Meredith Michaels, who was born and grew up in Los Angeles, her father was a TV director and her mother tried out a career as an actress.

Meredith was a successul junior rider in America, but she always imagined herself in the White House. So after graduating high school, she went on to study politics at Princeton University. 

As a student Meredith remained passionate about horses.

In 1991, Meredith, at the age of 21, took a break from her studies and went to Paul Schockemöhle’s stable in Mühlen, Germany. Meredith had planned to stay with Schockemöhle for the summer. But this one summer turned into three years at Schockemöhle’s and a lifetime in Germany. During her stay she met her colleague Markus Beerbaum at a show in Munich and fell in love. 

Meredith moved from Mühlen to Dirk Hafemeister’s stable in Schwagstorf near Osnabrück, where Markus was working. But that was only a temporary stop. Meredith and Markus wanted to set up their own stable and took over the stable in Balve that belonged to the President of the German Equestrian Federation.

Following the death of World Champion Gerd Wiltfang, Meredith and Markus took over his stable in Thedinghausen, They married, and their daughter Brianne was born February 27, 2010. Meredith took German nationality, and was soon a member of the German showjumping team.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was the first woman to head the world rankings in showjumping. She was number one in the world for twenty-four months.

Meredith has won the World Cup Final three times, in 2005, 2008 and 2009, each time riding Shutterfly. She rode Shutterfly at the 2008 Games and Bella Donna at the 2012 Games. She rode Shutterfly at the 2006 WEG, and Checkmate at the 2010 WEG.

Her first great horse was the stallion, Quick Star who she rode for three seasons, 1992-1994, with wins at Munich, Aachen and Maastricht.

www.michaels-beerbaum.de/‎