Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!looking!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com
Newsgroups: clari.sports.misc
Subject: Michaels wins jump-off
Keywords: misc sports, women's professional
Message-ID: <Uequestrian_ab@clarinet.com>
Date: 4 Feb 90 03:03:46 GMT
Lines: 17
Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com
Location: florida
ACategory: sports
Slugword: equestrian
Priority: regular
Format: regular
ANPA: Wc: 190; Id: s1351; Sel: nds-s; Adate: 2-3-1aed
Codes: yszorfl., yszorxx.


	WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (UPI) -- Meredith Michaels of Hidden Hills,
Calif., gained her first major show jumping win by five one-hundredths
of a second in the $25,000 Grand Prix Farms Jump-off Saturday at the
32nd annual Winter Equestrian Festival.
	A 58-horse field competed at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club
for the $1 million festival series. Riding Quick Star, Michaels was one
of 13 entries to reach a tie-breaking jump-off by completing the
14-jump, 573-yard, first-round course without penalty.
	A 20-year old Princeton University sophomore who is among 35
entries qualified for Sunday's $50,000 Oppenheimer & Co. Grandprix,
Michaels then turned in a second fault-free ride, covering the
seven-jump, 286-yard jump-off course in 34.012 seconds.
	Two rides after Michaels, Debbie Shaffner of Ambler, Penn. almost
knocked Michaels out of the lead. Shaffner rode Volan to a fault-free
ride in a time of 34.065 seconds to finish second by five one-hundredths
of a second.