Source: Radio New Zealand
Tim Price clears a cross country fence, riding Falco. Photosport
New Zealand three-day eventer Tim Price has recorded his best result at the Badminton Horse Trials, finishing second riding Falco.
Price and Falco climbed through the field at the famed five-star event, having found themselves 10th after dressage phase and fifth after the cross-country.
They jumped clear in the showjumping on Monday morning (NZT) but it wasn’t enough to overhaul British winner Ros Canter on Lordships Graffalo, who accrued just two time penalties.
Canter and her 14-year-old horse became the first combination to win Badminton three times in its 77-year history, finishing on 25.7 penalty points.
Price notched 33.9 points, having edged in front of third-placed Briton Harry Mead (35.1) on the final day.
Price’s previous best Badminton result was a third in 2017.
He was full of praise for his gelding, who was contesting his first Badminton.
‘Falco is a fantastic little horse, all head and heart. If he’s enjoying it and his confidence is there, he gives me everything,” said Price, who rode Falco at last year’s Pau five-star event and to sixth place at the Paris Olympics.
The other best played New Zealanders were Tayla Mason (sixth on Centennial) and Jonelle Price (12th on Chilli’s Midnight Star). It was Mason’s best result at any five-star event.
Former champion Caroline Powell was fifth after the dressage but failed to complete the cross-country phase.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand