EQUESTRIAN NEWS:JESSICA KÜRTEN has notified the Horse Sport Ireland show-jumping team manager Robert Splaine she is unavailable for selection for the Olympic Games in Hong Kong. Ireland had been allocated one show-jumping place at the summer Games on the strength of the Antrim-born rider's FEI ranking.
In a statement released yesterday afternoon, the world number two said she and Georgina Forbes had decided to rest Castle Forbes Libertina, following a busy indoor season, while Quibell, well-documented as a bad traveller, is currently being rested. The 14-year-old mare was due to jump on the Irish team at last weekend's Rome leg of the Samsung Super league but was reported to have injured herself before travelling.
In fact, Kürten's continued presence on the Nations Cup team is in doubt, yesterday's press release from her public relations manager Martina Brüske stating that the stallion Galopin du Biolay had suffered a tendon injury while competing in his stable companion's stead in the Italian capital.
Confirming that the rider had informed him of her unavailability to compete in Hong Kong, Splaine commented: "Obviously it's a pity that Jessica will not be available for the Olympics; as world number two she would have been one of the favourites. However, her performances over the last year have secured us a place in Hong Kong and I'm now focusing on selecting a horse and rider to fill that place.
"The reality is that riders need as much notice as possible to prepare for the Games so I will be moving to make a decision on this quickly.
"Horse Sport Ireland has called a press conference for next Tuesday, June 3rd at its offices in Kildare, and I will announce my decision there."
Tipperary-born Denis Lynch, who is also based in Germany, is considered Kürten's most likely replacement. The 32-year-old has been enjoying a very successful season with Flaminia Straumann's 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding Lantinus and last Sunday they recorded the only double clear in the Grand Prix at Rome.
Earlier in the month they won the Grand Prix at La Baule, while in April Lynch recorded his biggest success to date when landing the Doha Grand Prix and its €100,000 first prize in Qatar, the opening leg of this year's Global Champions Tour.
Kürten, who could not be contacted for comment last evening, was banned from competing for two months by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) at the beginning of May following the discovery of a banned substance (the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug etoricoxib) in blood taken from Castle Forbes Maike at La Baule last year.
The 38-year-old immediately appealed the tribunal's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and her ban has been suspended until CAS gives its ruling.
