Burghley title ‘everything’ to Kiwi Price
AUCKLAND: Three of the six premier fourstar eventing trophies now reside in the Price household.
Cantabrian Tim Price yesterday won the Burghley trial with a superb showjumping ride to bag his second fourstar trophy.
Add in the last two events, Badminton and Luhmuhlen in Germany, both won by his wife Jonelle, and it has been some season for the Kiwi pair.
Price (39) took the slenderest lead into the showjumping ride aboard Ringwood Sky Boy.
However, he got a bonus of a rail up his sleeve courtesy of one dropped by his closest rival, Britain’s Oliver Townend, and held his nerve.
Price’s mount performed beautifully to leave all rails intact and the combination finished on 27.3 penalty points.
Kiwi expat fivetime Burghley winner
Andrew Nicholson put a heap of pressure on Price with a clear round on Swallow Springs in their first fourstar start to finish third on 32.1.
Townend, on last year’s winner, Ballaghmor Class, was second on 31.9 points.
Price was also 10th on Bango on a day in which only eight of the 39 combinations who chose to contest the final phase managed to go clear and inside the required time. Price had two of those eight finishes.
The win meant ‘‘absolutely everything’’ to the Rio Olympian.
‘‘I’m just so thrilled.’’
It is Price’s second fourstar title, after winning Luhmuhlen aboard Wesko in 2014. Between them the husbandandwife team have collected four fourstar crowns.
Price, now the fourthranked rider in the world, has been a podium finisher at the Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky and Pau premier events.
In terms of Burghley, Price finished second in 2015, fourth in 2016, and fifth last year so he can scarcely be faulted on consistency.
It was the 14th Burghley crown for a New Zealand rider and 30th overall fourstar win, a list headed by the greats Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson with nine apiece.
Price was elated to win.
‘‘I’m really just trying to stay up with the missus,’’ he said of his topperforming wife.
‘‘She is a great driving force for both of us — we are lucky to have each other. I am sure we will look back on this in years to come. 2018 has been a very special year.’’
Price had conceded Ringwood Sky Boy was not the world’s finest showjumper but was ‘‘the world’s greatest trier’’.
‘‘Burghley is the place you want to come to and put your best foot forward. You have got to bring your best game. From a riding point of view, this is where you want to be your best. This is very special — I will always carry it with me.’’
Todd added four faults aboard NZB Campino to finish 18th on 49.6, while Caroline Powell, a fourstar winner aboard Lenamore at Burghley in 2010, was 31st on On the Brash, and Dan Jocelyn was 32nd on Dassett Cool Touch.
Burghley newcomer Ginny Thompson withdrew Star Nouveau after the crosscountry, while Nicholson also chose not to bring Jet Set IV back for the showjumping.
Todd was eliminated during the crosscountry aboard Kiltubrid Rhapsody.
The Prices are not finished for the year. Both are in New Zealand’s eventing team for the world games in North Carolina this month, with Todd, Jocelyn and veteran Blyth Tait.