Jessica Kurten and the owner of a number of her top rides, Lady Georgina Forbes, have reached agreement over the horses’ future.
Mrs Kurten said she was pleased to have resolved the impasse with Lady Forbes.
“I can live with this outcome, the attorneys and courts will deal with the rest,” she said.
“Now I will be able to concentrate fully on riding again,” she added.
The Irish rider and Lady Forbes clashed in January when Lady Forbes wanted to take five horses — Libertina, Myrtille Paulois, Cosma, La Vie and Cadeau Z — back from Jessica (news, 3 February).
The pair apparently disagreed over who should pay the tax on Jessica’s winnings and the rider refused to return the horses until the issue was resolved.
Now, at a hearing on 6 April, the higher regional court of Düsseldorf has brokered an agreement, ordering Lady Forbes to deposit €300,000 (£265,000) in a German bank account as surety and for Mrs Kurten to return the horses.
Mrs Kurten’s spokesman said the deposit was to ensure money is available for any compensation or losses awarded to the rider as Lady Forbes does not live in Germany.
H&H was not able to contact Lady Forbes.
This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (14 April, 2011)
