Price adds to golden era for NZ equestrian

Burghley victory continues remarkable year of success for Kiwi competitors

There’s no denying New Zealand eventing is on a roll, and not for the first time. Tim Price’s fine victory aboard his top horse Ringwood Sky Boy at the Burghley horse trial in England yesterday continued a remarkable success story in the past year.

As both individuals and teams, New Zealand are in a stellar patch of quality performances. Consider this roll of honour: Last October, the New Zealand team won the Nations Cup title at Boekelo in the Netherlands.

Clarke Johnstone won the Adelaide four star event in November.

Jonelle Price then won back-toback four star crowns at Badminton and Luhmuhlen, Germany, in May and June.

New Zealand won the teams title at the world equestrian festival in Aachen in Germany in July.

Now Tim Price has matched his wife’s feat in bagging his second four star crown.

There have been halcyon periods since Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson led the way in the 1980s and early 1990s for New Zealand teams. This is clearly another.

Three of the last four premier grade trophies reside in the Price household in Wiltshire.

“Obviously it’s been a year any nation would envy,” Equestrian Sport New Zealand’s high performance boss Graeme Thom said yesterday from England.

“That said, the team environment is extremely strong in this camp and what’s made these successes happen is no one is looking in the rear view mirror, except to say ‘well done’.”

Thom said the riders know the score in the gruelling and often fickle eventing world.

“They know the highs and lows, and if you get ahead of yourself, you’re destined for trouble.”

Tim Price made that point after his victory, which followed successive

New Zealand riders have now won the Burghley horse trial 15 times, starting with Mark Todd aboard Wilton Fair in 1987.

Yesterday was the 30th win by a New Zealander in the six four star classic events.

Tim Price, who also won at Luhmuhlen, Germany, in 2014, has equalled his wife Jonelle’s record of two four star titles.

New Zealand, comprising the Prices, Mark Todd, Blyth Tait and Dan Jocelyn, head for the World Equestrian Games in North Carolina this week.

Burghley placings of second, fourth and fifth in the previous three years. Those results had given him “bumps of confidence along the way”.

“You know you’re one of the better riders out there with a good string of horses, but there’s so many people who have that and they don’t get to have a big win. I’m just so privileged to be in this position.”

Price, who took a one-rail cushion into the ring as last combination at the event, predictably was full of praise for his horse, affectionately known as Ozzie, a 15-year-old gelding, with a bit of humour thrown in.

“He came, he tried and he had a bit of Braille going on, but he’s such a sincere horse. He gives it his all, sometimes gets into a bit of mischief, a bit of trouble, but he was super here. I thought if it did go well, it would probably be just another day. But no, it’s not like that at all.”

The Prices now turn their attention to the World Games in Tryon, North Carolina, starting on September 12.

Both are in the New Zealand team, along with veterans Todd and Blyth Tait, and Dan Jocelyn, who finished 32nd yesterday.

The were having a planning gettogether early today before the horses are packed off for the journey. All horses and riders will be in North Carolina by Thursday night (NZT). Spirits, you can only assume, are high. Tim Price won at Burghley yesterday, emulating the four star success of his wife Jonelle.