Kurten pockets €300,000 cheque after Brazil win
Her victory was thoroughly deserved when, last in a four-horse jump-off, the Antrim woman and Castle Forbes Libertina left her fellow superstar show jumpers Germany’s Meredith-Michaels Beerbaum and Ludger Beerbaum in her wake.
Not surprisingly, the German-based rider showered Lady Georgina Forbes’s 12-year-old mare with praise after the contest. “I have to thank Libertina for everything, she is a star,’’ Kurten said. “I saw Ludger go and he was close to perfection, but Libby was super. Libby was wonderful but, I had also the advantage of going last. It’s safer to go after Meredith and Ludger!”
What made the win sweeter was the fact that Kurten’s participation in the €1 million competition only came about after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the provisional suspension imposed on her by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) as a result of the horse Castle Forbes Maike testing positive for a banned medication in May of 2007.
Having fought so hard to have her suspension lifted, Kurten was determined to make the most of the opportunity.
That’s not to say, the result was a foregone conclusion. Michaels-Beerbaum would have been a narrow favourite; factor in that she was partnered in the final by Shutterfly, arguably the world’s best show jumper... until Saturday, at least.
Her brother-in-law Ludger Beerbaum is a four-time Olympic gold medallist and was also tipped along with Kurten, who provided ample evidence of her threat when second in Thursday’s qualifying round behind Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts and Winningmood.
Philippaerts went out early in Saturday’s final on 17 faults, but a new pretender replaced him in the form of France’s Julien Epaillard on Kanthaka de Petra. Like all Kurten’s jump-off rivals, he had four-faulted in Thursday’s qualifying round, so it was no surprise to see him in the shake-up.
Saturday’s four-rider showdown saw Beerbaum first into the arena on the nine-year-old gelding All Inclusive and the pairing lived up to their promise when clear in 37.06 seconds. Frenchman Epaillard, however, found the going too tough, ending on eight faults.
Such is her record, a clear would have been sought from Michaels-Beerbaum and she replied in style by knocking two seconds off the target time to cross the line in 35.01secs.
Kurten, however, had in Libertina the perfect foil; the mare’s speed and ability helping Kurten find three-quarters of a second extra for a display that should see her improve her sixth placed position in the world rankings.
