Tim Price and Xavier Faer at Kentucky. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
We have a changing of the guard at the top of the FEI World Eventing Athlete Rankings, as New Zealand’s Tim Price has taken over as World No. 1 with 557 points. A third-place finish at Kentucky with Xavier Faer and a 10th-place finish at Badminton with Ringwood Sky Boy ultimately boosted Tim to the top.
“I have to admit to wanting to achieve this for some time. It’s gone from a dream, to a driving force, to a reality. It feels pretty special that’s for sure, mainly because it’s more a recognition of consistency, rather than just outright winning,” Tim said.
“I try to bring the best out of every opportunity I have — not always to win, but always in a way that has my horses wanting to give effort for their own satisfaction and enjoyment. For me, it’s the coming together of all the hard work, a strong focus and great partnership with my equine friends.”
Great Britain holds the next four slots in the rankings, with Kentucky winner and former FEI World No. 1 Oliver Townend moving up one spot to rank second with 520 points. Badminton winner Piggy French also moved up one spot to third with 505 points.
Ros Canter, who became the first woman since Mary King to hold the title of FEI World No. 1 and is currently expecting her first child, has slipped back to fourth in the rankings with 490 points.
Tina Cook jumped up 28 places in the rankings to fifth with 402 points, bolstered by a seventh-place finish at Badminton with Billy The Red.
Australia’s Chris Burton also made large gains in the rankings, moving up 31 spots to sixth thanks to finishing third and fourth at Badminton with Cooley Lands and Graf Liberty, respectively, as well as winning the Saumur CCI4*-L with Polystar I.
Britain’s Tom McEwen slipped two spots in the rankings to seventh with 382 points. New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson jumped 23 slots to eighth with 361 points. Ireland’s Sam Watson dropped two slots to ninth with 351 points. Belgium’s Karin Donckers rose two spots to 10th with 347 points.
Boyd Martin dropped one slot to 11th with 337 points but remains the highest ranked U.S. rider. Lauren Kieffer sits just behind him in 12th with 336 points, with Phillip Dutton ranked 16th with 329 points.
Five more U.S. riders are ranked inside the top 50: Caroline Martin in 25th with 306 points, Liz Halliday-Sharp in 28th with 295 points, Doug Payne in 31st with 279 points, Will Coleman in 44th with 246 points and Tamie Smith in 48th with 236 points.
Jessica Phoenix remains the highest ranked Canadian rider in the 88th slot with 182 points.
Click here to view the latest FEI World Eventing Athlete Rankings.
[New Zealand Olympian Tim Price debuts in Eventing world number one slot]
