Equestrian: Tim and Jonelle Price become first married couple to top world eventing rankings

Both Tim and Jonelle Price have competed at multiple Olympic Games for New Zealand. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand Olympians Jonelle and Tim Price have made history in the equestrian world after becoming the first married couple to ever be ranked numbers one and two in eventing.

Tim Price has vaulted to the top of the eventing world rankings for the first time since August 2019 after winning bronze and a prize of €20,000 (NZ$34,561) at the Eventing World Championship in Italy in September.

With a 10th place finish at the same event, as the New Zealand team finished third overall, wife Jonelle also jumped two places to second to secure the pair's place in the sport's annals.

"It's been a lot of hard work and blood, sweat and tears that goes into the consistency (to achieve this), and Jonelle and I are extremely thrilled to be at the top of the pile," Tim said in a statement.

Jonelle said that the achievement was something the pair had been working towards for a long time.

"I have always hoped we might do the one-two at a 5-star and we came so close at Pau last year when I was second-equal and demoted to third. But here we are at the world rankings which is a great achievement of consistency at the highest level, so to be up there flying that flag for New Zealand and our wider team is something really special."

New Zealand equestrian fans will be hoping the twin bronzes at the world champs - their first medals secured at the four-yearly event for 12 years - are a sign of better things to come after the country has also struggled for success at the last five Olympic Games - securing a lone bronze in the teams competition at London 2012 in which Jonelle competed.

"We're delighted, it's been a bit of a drought for the Kiwis of late," Jonelle told RNZ after the result in Italy.

"We obviously come from an esteemed heritage, with the golden years probably 20 years ago. It's nice to break that drought, it's good to be back in the mix and I think it bodes really well looking ahead."

The latest event on the FEI Eventing calendar is currently underway in The Netherlands and Jonelle knows that herself and her husband have switched roles from being the hunters, the hunted.

"It's something you have to fight for, to keep, so that is the next job, but here and now we can enjoy it," Jonelle joked.