New Zealand husband and wife team Tim and Jonelle Price have become the first couple to hold the top two spots of the FEI eventing world rankings.
Tim has taken the number one position from Oliver Townend, who has been in the top spot for the past three years. Jonelle has moved into second and sits 41 points behind her husband.
“The last time Tim was at the top of the world rankings was in August 2019. Since then, Tim has been able to perform at the highest level, which has allowed him to maintain a position in the top 10 of the eventing world rankings,” said an FEI spokesman.
The Prices have enjoyed a very successful 2022. Tim took individual bronze at the eventing World Championships in Pratoni on Falco. He was third at Burghley with Vitali, and has enjoyed a number of top 10 places at CCI4*. He won the CCI4*-L at Boekelo (6-9 October), and helped New Zealand take silver – behind the Brits – in the Nations Cup competition.
Jonelle, who was also part of the Kiwi squad at Boekelo riding Killbunny Andy, was 11th at Badminton and fourth at Burghley on the much-loved 19-year-old mare Classic Moet. Jonelle was 10th individually at the World Championships with McClaren.
Tim and Jonelle made the permanent move to the UK in 2005, and the couple married in 2013. They became the first husband and wife to ride together on the same Olympic team, at Rio in 2016. They have since welcomed two children, Otis and Abel.
Commenting on the new world rankings, the Prices said: “Once upon a time, two small town kids dreamt that together they could take on the world. And they did. The end.”
Oliver Townend is now ranked third in the world, Ros Canter fourth, and US rider Will Coleman is fifth. New individual world champion Yasmin Ingham has moved up from 20th to eighth. Tom McEwen has also moved into the top 10, and sits ninth.
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