World No.1 Wins Luhmuhlen

World No.1 Tim Price has added another top trophy to the cabinet – this time taking out the Longines CCI5*-L at the Luhmuhlen Horse Trials in Germany this morning, successfully defending the title won by his wife Jonelle last year.

Tim and his grey mare Ascona M picked up time penalties in the showjumping but still finished 2.1 penalty points ahead of runner-up Tom McEwen (GBR) and Figaro van het Broekxhof.

It was a special victory for Tim, who won his first CCI5*-L competition at Luhmuhlen in 2014.

“I am delighted with my mare – she was super,” he said. “I’m so happy that things went so well again this year. It makes me really proud that Ascona has performed so consistently in all three phases. She does have a bit of an unconventional jumping technique, but that’s because she always tries so hard to do everything right.”

But it was an agonising wait as he waited for his time to enter the showjumping arena as riders ran in reverse order. “It was that usual feeling of a tense stomach you get when you are in that position and have a bit of time to kill and things to do in order to get to your showjumping,” he said.

Once in the ring, everything flowed. “You just go into methodical mode. She warmed up really well, with plenty of juice in the tank and then she went in and just jumped super. I knew at that stage I had a bit of time up my sleeve so I decided to take a bit of time but jump a clear round and that is exactly what happened. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

He and Ascona M were second after the dressage but took the lead following a tough cross country run, to finish the event on 31.4 penalty points. Just 22 of the original 33 starters completed all three phases.

Eleven-year-old Ascona M was initially Jonelle’s ride before moving to Tim in 2017. They had an ideal lead in to Luhmuhlen, winning the CCI4*-S at Tattersalls but this was their first tilt at a CCI5*-L – the highest ranked competition in eventing and one of just six at this level in the world.

Earlier this month the Rio Olympian was crowned the new world No.1 and last year won the Burghley (CCI5*-L) Horse Trials, marking the start of a points haul that would culminate with the top ranking. Tim has also ridden for New Zealand at two World Equestrian Games.

WHAT: Longines CCI5*-L Luhmuhlen Horse Trials
WHERE: Salzhausen, Germany
WHEN: June 13-16, 2019
MORE INFO: https://tgl.luhmuehlen.de/en
FULL RESULTS: https://live.rechenstelle.de/2019/luhmuehlen_05/leaderboard01.html

The horse details –

Ascona M – owned by Suzanne Houchin, Lucy and Ben Sangster and Sir Peter Vela

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