Kiwi returns to top equestrian world rankings
- 45 minutes ago
- 2 min read
New Zealand’s Tim Price has returned to the head of the FEI Eventing world rankings following his second-place finish with Falco at last month’s British 5* at Badminton.
His podium finish was despite a serious shoulder injury that required two surgeries within 16 days, the second of which was on the Monday just 48 hours before the start of the British classic.
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The three-time Olympian (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), who made his debut appearance as world No 1 at the end of May 2019 and held his advantage for a total of four months, now sits on a tally of 525, to give him a 39-point advantage over Laura Collett (GBR), up one place from the previous month.
“This feels very cool, it’s a very nice feeling”, Price says. “It is something to be proud of, to be top of the rankings, and hopefully it lasts for longer than a month! Of course, the key to maintaining such a high level of performance is consistency, having good horses that are well prepared and can go and do a good job at the highest level.
“It all comes down to having a great team behind me. Louella, Jess and Miles are my guys and I am very proud of their efforts. And obviously the owners, with all the horses right through, the understanding, the trust that they give to support me with competition selections and the overall plans for these horses to hopefully come to fruition. It is just all those things.
And lots of years of hard graft and learning the little keys to the various horses to get the best out of them. I am very, very happy, and long may it continue.”
Breaking a collarbone in a fall off his bike while competing four horses at the Dutch 4* at Oudkarspel in mid-April and undergoing surgery that night, ljust prior to the US spring 5* in Lexington, Kentucky didn't hold Price back.
He still managed to finish fourth with Vitali and 16th on Global Quest. But the fixation plate holding his collarbone together had come adrift midway round the Lexington cross on his first ride, meaning a second surgery was necessary.
The only option was the Monday before Badminton, but the 47-year-old still managed to ride Falco to an incredible second place.
Price is one of only two New Zealanders to have headed the FEI Eventing World Rankings, the other being Andrew Nicholson, who held onto the top spot for 22 consecutive months from August 2012 to April 2014
Price previously was No 1 with an 11-month run that finished in July 2023 and a total of 16 months overall to put him fifth in the list of athletes with the highest number of times at the top, one week behind Nicholson.
