Sun}}{{Cite web |title=Meredith Michaels Beerbaum Just Knew It Was Her Day At The Budweiser FEI World Cup Final - The Chronicle of the Horse |url=https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/meredith-michaels-beerbaum-just-knew-it-was-her-day-budweiser-fei-world-cup-final/ |access-date=2024-07-27}}

At the 2006 World Equestrian Games, Shutterfly was rattled during the final four horse rotation phase, reacting "extremely nervous and upset".{{Cite web |title=The Voice of the Riders: Changing the format of the World Championships - Part Two |url=https://www.worldofshowjumping.com/en/Exclusives/WoSJ-Focus/The-Voice-of-the-Riders-Changing-the-format-of-the-World-Championships-Part-Two.html |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=worldofshowjumping.com}} When changing riders, Shutterfly began rearing in the practice area. The horse's reaction caused some commentators to question the necessity of the horse rotation round.{{Cite web |last=Equisearch |date=2006-09-03 |title=Madden Wins Individual Jumping Silver at WEG |url=https://equisearch.com/news/wegshowjumpfinal090306/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=EquiSearch}} Michaels-Beerbaum would not bring Shutterfly back to the World Equestrian Games, and the horse change was eventually eliminated from the format.{{Cite web |title=Riders React To Removal Of Final Four From WEG Show Jumping - The Chronicle of the Horse |url=https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/riders-react-weg-sj/ |access-date=2024-07-27}}

In 2007, Shutterfly tested positive in a doping test at the European Championships in Mannheim for the use of Triamcinolone, a corticosteroid.{{Cite web |last=Horses.nl |first=Redactie |date=2007-08-21 |title=Shutterfly positief bij dopingcontrole |url=https://www.horses.nl/algemeen/shutterfly-positief-bij-dopingcontrole/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Horses |language=nl-NL}} The medication use was disclosed to stewards before the event and was allowed to start.{{Cite web |date=2007-08-21 |title=Wirbel um Sieger Shutterfly |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/mehr-sport/wirbel-um-sieger-shutterfly-1459931.html |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=FAZ.NET |language=de}}

In 2008, the pair were selected for the Summer Olympics in Beijing, and were expected to be medal finalists going into the competition.{{Cite web |date=2008-08-15 |title=Germans ride into jumping as favourites |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2008/0815/236448-germany/ |website=RTE}} The combination eventually placed fourth in the individual competition.{{Cite web |title=Shutterfly (100ET01) |url=https://www.fei.org/horse/100ET01/SHUTTERFLY |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=FEI.org}} The next year, Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly won every round of their competition at the 2009 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, winning the gold medal.{{Cite web |title=That Special Bond – with Anu Harrila: "Shutterfly is of course my special one!" |url=https://www.worldofshowjumping.com/WoSJ-Exclusive-interviews/That-Special-Bond-with-Anu-Harrila-Shutterfly-is-of-course-my-special-one.html |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=worldofshowjumping.com}} It was the third World Cup Finals the pair would win together.{{Cite web |title=Shutterfly Shuts Out The Competition At Rolex FEI World Cup Final - The Chronicle of the Horse |url=https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/shutterfly-shuts-out-competition-rolex-fei-world-cup-final/ |access-date=2024-07-27}}

In 2011, at the age of 18 Shutterfly won the Warsteiner Prize at CHIO Aachen.{{Cite web |url=http://www.horseweb.de/cms/2011/12/shutterfly-das-gewinnreichste-springpferd-der-welt/ |title=Shutterfly – das gewinnreichste Springpferd der Welt? |website=horseweb.de |date=6 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209023923/http://www.horseweb.de/cms/2011/12/shutterfly-das-gewinnreichste-springpferd-der-welt/ |archive-date=December 9, 2011 |language=de |trans-title=Shutterfly – the most profitable show jumper in the world?}} After the win, Michaels-Beerbaum's husband Marcus Beerbaum encouraged her to retire Shutterfly, to end his career on a high note. A few days later, Shutterfly was retired in a ceremony at CHIO Aachen.{{Cite web |title=Michaels-Beerbaum Retires Shutterfly - The Chronicle of the Horse |url=https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/michaels-beerbaum-retires-shutterfly/ |access-date=2024-07-27}}{{Cite web |title=Horsezone News: Bye Bye Shutterfly! |url=http://horsezone.com.au/news/bye-bye-shutterfly-1394/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=horsezone.com.au}}

After retiring from competition, Shutterfly went to live at the Beerbaums’ German base in Thedinghausen, Germany.

