Las Vegas, NV – 44 riders from 22 nations went to task this evening in the Thomas & Mack Arena, 12 of them American. By the time the music died down and the last pair of feet landed on the arena floor, it was the reigning Rolex FEI World Cup champion, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly who proved to be the fastest in the First Leg of the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final: the Speed Class.

Again.

The German pair were quickest by just less than a second with a time of 56.48.

“I thought the course was interesting,” said Michaels-Beerbaum about her inside turn to fence five. “I made a plan that I thought suited my horse and I was surprised no one else did it except for one other person.”

Their time converts into 45 World Cup points to go forward to the Second Qualifier and leaves them ahead of Christina Liebherr and L.B. No Mercy (with a time of 57.47) and Olympic Gold medalist for the USA, McLain Ward, who again, with Sapphire put in a sparkling performance to be third with a time of 57.73.

“It was a good start,” said Ward after his performance on the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare. “My goal was to be in the top three, it would have been nice to win. I feel like she did it really easily.”

Ward achieved his goal and Sapphire looks as good if not better than ever, and carries 42 World Cup points going into the second leg of the competition on Friday evening.

“Sapphire and I also have a lot of experience too,” said Ward. “For sure my focus is the whole week but you have to take each day at a time day, but it is also a test of stamina. There were a lot of options. Christina had gone around at two options, which is why I didn’t go around at fence five.”

Sapphire, who with Ward, has picked up two Team Gold medals in her illustrious career, but continues to improve. They have won three major Grand Prix throughout the spring preparing for this Final.

“I’ve been aiming for this since last year’s Olympics,” said Ward. “She had a break over the winter and then she jumped at three shows in Florida and we built up her fitness. We will see on Sunday afternoon if my plan worked.”

Ward won’t do anything differently with Sapphire, he will just keep her happy and stick to the plan.

“I was thrilled with her,” said Ward. “I had my plan and I wouldn’t have changed a thing.”

Rich Fellers, who led off the entire class, pulled off an amazing feat with Flexible after the pair had a massive disagreement as to which side of the Rolex clock to go to after fence 6. Fellers ended up on Flexible’s neck, but he managed to never take his eye off the seventh fence, and Flexible cooperated, jumping from nearly a trot.

“I had a quick second of concern,” said Fellers. “But I never questioned that I was going to jump that vertical out of that short turn, he recovered in two strides and I felt like he jumped the oxer quite easily. He’s such a fighter and has so much energy. The horse saved the day there.”

The heart of the Mollie and Harry Chapman’s Irish Sport Horse stallion and tenacity of his rider couldn’t have been more evident. They had a lightning fast round to finish clear on 58.50 seconds. The Oregon rider showed why he pulled off a second place finish at the Final in 2008. The pair ended up fourth.

“He’s all heart and all fight,” said Fellers. “That’s why he’s as good as he is. He’s a small horse, he doesn’t have all the range and scope that some of these other horses have. He makes up for it with heart and strength.”

The nine other Americans all put in solid efforts, Mandy Porter and San Diego, jumped a beautiful round as the final combination in the ring. They had one down but were very quick to lay 15th going into Friday’s second leg.

Christine McCrea jumped clear in a solid effort, the appropriately named Vegas jumped a steady clear round for McCrea, laying a good foundation for the week. They finished in a time of 64