Kurten wins 300,000 Euro in Brazilian Grand Prix

Irish rider Jessica Kurten tonight (Saturday) won 300,000 euro in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, riding Lady Georgina Fobes's mare 'Castle Forbes Libertina'. Kurten was one of 18 riders who qualified for the Grand Prix, and won a four-horse jump-off.

Many of the world's top riders and horses travelled to Sao Paulo for this weekend's action at the Athina Onassis International Horse Show in São Paulo, and the Antrim-born rider qualified for tonight's final after a second place in Thursday night's first leg of the competition.

Kurten went clear first time out, and battled for the top prize against three other combinations in the jump-off, but managed to beat German challenger Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and the talented 'Shutterfly' by seven tenths of a second to claim one of the richest prizes in the sport.

Results (18.10.08)

CSI5* São Paulo – Brasil
Grand Prix AM5

1º Jessica Kurten (Irl) / Castle Forbes Libertina / 0 / 0 – 34,25
2º Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Ale) / Shutterfly / 0 / 0 – 35,01
3º Ludger Beerbaum (Ale) /All Inclusive NRW / 0 / 0 – 37,06
4º Julien Epaillard (Fra) / Kanthaka De Petra / 0 / 8 – 37,81
5º Tim Gredley (Gbr) / Omelli / 4 – 72,69
6º Richard Spooner (USA) / Cristallo / 4 – 76,75
7º Daniel Deusser (Ale)/ Air Jordan Z / 4 – 78,96
8º Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst (Ale)/ Lord Luis / 5 – 80,13
9º Marco Kutscher (Ale) / Cash 63 / 8 – 75,79
10º Edwina Alexander (Aus) / Isovlas Itot Du Chateau / 8 – 77,88