Kürten's good form continues

EQUESTRIAN:Jessica Kürten's successful end-of-year run continued in La Coruna where she landed the two-phase competition on the opening day of the Spanish five-star show on the Selle Francais mare Kalande des Grez.

Kürten, ranked number four in the world, failed to add to that success over the three days, but finished fifth in yesterday's lucrative Telefonica Grand Prix on the 13-year-old bay mare Castle Forbes Maike. A pole down in the first round spoiled the Cullybackey rider's chance of success, but she was fastest of the four-faulters and picked up €12,000 for her efforts.

Only four combinations managed to record double clears, and the winner, by over a second, was Swiss rider Paul Schwizer on Nobless M.

Denis Lynch rounded off his good weekend in Frankfurt by winning one of six Mitsubishi cars on offer in yesterday's Hessen Grand Prix which boasted a prize fund of €245,000.

Ten combinations made it through to the jump-off round, with German riders dominating the result by filling the top five placings. The winner, in 33.07 seconds, was Thomas Voss with Leonardo B, while Tipperary-born Lynch slotted into sixth spot when stopping the clock in 35.60 on the nine-year-old Hannovarian gelding Lantinus.

On Friday, Lynch appeared set for victory in the 1.40m speed class with Upsilon d'Ocquier when he went clear in 51.07, but he lost out when the last man in, Philippe Rozier (Ideal de Prissey), took first prize for France in a blistering 48.59.

Riding the same Belgian-bred 10-year-old, Lynch finished fifth to the host nation's Franke Slothaak (Legurio) in Saturday's winning round event.

Cameron Hanley was also in action at the four-star German show, but had a poor weekend by his recent standards, his best placing of second coming in Saturday's jump and drive competition.

Two of Ireland's younger riders hit the headlines at the international pony show at Bois le Roi in France, with Co Waterford's Michael Moloney landing yesterday's Grand Prix on the eight-year-old bay gelding Shangan Eric.

Thirty-four combinations tackled the 1.30m track, but only 16-year-old Moloney and his 148cm partner, who is by the thoroughbred Split Image, managed to leave all the fences intact, thereby negating the need for a jump-off.

Earlier in the day, Robert Harrison, who celebrated his 16th birthday just last week, joined forces with French rider Kimberley Richards to win the pairs' relay. Ironically, Co Longford-born Harrison and Errory had beaten Richards and Iskra de Garenne in Saturday's two-phase event before he partnered Robert Fagan's 10-year-old gelding Derravaragh Gambler into first place in the 1.25m jump-off.