New Zealand’s golden couple of eventing Tim and Jonelle Price are now officially on top of the world.
The latest FEI rankings have Tim at no.1 and Jonelle at no.2 and it is believed they are the first married couple to do so. It’s been three-and-a-half years since Tim last held the top spot but he has been in the top 10 the whole time and as a couple they have consistently featured in those much sought-after slots.
Tim and Jonelle were just last month members of New Zealand’s bronze medal-winning team at the FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy where Tim also won the individual bronze.
Tim was absolutely thrilled with the new rankings. “It’s been a lot of hard work and blood, sweat and tears that goes into the consistency (to achieve this), and Jonelle and I are extremely thrilled to be at the top of the pile,” he said. Jonelle said it was certainly a very special acknowledgement.
“It is a great achievement. I have always hoped we might do the one two at a 5* and we came so close at Pau last year when I was second equal and demoted to third. But here we are at the world rankings which is a great achievement of consistency at the highest level so to be up there flying that flag for New Zealand and our wider team is something really special,” said Jonelle. “It is something you have to fight for, to keep, so that is the next job but here and now we can enjoy it!”
Former world no.1 Oliver Townend (GBR), who held the top spot for the past three years, has slipped to third, just 10 points behind Jonelle, with Rosalind Canter (GBR) in fourth.
To round out a pretty good day for Team Price, their groom Kerryn Edmans, is one of four to be shortlisted in the Cavalor FEI Best Groom category of this year's FEI Awards.
