Jessica Kürten and Harry Marshall have both refused to jump on the Irish team for the final showdown in the Samsung Super League at Barcelona next month, despite attempts at mediation at a meeting in Dublin yesterday called specifically to try and break the deadlock over the selection process, writes Grania Willis, Equestrian Correspondent
Kürten walked out of the meeting after being "verbally abused" by Army rider Capt Gerry Flynn, who stated that there should be no need to beg Kürten to ride on the Irish team.
Former Fáilte Ireland chairman Mark Mortell, who chaired the meeting, called for Flynn to withdraw the comment, but although Flynn apologised for using a profanity, he would not retract his remark.
Kürten, who flew home to Germany last night, declined to comment as she and her husband, Eckhard, left the Dublin hotel where yesterday's meeting was being held. Flynn also declined to comment when contacted by The Irish Times last night.
Before Kürten's departure, there had been unanimous agreement at the meeting that the international selection procedure should be changed. But a proposal from the meeting, which was put to the selectors at a follow-up meeting in Co Kildare last night, that chef d'equipe John Ledingham be given complete autonomy over the selection of teams has still not been agreed.
The proposal, which would see Ledingham given powers to select Nations Cup teams on a fully contractual and funded basis, was discussed by the selectors last night and will now be put forward for discussion at the next meeting for the Show Jumping Association of Ireland executive.
"We did offer an olive branch," chairman of selectors Taylor Vard told The Irish Times last night, "but Jessica stated that she wasn't going to alter her stance and Harry was adamant that he wanted our committee to stand down straight away."
With confirmation that Kürten and Marshall would not be available, the selectors - in conjunction with John Ledingham - last night nominated the team for the Barcelona final on September 18th as Shane Breen, Dermott Lennon, Billy Twomey, Capt Shane Carey and Cian O'Connor.
However, O'Connor confirmed to The Irish Times last night that Waterford Crystal has now been withdrawn from the squad. The horse was examined by two vets yesterday, but has still not fully recovered from the leg injury that kept him out of last week's Samsung Super League fixture in Aachen, Germany. O'Connor will now ride the less experienced mare Echo Beach in Barcelona.