Biography

Jonelle has eight Badminton completions to her name, dating from 2004, and in 2018 became the first New Zealand woman to win, riding the brilliant cross-country mare Classic Moet.

Her Badminton ride this year is Chilli’s Midnight Star, bred by joint owner Nikki Axon by the 2015 Badminton winner Chilli Morning. The horse was previously ridden by Jo Rimmer, who took him to three-star level, and was sent to Jonelle in 2023; last year the pair finished ninth at Elkton/Maryland CCI5*-L and sixth at Scone Palace CCI4*-L. 

Jonelle has won two other CCI5*s, Luhmuhlen in 2018 on Faerie Dianimo and Pau in 2022 on Grappa Nera. 

With her husband, Tim, she has been a mainstay of the New Zealand team for many years, a four-time Olympian who won team bronze at both the 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2022 world championships at Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy. 

In 2016, they became the first husband and wife to represent NZ at an Olympic Games, in Rio, and in 2022, they were the first couple to be ranked first and second in the FEI World Rankings

Jonelle is from a non-horsey family and initially studied law at Canterbury University. In 2005, she and Tim based themselves in Britain, in Wiltshire, in 2005 and in 2023 moved to the Chedington Estate in Dorset. They have two young children, Otis and Abel.

Jonelle is trained by British dressage team rider Gareth Hughes.