Tim and Jonelle Price spearhead the New Zealand eventing team for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The couple, who sit at two and seven respectively on the world rankings, will be joined by Games debutant Jesse Campbell from the Waikato. New Zealand-based Bundy Philpott is the travelling alternate rider.
The Prices enter the Games in solid form. The pair have, between them, been on the podiums of the Northern Hemisphere’s top 5* events, including Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Pau and Luhmuhlen. It is their second consecutive Olympic Games together.
Meanwhile, Jesse, who grew up being inspired by New Zealand’s eventing superstars, says it has been a lifetime goal to go to the Olympic Games.
“The New Zealand eventing team has an incredible legacy and it is really exciting to be adding my own chapter to it,” he said. “I really hope I can do it proud.”
With the team naming box now “ticked”, it was time to focus on getting a medal. “The real work steps up another level as we get ready to compete at Tokyo.”
Jonelle was the reserve for Athens (2004) and rode at London (2012), where the team won bronze, with both she and Tim on the team for Rio (2016) – the first time a couple represented New Zealand in eventing at the Olympic Games.
Jonelle is excited to be named aboard Grovine de Reve, a horse which has continued to impress. “Grovine de Reve has gone from strength to strength in the time we have had him,” she said.
“It doesn’t always work out that you have a horse whose age and stage truly aligns with a championship, but I really believe it does for this guy. The postponement probably worked in his favour.”
The combination had recorded two 5* runs, consolidating his form at the highest level.
Tim Price is “thrilled” to be included in the team and also feels his mount is in good form.
“Vitali is just the right sort of horse for this kind of competition – athletic, fast and honest. He has been beautifully produced by Jock Paget and later by James Avery so is a real Kiwi community horse,” said Tim.
ESNZ high performance general manager Jock Paget, a team bronze medallist from the London Olympic Games, extended huge congratulations to all the riders, grooms, owners and wider team.
“It is a massive team effort and there are so many critical pieces of the puzzle that have to come together at the highest standard to achieve this,” said Jock.
“It is great to see Tim and Jonelle in the team and exciting to see some well-deserved new faces in the line-up which shows strength in the programme and signs of growing depth. Hats off to the high performance team led by Graeme Thom – it has been a mammoth effort from everyone. The relentless skill and determination to properly prepare for these Games amongst all the barriers in place was exceptional.”
New Zealand Olympic Committee chief executive Kereyn Smith extended her congratulations to the athletes.
"We're thrilled to have Tim and Jonelle back in the team and it's great to have a talented young rider Jesse joining us for his first Games," said Kereyn.
"We have a proud eventing legacy at the Olympic Games and I have no doubt this team will be adding another fantastic chapter to that history in a month’s time in Tokyo."
Sir Mark Todd and the mighty Charisma won New Zealand's first Olympic equestrian medal with an individual gold at Los Angeles (1984), which he backed up in Seoul (1988) with another individual gold, while the team won bronze. In Barcelona (1992) the team won silver with Blyth Tait winning individual bronze aboard Messiah. The team won bronze at Atlanta (1996) with Blyth aboard Ready Teddy and Sally Clark aboard Squirrel Hill taking gold and silver respectively.
Sir Mark won an individual bronze in Sydney (2000), and then London’s team bronze the latest medal. The team came tantalising close to the podium in Rio (2016) but had to settle for fourth.
Amanda Pottinger on Just Kidding and James Avery on Mr Sneezy have been named as non-travelling reserves. New Zealand will also be represented by an already-announced showjumping team at Tokyo.
Athlete bios
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Tim Price (DOB 03.04.1979) with Vitali (owned by Joe and Alex Giannamore and Tim Price). Tim’s Olympic debut was at the Rio Games (2016) and has twice ridden for New Zealand at the FEI World Equestrian Games (2014 and 2018). He is currently ranked at World no.2 and been knocking on the door of the top spot for some time.
He has won Burghley (2018) and Luhmuhlen (2014 and 2019), and been on the podium at Kentucky (2021, 2019, 2015), Pau (2020) and Badminton (2017). He is considered a very gifted and talented horseman, who hails originally from Canterbury.
Eleven-year-old Vitali and Tim won the CCI4*-L at Strzegom in April. His reserve horses are Xavier Faer and Ringwood Sky Boy.
Jonelle Price (DOB 14.10.1980) with Grovine de Reve (owned by Therese Miller and Jonelle Price). Jonelle, the World no.7 ranked athlete, represented New Zealand at the Rio (2016) where the team placed fourth, and London (2012) where they won a bronze medal. She picked up the moniker the world’s fastest woman after her efforts over a particularly gruelling cross country course at the FEI World Equestrian Games in France (2014) where she placed fourth individually. She also rode for New Zealand at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon (2018).
Jonelle is brave, fast and fiercely competitive and as direct in her personality as she is with her riding. She has won Badminton (2018) and Luhmuhlen (2018) CCI5* events and is regularly on the podium across the grades. She grew up in Motueka and is now based in the UK with her husband Tim and two children.
Grovine de Reve is a 13-year-old Irish sport horse who Jonelle placed third with at the Kentucky CCI5*-L in April. Her reserve horses are Grappa Nera and McClaren.
Jesse Campbell (DOB 29.08.1989) with Diachello (owned by Kent Gardner and Jesse Campbell). Jesse hails originally from the Waikato but moved to the UK in 2010 to seriously pursue a career in eventing. He was a working pupil for Andrew Nicholson, among others, before heading out on his own. He was just out of the top 10 at the Kentucky CCI5*-L this year with Diachello and has previously finished in the top 20 at Badminton with Cleveland. Diachello is an 11-year-old German-bred gelding who has been with Jesse since 2018.
Travelling alternate – Bundy Philpott (DOB 23.05.1983) with Tresca NZPH (owned by Brian and Bundy Philpott). Bundy is on debut at Olympic level. Early in her eventing career, she was based in the UK and gained international experience by competing at Badminton and Burghley but more recently has called Cambridge home.
She’s also been a top showjumper and was one of the youngest to hoist the Lady Rider of the Year Trophy when just 16.
With Tresca NZPH, she has competed on both sides of the Tasman. The 15-year-old New Zealand sport horse gelding has been with her its whole career.
Non-travelling reserves
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Amanda Pottinger (DOB 09.08.1991) with Just Kidding (owned by the Pottinger family)
Amanda comes from one of New Zealand’s blue blood equestrian families. Her mother Tinks won an eventing team bronze medal at the Seoul Olympic Games, and her grandmother, the late Tiny White, was a well-respected and very successful rider and judge.
Amanda only this year moved from Hawke’s Bay to the UK to chase a berth in the Tokyo Olympic team.
Just Kidding is a 14-year-old New Zealand thoroughbred who has been with Amanda his whole eventing career. Together they have twice won the New Zealand Three Day Event title as well as the Eventing Horse of the Year crown, among others. They also placed second at the Adelaide CCI5*-L.
James Avery (DOB 19.11.1992) with Mr Sneezy (owned by Tiny Clapham, Heidi and Ian Woodhead and James Avery)
James has had plenty of input from some of the best as he has worked his way up through the ranks of eventing. A farrier from Nelson, he headed to the UK in 2013 and has steadily made a name for himself. He’s worked with Tim and Jonelle Price, among others but is now riding for a small clutch of committed owners.
