New Zealand's Tim Price has made history at Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, becoming the first rider to win the French five-star event two years running — and doing it on the same horse, Jarillo. Price finished on 30.9 penalties after a clear final showjumping round on Sunday, holding off Britain's Bubby Upton, who finished second on Its Cooley Time on 32.9. Price's wife Jonelle Price completed the podium in third on Senor Crocodillo, while Price also finished fourth on Happy Boy.

A cross-country that shaped the result

Saturday's cross-country, designed by Pierre Michelet, had already shaped the result. No combination finished inside the time, and Price moved into the lead, with Upton just two penalties behind him and Jonelle Price in third. In the final phase, Jarillo hesitated at fence four and touched a rail that stayed up — Price later explained the horse had been distracted by the big screen. The final showjumping course was designed by Yann Royant, and Price had already ridden it twice with his other two horses.

A career-best second for Upton

Price admitted he had felt nervous before the final round, saying: “I was nervous before I went out onto the course.” For Upton, second place was her best result at five-star level, and a recovery after elimination on the cross-country at Pau in 2025. Her horse was making only its second appearance at CCI5*-L level. Pau closes the European five-star season, with three British combinations among the leading seven.

The win puts Price in an exclusive group of riders to have won the same five-star twice in a row with the same horse, alongside names including Britain's Rosalind Canter and Germany's Michael Jung, according to HorseSport. More than 40,000 spectators watched the 35th edition.

Source: HorseSport