Michaels-Beerbaum wins Grand Prix CSI 2

WELLINGTON — Three-time Olympian Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany and Calle 67 won the $70,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Grand Prix CSI 2 late Saturday night.

Michaels-Beerbaum and her 9-year-old Westphalian gelding topped a field of 45 riders, including nine in the jump-off, with the fastest clear round of 36.85 seconds.

Lillie Keenan, at 21 one of the youngest jumpers in the field and a full-time Harvard student, and Skyhorse, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood, were second in 37.01. Great Britain’s Emily Mason, 26, and Explosion W, a 9-year-old KWPN gelding, were third in 37.58.

Kent Farrington, the world’s top-ranked rider, and his mount Baltic Star 2, were fourth in 37.63 followed by Canada Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze and Coco Bongo fifth in 39.02.

It was the second grand prix of the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival and first Saturday Night Lights event at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Calle 67 had competed in the young horse classes under the lights at the Aachen CHIO, but Saturday’s grand prix win was “a major step up for that horse,” according to Michaels-Beerbaum.

“I think that the course itself was challenging because there were some spooky fences at the beginning of the course, and then it got technical down the last line and careful,” Michaels-Beerbaum said. “I was really pleased with my horse because he is relatively new to that speed. I think I’ve only done one other jump-off as fast as that, so he was a little shocked and surprised, but he’s on my side and that gives you a good feeling as a rider. That’s really what it takes to be a great horse.”

On Sunday, Marilyn Little and Clearwater won the $35,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.45-meter Classic. The pair had the fastest jumpoff of 36.23 seconds among 12 riders, edging Wilton Porter and Delinquent JX (36.65).

Also Sunday, Lacey Gilbertson and Baloppi, a 2007 Danish Warmblood, won the $25,000 Hermes Under-25 Grand Prix sixrider jump-off in 31.75, the only rider to break 32 seconds. In earlier week events:

■ Lamaze and Chacco Kid, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, won the second round of the $35,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup. The pair topped a field of 109 starters, including nine in the jump-off, in 34.86.

■ Olympic team gold medalist McLain Ward was a repeat winner in the $8,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45-meter Jumpers. Ward and 8-year-old Bellefleur PS Z had the fastest clear round in 60.497.

■ New Zealand Olympian Sharn Wordley and Rye Val de Mai won the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40-meter Jumpers CSI2 15-rider jump-off in 55.29.