Kürten off toa flier from new yard in France

MORE than anything, show jumper Jessica Kürten saw her first major grand prix win in over a year last Sunday as one of portent.

The German-based Antrim woman is just a fortnight into a relocation to France, settling in at the yard of businessman and show jumper Edouard de Rothschild outside Paris, whom she will train while developing her young string. It is a major change in direction for the 42-year-old, as she plots a route back to the top after losing the ride last year on her most experienced horses in a dispute with their owner Georgina Forbes.

Understandable then that, after a year that has seen her plummet down the world rankings, Kürten should read her Amsterdam grand prix win with Vincente as a sign she is on the right track and that, while her headline results are rarer, she remains a force to be respected.

“I see this as a great omen, as this is my first show this year and I only moved to Paris two weeks ago. It is a new adventure and it is a nice way to start it,” said a delighted Kürten. “To win at the World Championships for Young Horses with the seven-year-old Cor Dela Rossa Z last year was great, but winning a grand prix is always something special.”

She also believes Vincente, a 10-year-old gelding owned by Dutchman Stal Poel that she picked up last April, has a bright future.

“He has a delicate personality. It is nice to find a way with such a horse and he really is always trying his best. The horse definitely can go all the way,” said Kürten, whose last major GP win stretched back to Mechelen, Belgium, in 2010.

“Whether he will be long enough with me, only time will tell... There’s been a lot of interest in the horse. Stal had hoped Ireland would qualify a team for the Olympics, but that’s out the door. But he is happy and I think I will have the horse for a good while yet.”

Her battle with Forbes ended up in a Dusseldorf court last year and since then, the Cullybacky native has focussed on rebuilding. While aware that moving from Germany to France has its risks, she believes it is set up to be a positive in her life.

“I have a three-year contract with Edouard, who has eight grand prix horses for himself.

“I did not want to lose my owners and working with my own horses, they are a super young team, so it is a great opportunity,” said Kürten, who competes this weekend at the World Cup show in Zurich, Switzerland.

* ShowjumpingIreland chairman Christy Murphy is hopeful of introducing a ranking system for riders this year.

“A ranking system is in place in Britain and it is determined by winnings. We are looking at introducing a similar system, which would be an additional incentive for shows to affiliate to the SJI, add to the prestige of competitions and possibly increase prizemoney, but I believe it could also help a rider to get a sponsor and I will be pushing to get it introduced this year.”

He predicted a “productive” 2012, after being returned at last week’s first board meeting for another year in the top position. Having steered the SJI through a turbulent time, he noted that “we have put a lot of things behind us” and, in particular, he pointed to the decision by the board to accept the findings of the Competition Authority that the SJI had been anti-competitive in threatening to sanction members who attended non-affiliated shows. The rule had been referred to the authority by Millstreet Show in Co Cork.

“The ruling of the Competition Authority has been accepted and its wording will be put into our rule book immediately. Basically, with a non-registered show with over €50 in prizemoney, members will not be sanctioned, if the health and safety provisions are the same as those operated by SJI and the show has adequate insurance,” said Mr Murphy.

The authority this week said that the investigation into the anti-competitive nature of Rule 299N “is still ongoing”.

Murphy also confirmed that the SJI would be employing an “operations manager”.

“The unfair dismissal case involving our former manager Pat Cully has been finalised and compensation has been paid and we are initiating a process to find an operations manager.”

He said the board had agreed to Horse Sport Ireland implementing its anti-doping and medication programme, subject to minor amendments which were considered on Wednesday by the HSI rules committee, including the Equine Therapeutic Use Exemption, which permits a rider to seek permission to compete if a horse had received emergency veterinary treatment with a controlled medication. The HSI board meets next Friday, but last night it could not say if the new rules would be ready for consideration.

Meanwhile, Ulster’s Katy Saunders has replaced Ronan Corrigan as the new chairperson of the Management and Finance Committee.

* SHANE BREEN has taken up the ride on the promising seven-year-old stallion Figo de Muze, after it was sold by Jos Lansink to Old Lodge Stud in Britain.

“I own half of him with Saudia Arabia’s Prince Torki, owner of Old Lodge. We sold Luikka to Eric Lamaze and bought this new horse. He is now called Golden Hawk, as he is chestnut and the hawk is one of the most revered birds in Saudi Arabia.

“He is a half brother to Pikap, the horse previously ridden by Billy Twomey. He is also a half brother to Eurocommerce London, who won the Global Champions Tour contest in Rio de Janeiro last year with Gerco Schröder. He’s definitely a championship horse.”