Only recently she had celebrated the 30th birthday of this exceptional athlete: Now the great Shutterfly, horse of Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum's heart and success, has died.
On her social media channels Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum writes about the farewell of Silvio's son: "It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce the death of Shutterfly. We have lost him forever this morning. He was a unique and irreplaceable part of our lives. I was lucky to have discovered Shutterfly as an immature six year old at a show in Rastede. He came to our stable a few months later and I am lucky to have spent the next 24 years with him. Only recently we celebrated his 30th birthday. Shutterfly aka Petey started his career as an unsure and hesitant youngster and blossomed into one of the best horses in the world. He won three World Cup Finals, two Top Ten Finals, the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, just to name a few of his great successes. With him I climbed to the top of the world rankings, the first woman in history to do so. A position I was able to hold for 24 months. Shutterly won the Prize of Europe in Aachen, against the best horses in the world, when he was already 18 years old. That was shortly before his grand and dignified retirement from the sport. We will miss Petey with his sweet and lovable nature. I still remember him sticking his nose into the pram and gently greeting my daughter Brianne shortly after her birth. I'm sure this also contributed to her developing such a great love for horses today. I miss you my friend and I am grateful for every moment with you. You were the best partner anyone could wish for. You will never be forgotten. Rest in peace my dear."
