Tim Price

Wednesday 7th - Sunday 11th May 2025

Tim Price

New Zealand
  • 106 - Xavier Faer

Biography

It will be the ninth visit to Badminton for British-based New Zealand Olympic rider Tim Price (45) who first competed here in 2004 and has nine completions of the event. With Xavier Faer Tim gained his best Badminton result in 2017 when 3rd. Last year with Badminton entry Vitali – his entry this year also – he was 7th and later in the year the pair was 4th at Burghley 5*.

In 2022 he was the winner of the bronze medal at the World Championships (Falco) and with Coup de Coeur Dudevin won the Elkton 5* (the first 5* for the horse) and with Vitali was third in the 5*L at Burghley. Tim has also won the 5* events at Burghley (2018), Luhmuhlen (2019) and Pau (2021). He is currently #9 in the FEI World Rider ranking (05/04/2024).

Tim is based near Beaminster in Dorset where he runs a competition yard with his wife and fellow NZL team member Jonelle – the winner of Badminton 2018 and also entered this year.

Tim grew up on a farm in Oxford, North Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. Surrounded by horses from an early age, it seemed natural that Tim would follow a career into horses. He showjumped to World Cup level before deciding that as the majority of the horses he was working with were New Zealand Thoroughbreds they were naturally more suited to eventing. With the NZ thoroughbred Vortex, Tim won the CCI2* at the National Championships in New Zealand. The pair went on to compete at four-star level and also won back-to-back Retraining of Racehorses Championships at Barbury Castle (2012/13).

In 2014 Tim achieved the biggest win of his career to date when heading the four-star at Luhmuhlen with Wesko with who he previously won at CCI one, and three-star level (Blair Castle) and was second at two-star CCI. In 2015 & ’14 at Badminton with Ringwod Sky Boy Tim was the winner of the William Miflin trophy for the ride closest to the optimum time. In September 2018 with Ringwood Sky Boy he won Burghley and at the WEG in Tryon was the highest placed member of the New Zealand team (8th Cekatinka). He was a member of the fourth placed New Zealand team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games(Ringwood Sky Boy), the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo (Vitali), the 2014 WEG in France, the 2018 WEG and was the bronze medallist at the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni.

Tim and Jonelle (nee Richards) began dating in 2001and two years later with their advanced horses Desamoray and Mazetto came to the UK to prepare for Burghley, with the aim of competing at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2004 both horses went to Badminton and the pair relocated to their current base in the UK the following year. They married, in New Zealand, in 2013. They have a 5-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.

Tim’s brother Cam is CEO of Keyflow Horse Feeds and his brother Brad is a ‘genuine cowboy in Australia’. Tim trains with Spencer Wilton and Luis Alvarez Cevera. Outside of eventing, Tim enjoys camping, skiing, anything in the great outdoors and going home to New Zealand.

Vitali is a 14-year-old German-bred Holstein gelding. He is by the leading sire Contender out of Noble Lady 1 by the influential thoroughbred event sire Heraldik (similar bloodines to the 2022 Lexington 5* winner Fischer Chipmunk (Contendro-Heraldik). She comes from a respected Holstein damline and is the dam of 15 offspring – mostly showjumpers – including Camerino Blue showjumping with Swiss rider Felix Vogg. He was initally produced by New Zealander James Avery with who he was 6th in the World 6-year-old championships. Tim took the ride in 2021. In 2022 the pair won the British Open and was 3rd at Burghley. In 2023 they placed 9th at Badminton and 4th at Burghley.

Entries

Xavier Faer

SHBGB, United Kingdom, 2006
16.3hh , bay , gelding

Sire Catherston Liberator

Dam Faerie Dazzler (Catherston Dazzler)

Breeder Trisha Rickards

Owner(s): Trisha & Sophie Rickards
& Rider

Withdrawn

Bango

ISH, Ireland, 2006
16.3hh , chestnut , gelding

Sire Garrison Royal

Dam No Sale (Don Tristan )

Breeder James Foley

Owner(s): Numero Uno Syndicate, Marlborough, Wilts.

Ringwood Sky Boy

ISH, Ireland, 2003
16.3hh , bay , gelding

Sire Courage

Dam Sky Lassie (Sky Boy )

Breeder Myles Mahon

Owner(s): Jonelle Price
Sophie Hearnden
& Rider

Notable Results

2023 – Burghley CCI5*L 4th Vitali

2022 – Elkton CCI5*L 1st Coup de Coeur Dudevin

2022 – Boekelo CCIO4*L 1st Happy Boy

2022 – Pratoni CH-M-Y 3rd Falco

2022 – Burghley CCI5*L 3rd Vitali, 17th Bango

2022 – Luhmuhlen CCI5*L 10th Vitali

2022 – Millstreet CCI4*L 2nd Coup de Coeur Dudevin, 6th Happy Boy

2021 – Pau CCI5*L 1st Falco

2021 – Tokyo OG 24th Vitali

2021 – Elkton MD 5*L 3rd Xavier Faer

2021 – Luhmuhlen CCI4* S 6th Vitali

2021 – Millstreet CCI4*S 13th Ringwood Sky Boy

2021 – Lexington CCI5*L 2nd Xavier Faer

2020 – Pau CCI5* 13th Xavier Faer, 14th Ringwood Sky Boy

2019 – Burghley CCI5*L ret Xavier Faer, El Ringwood Sky Boy

2019 – Luhmuhlen CCI5*L 1st Ascona M

2018 – Tryon WEG 8th Cekatinka

2018 – Burghley CCI4* 1st Ringwood Sky Boy, 10th Bango

2018 – Blair Castle CCI3* 1st Pats Jester

2017 – Burghley 5th Ringwood Sky Boy, 18th Xavier Faer

2016 – Burghley CCI4* 4th Ringwood Sky Boy, 21st Bango

2016 – Rio OG El Ringwood Sky Boy

2015 – Pau CCI4* 3rd Wesko

2015 – Burghley CCI4* 2nd Ringwood Sky Boy

2015 – Lexington CCI4* 2nd Wesko

2014 – Caen WEG Ret Wesko

2014 – Luhmuhlen CCI4* 1st Wesko

2013 – Blair Castle CCI3* 1st Wesko

2009 – Pau CCI4* 20th Vortex

2003 – Burghley CCI4* Desmoray 43rd Desmoray

 

Badminton

2023 – 9th Vitali

2022 – 20th Ringwood Sky Boy

2019 – 10th Ringwood Sky Boy, ret Bango

2018 – 12th Ringwood Sky Boy

2017 – 3rd Xavier Faer

2016 – El Ringwood Skyboy

2015 – 15th Ringwood Sky Boy

2014 – 9th Ringwood Sky Boy, El Wesko

2009 – 20th Vortex

2004 – 48th  Desamoray