Jessica Kürten has apparently snubbed all attempts to get her to line out for the beleaguered Irish team at next week's vital Samsung Super League round in Aachen.
Kürten, who won a young horse class at another German show in Münster yesterday, has not responded to more than 30 phone calls, text messages and faxes from the Irish selectors desperately trying to get her back on side after the withdrawal of Cian O'Connor on Wednesday.
Kürten has stated publicly that she will not ride on a team with Cian O'Connor, following the positive dope test on his horse Waterford Crystal at the Athens Olympics.
When O'Connor pulled out of the Aachen team this week due to an injury to Waterford Crystal, the selectors immediately attempted to get Kürten back on to the team, but even though she lives less than two hours from the Aachen showgrounds, she has resisted all appeals for her team services.
Equestrian Federation of Ireland president Avril Doyle flew out to the Netherlands last week in a bid to persuade her to reconsider, but returned the same day without an agreement from the Antrim-born rider.
Harry Marshall, who has also stated that he will not jump on a team with O'Connor, remains adamant that he will not ride for Ireland again under the current selection regime. Despite pleas from Ms Doyle for Marshall to change his mind on RTÉ Morning Ireland programme yesterday, he has refused to alter his stance.
The stalemate has meant that world champion Dermott Lennon has now been confirmed as the fifth man for Aachen. Lennon, as reigning world champion, already had a personal invitation to compete, but will now be part of the official Irish team from which four will be selected by chef d'équipe John Ledingham to jump in Friday's Nations Cup.
With Ireland second-last in the Super League and in danger of relegation, a good showing before next month's final in Barcelona is vital.
Kürten and Marshall have already ruled themselves out of selection for the Spanish fixture by refusing to allow their names to be put forward when nominated entries closed last Monday. Selections for the final team will be made on August 30th.
The introduction of a new code of conduct has now been proposed and is to be put before the executive committee of the Show Jumping Association of Ireland.
"This code of conduct will cover everything and every rider that's going to represent Ireland," chairman of selectors Taylor Vard told The Irish Times yesterday.
"It will cover drugs, abuse of horses, riders not wanting to compete on teams for personal issues, everything."