Michaels-Beerbaum and Peters Claim Championship Titles at Rolex FEI World Cup

Las Vegas, NV - April 19, 2009 -- Defending champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum secured her third Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping title with consummate ease at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas Sunday where America's McLain Ward finished second ahead of The Netherlands' Albert Zoer in third.

The sheer class of the German winner's 16-year-old gelding determined the result on a day when Anthony D'Ambrosio's course building tested many to the very limit. For Shutterfly however limits don't seem to exist. No fence is too high or too wide, and the clinching second-round run from this partnership was an exhibition of near-perfection.

Stamina and concentration played a major role in the closing stages, but most of the leading contenders proved equal to the challenge and none of the top three finishers lowered a pole throughout three days of world-class jumping. Lying fourth however, America's Rich Fellers and Flexible slipped two places with a double-error and then disappeared from the reckoning when adding another 22 faults second time out.

America's Steffen Peters and Ravel claimed the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Dressage title with a show-stopping Freestyle test that raised the roof of the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas Saturday.

The 44-year-old rider from San Diego, California edged Germany's double World Cup champion Isabel Werth into runner-up position with an inspirational performance, while nine-time winner Anky Van Grunsven from The Netherlands had to settle for third. This was just the second-ever U.S. victory in the 23-year history of the Dressage World Cup - the previous American to take title was Debbie McDonald who, on Friday, officially retired the great mare Brentina who carried her to World Cup success in 2003.

Peters was chasing Werth's leading score of 84.500% when third-last into the arena. The German rider's 15-year-old gelding Satchmo can be nervous and fearful on occasions, but he kept his cool to produce spectacular movements this time out and snatched the lead from Dutchman Hans Peter Minderhoud and Exquis Nadine who were real crowd-pleasers. There had been something magical about Peters and Ravel all week.