Double clear sees Kürten bag show jumping’s richest prize in Dubai
The German based 35-year-old’s victory in the Grand Prix at the Al Maktoum Memorial Challenge came after she posted the only double clear.
She attributed her win to total belief in her mount Quibell.
Speaking as she enjoyed the post show party in the desert she said: “I was confident I could repeat my first round clear and we had a very fast time.
“I did not think all the other riders would knock fences but the course designer put the fences up two holes after having so many first round clears and we just put enough pressure on to cause mistakes,” said Kürten, who said the excitement built as she relayed progress by phone in the competition to Quibell’s owner Lady Georgina Forbes.
Antrim born Kürten's jump off performance when first to go - she finished in 38.22 seconds - was of such intensity it left no less than 12 of the world’s best riders flailing in their efforts to catch her.
Best of the rest was German Marcus Ehning (Gitania 8) (with four faults in 38.18). Briton Nick Skelton finished third with four faults in 38.73.
Kürten picked up €207,000 for taking the second of three of the major classes at the inaugural United Arab Emigrated’s show, the world’s richest with a prize fund of $2.5 million.
She opened her account with victory in Thursday’s Dubai Masters on Castle Forbes Libertina pocketing €30,000.
On Wednesday Kürten who is fifth in the world rankings played fourth with Quibell.
