Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
There’s plenty of excitement in the world of eventing with the first – and only – CCI5* competition of the year happening at Les Etoiles de Pau in France this week and New Zealand have a strong contingent lining up.
There are just six established CCI5* competitions held across the globe annually but COVID saw the cancellation of Kentucky, Badminton, Luhmuhlen, Burghley and Adelaide. A new one in Maryland, in the United States, was also forced to postpone its inaugural running. CCI5* is the highest level of competition in eventing.
Team Price are New Zealand’s sole representatives at Pau. Between Tim and Jonelle Price, they have won five CCI5* events. World No.2 Tim has a trio of horses on the card in 17-year-old Burghley winner Ringwood Sky Boy, Wesko and Xavier Faer.
Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ringwood Sky Boy was Tim’s Rio Olympic Games horse, won Burghley in 2018 and has been with Tim his whole competitive career, which started in 2010. Seventeen-year-old Wesko has also been in the Price stable for nigh on a decade and has won the CCI5* at Luhmuhlen, placed second at Kentucky and third in Pau. His trio is rounded out with 14-year-old Xavier Faer who has been on the podium at both Badminton and Kentucky.
“We are looking forward to Pau,” says Tim. “The horses all feel great – they are in good form and are all very experienced and hoping we will be able to demonstrate that. It has been a bit of an odd year as we all know so they haven’t had the normal preparation but I am very happy to be on these more experienced horses.”
Jonelle is in on her little superstar Faerie Dianimo, the 15-year-old British-bred grey mare who she competed on at the Rio Olympic Games, won Luhmuhlen 5* in 2018, was second in 2015, and fourth at Pau in 2014.
Daniel Jocelyn and Grovine de Reve (NZL). Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
Jonelle will also compete on Grovine de Reve who is on debut at this level. The Irish-bred 12-year-old joined the stable last year and was second in the CCI4*-L at Cappoquin in Ireland.
“We are very happy with the Pau preparation,” says Jonelle, “with having stayed down in France. Normally we would have been going back and forth but due to the travel restrictions we have just stayed down here this time.”
Tim Price and Wesko. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The team have been based at Lignieres since the week before last and currently have 12 horses with them who are competing across various events in the coming weeks. “It has worked out very well. It is the first time we have done it like this – excellent facilities so a good opportunity to spend time with these horses and do the final preparations. It has been smooth sailing and feeling lucky to be heading in with five healthy horses.
Last year, Tim was the best of the Kiwis, finishing in sixth place aboard Ascona M with Tom McEwen (GBR) and Toledo de Kerser taking the win and Aussies Chris Burton aboard Quality Purdey second and Shane Rose with Virgil third. Tom is back with his winning horse but Chris will be competing aboard Graf Liberty and Shane not returning in 2020.
Tim Price and Xavier Faer. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
There are 62 combinations from 10 countries in the field including the current top 5 in the FEI world rankings – Oliver Townend (GBR), Tim Price, Chris Burton (AUS), Piggy March (GBR) and Tom McEwen (GBR). Also in are current World Champion Rosalind Canter (GBR), the talented Sandra Auffarth (GER) and Frenchman Maxime Livio who will be hoping to make the most of his home country advantage.
The first horse inspection is on Wednesday (October 21) followed by dressage on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, the cross country, which will be designed by Pierre Michelet (FRA), on Saturday, the final horse inspection on Sunday morning and the showjumping in the afternoon. There is a prize pool of Euro125,000 for the 5* with the winner pocketing Euro40,000.
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