On 28 January 2023 Shutterfly died at the age of 30.{{cite web|access-date=2023-04-06 |author=Equestrian Worldwide |date=2023-01-30 |language=de-DE |title=RIP Shutterfly: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaums Ausnahmepferd ist tot - Equestrian Worldwide {{!}} Pferdesport weltweit {{!}} EQWO.net |url=https://eqwo.net/rip-shutterfly-meredith-michaels-beerbaums-ausnahmepferd-ist-tot/springen/news_/}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-30 |title=‘One of the greatest horses to ever live’: legendary showjumper dies aged 30 |url=https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/shutterfly-dies-aged-30-815222 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Horse & Hound}}

• First place, 2003 Olympia Grand Prix{{Cite web |last=MacArthur |first=Jenny |date=2024-07-27 |title=Shutterfly brings the house down in tumultuous finish at Olympia |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/shutterfly-brings-the-house-down-in-tumultuous-finish-at-olympia-xh0hg229mm3 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=The Times}}
• Individual gold medal and team silver medal, 2007 European Show Jumping Championships in Mannheim{{Cite web |date=2007-08-16 |title=FEI European Jumping Championship, Mannheim (GER), 14-19 August 2007 |url=https://inside.fei.org/media-updates/fei-european-jumping-championship-mannheim-ger-14-19-august-2007-0 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=FEI}}
• Gold medals, 2005, 2008{{Cite web |date=2008-04-28 |title=Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly Win 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Final |url=https://horsesport.com/horse-news/jill-henselwood-top-canadian-at-2008-world-cup-final/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Horse Sport}} and 2009 Show Jumping World Cup finals{{Cite web |title=McLain Ward and Sapphire go one Better but Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly Win Again and Continue to Lead 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final |url=https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/4304_mclain-ward-and-sapphire-go-one-better-but-michaelsbeerbaum-and-shutterfly-win-again-and-continue-to-lead--rolex-fei-world-cup-final |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=US Equestrian}}{{Cite web |date=2009-04-20 |title=Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly win World Cup showjumping |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/5190744/Meredith-Michaels-Beerbaum-and-Shutterfly-win-World-Cup-showjumping.html |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=The Telegraph}}
• Individual and team bronze medals, 2006 World Equestrian Games
• First place, 2008 and 2010 Stuttgart Mercedes German Masters Championship{{Cite web |date=2010-11-20 |title=Shutterfly on autopilot: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum wins MERCEDES GERMAN MASTER for the second time |url=https://stuttgart-german-masters.de/en/presse/news-archiv/detail/news/shutterfly-on-autopilot-meredith-michaels-beerbaum-wins-mercedes-german-master-for-the-second-time |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=stuttgart-german-masters.de}}
• First place, 2005 Aachen Grand Prix{{Cite web |title=Aachen Belongs To Michaels-Beerbaum - The Chronicle of the Horse |url=https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/aachen-belongs-michaels-beerbaum/ |access-date=2024-07-27}}
• First place, 2006 Stuttgart Grand Prix{{Cite web |date=2006-11-19 |title=Meredith Michaels Beerbaum wins Grand Prix of Stuttgart |url=https://stuttgart-german-masters.de/en/presse/news-archiv/detail/news/meredith-michaels-beerbaum-wins-grand-prix-of-stuttgart |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=stuttgart-german-masters.de}}
• Top placed horse and rider combination in the world, 2004 and 2006

{{Reflist}}

Category:Show jumping horses

Category:1993 animal births

Category:2023 animal deaths

Category:German show jumping horses

Category:Horses in the Olympics