Kuerten's horse tests positive for substance

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Taken from the RTE website -

Kuerten's horse tests positive for substance
Saturday, 18 August 2007 08:15

Ireland's leading showjumper Jessica Kuerten has admitted that her horse, Castel Forbes Maike, has tested positive for a prohibited substance.

The test was taken in La Baule in France last May, where Ms Kuerten won the €1,000 Grand Prix.

She said she is bemused by the positive dope test and added that she did not give her horse anything.

It is the second time in three years that the current world number four finds herself facing a possible sanction from the International Equestrian Federation.

The results of the B sample have yet to be analysed.
 
Interesting. So is she giving it something she didn't realise contained a banned substance, or is someone sabotaging her?
 
Bet she feels stupid now for causing such a huge hassle refusing to be stabled next to cian because he had failed a test. Maybe this will show her how easy it is? I've always always admired her as a bloody good rider - but thought her hissy fits on the irish team as reported below were immature and unprofessional.
 
well, to be fair human anti pshycotic drugs are not exactly run of the mill substances to find in your horses feed.
Will be interesting to see how this turns out as have always been impressed by her.
 
I find it hard to believe she would make such a fuss about C O'C if she was doing the same to her horses. I have a great respect for her, and it smacks of sabotage to me.
Either way, what a mess...........
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It reminds me very much of the sorry Michelle Smith affair from the 1996 Olympics. Irish competitior marries foreign coach/advisior, improves to be one of the best in the world as a result and fails a dope test in strange circumstances. I feel this has been pinned on Kúrten, although a foul mouthed rant on RTE News this evening wont have helped her cause. To view click:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0819/6news_av.html

and select sport news. If you go to the 9 min mark you will see her reaction on leaving the areana today. (Real player needed)

Just a question have any other riders from major nations failed dope tests? I can't seem to remember any.
 
[ QUOTE ]

Just a question have any other riders from major nations failed dope tests? I can't seem to remember any.

[/ QUOTE ]

Polly Phillips with Coral Cove at WEG '98.
 
Quick Reply:

eep! Interesting interview...

I agree, I think (if its true) her behavior towards the irish team was very unprofessional and would not have helped her popularity with the irish press. However I can then understand, if she already had bitter feelings about other team members and dope tests ect, why she would be so upset to now be in that situation.

I think she's a fabulous rider and I do think Michaelwalsh makes a very interesting point about the Michelle Smith...I know nothing about it but I can't see any reason why Jessica would dope her horse and I agree theres something very odd going on.

Don't think that interview would have helped her popularity with the press too much thou
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Hmm , hasn't exactly helped her case with that ' interview' .

I know little about her ( apart from being on the panel on ' Only Fools & Horses ) , so can't comment , apart from losing your temper on TV is not a good idea , no matter how frustrated you feel .

I will have to check back to see how the case progresses .
 
Not a good situation for her and ranting on TV was a bad move.

The last time she had a positive test it was from the feed that was supplied at the show. I believe at the time she was obliged to use the provided feed against her wishes. No sanction.

The Cian O'Connor situation is completely different in that he used human anti-psychotic drugs to improve performance. He knowingly drugged his horse and cheated.

As yet we don't know what the drug found was though I belive they mentioned it was class B.

Hope the B test is looked at soon.
 
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2nd time? What was the original problem? Was it drug related?

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She rode at a show in Canada where she [and presumably all competitors] was given feed for her horses by the show organisers [or whomever it was], her horse tested positive for caffeine - which was in the feed supposedly, although I can't see why any show would provide 'contaminated' feed for horses... dunno if any other horse's failed a dope test

The current regulations about who gets the blame when a horse fails a dope test are IMO wrong, anyone can give a horse something that's 'contaminated' causing the horse to fail a dope test, and it's the rider and no one else who gets slapped. Too easy, methinks, for someone to sabotage other people's horses.

[ QUOTE ]
The Cian O'Connor situation is completely different in that he used human anti-psychotic drugs to improve performance. He knowingly drugged his horse and cheated.

[/ QUOTE ]

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Um from what I understand - his vet gave the drugs to the horse, and he [Cian] was found not guilty of attempting to affect his horse's performance at the Olympics by the IOC people.
The drugs found in Waterford Crystal are banned substances [ie they are bad for the horse], not performance enhancers [ie cheating], and are illegal in use in horses, so feck knows why any vet would use such drugs on a top ranked horse...

Jessica's religion/location have nothing to do with anything - that comment was totally uncalled for
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Cian is sponsored by one of the Irish broadsheets and they are always singing his praises (which at least gives showjumping publicity) and making nasty veiled comments about other riders who've bad mouthed Cian. In contrast a rival newspaper bad mouths Cian any chance they get. It can be quite funny at times
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I do not know Cian or have specialist knowledge but like you I am based in Ireland where the walls have ears. The vet was the fall guy it appeared at the time. The anti psychotic drug not licensed for horses has been known to be used as the calmer of choice, I gather, in suspect circles as it has the 'advantage' of clearing from the system in a very short time. He also knows some very powerful people...missing B sample anyone?
 
Irish mafia? All too real i think. I believe years ago, lots of those working for the Mafia in the States were Irish??

As for the Keurten thing - I seriously doubt that she would possibly dope that horse purposefully. At the very least it would have been hypocritical but given all that has gone on over the last 3 years since the Olympics, she has way too much to loose to attempt doping. To me its a no brainer - no one just n one would come out so publically and adamently against a rider whose horse has tested positive and then proced to do the same - certainly not before the dust had settled ( which it seems it never will). I have a number of friends who jump at GP level in Ireland and certainly Cian is not the ost popular of riders on the natonal circuit but his riding ability and professionalism ( in most cases) is widely acknowledged.

Iv always respected Jessica and looked up to her. I do understand her frustration and feel she has not been fairly treated by the Irish selectors ad SJAI in recent years. However, I am shocked at how unprofessionally she has behaed at the Europeans. That interview was acomplete disgrace - as was refusing to speak to te media all week even before the drug test came back. I cant say i feel the Irish media has ever been particularly unfair to er though.
The only thng I dislike about the RTE radio and tv media is that they very very mention showjumpers who place or do well internationally, only occassionally if they win a major GP. In contrast, positive dope tests make the national headlines.

As regards other nations having positive drug tests Ludger B tested +ve at the last Olympics, Air Jordan at the World Cup 2007 ( though couldnt be prosecuted, they had definitive proof that the horse was doped), Ulla salzberger, Di Lampard ( even the Brits arent above it
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According to the FEI 2-3% of tests come back positive.

I cant help thi nking that there is something very ddgey about the timing of all this though. I really doubt it should have come out during the Europeans - Im sure no other country would publically confirm one of their members had tested positive for a competition 3 mths ago and apparentl this was "leaked" - smacks of sabotage really.

I hope for her sake that it comes back negative.

As for Cian - his vet is very much under his thumb - a lot of messing goes on there and from what Iv heard from his students and employees he says jump the vet says how high. And hes a damn good vet too!
 
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