EQUESTRIAN News round-up: While Darragh Kerins and Conor Swail kept the Irish flag flying by notching up wins at the American fixture in Wellington, Jessica Kürten found the gate to the winner's enclosure firmly closed to her at the World Cup show in Vigo, Spain, over the weekend.

Kürten, who slotted into second at the World Cup qualifier in Bordeaux last weekend, had a fence down in the Vigo round on Saturday night with the eight-year-old Castle Forbes Libertina to finish as part of an 11-way tie for eighth place.

The resulting four points means she remains in joint-26th in the World Cup standings with just three qualifiers remaining - in Paris, 's-Hertogenbosch and Gothenburg - before the final in Las Vegas (April 20th-24th).

American-based Kerins had earlier claimed a leg of the North American league open speed series when winning the Acorn Hill Farm Challenge in Florida with Far West. The Sligo-born rider also slotted Popeye into 10th. And fellow Irishman Swail had his moment in the spotlight when winning a speed class with Jerremy.

Meanwhile, with a date for the Waterford Crystal dope case hearing yet to be agreed, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has confirmed that a third Irish equine tested positive for a prohibited substance during 2004.

Neither the identity of the animal nor the person responsible for the positive test have been released and, despite the FEI confirmation, a spokesman for the Irish Equestrian Federation yesterday declined to comment.

The FEI has also confirmed that German show jumper Ludger Beerbaum has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his disqualification from the Athens Olympics.

Beerbaum's horse Goldfever, which was part of Germany's gold medal-winning team, tested positive for the banned substance betamethasone. If the rider's appeal fails, the Germans will be stripped of team gold.