‘His mascot is a unicorn drama llama and he’s really horse shy’ – meet this rising eventing star

When Tim Price and Jonelle Price’s horses reach top level, they each get a mascot, chosen by their grooms, who pick something to suit each mount’s personality. So what did they choose for Jarillo, who is the pathfinder at this week’s Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event?

“A unicorn drama llama,” says Tim – which seems appropriate for a horse who is very talented, but also extremely sensitive.

Tim first saw Jarillo with Swedish rider Ludwig Svennerstal, who had him in his yard to sell. He was at novice level then.

“I just thought he was super quality, so the next day I went to his place and bought him,” said Tim after his dressage at Kentucky yesterday. “I didn’t really expect him to go to five-star – not that I ever think of a limitation for a horse, but he was just a real modern eventer type and pretty showy. I thought maybe he’s going to be great up to four-star, but he’s proven a bit more to me since then.”

Among Jarillo’s successes so far, he was third in the eight- and nine-year-old class at Blenheim Horse Trials in 2023, won a CCI4*-S at Thoresby last year and was ninth at Pau Horse Trials last autumn on his five-star debut.

While he undoubtedly has huge ability, the 11-year-old – owned now by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good – is also very sharp.

Tim said: “Every day of the week at home, whatever’s going on, it’s catching his attention. But then I think that gives him his quality as well. He’s really horse shy and the one good thing is you’re never in the ring with someone else, so finally you go in there and take a breath.

“And I think it [his sharpness] is also a really good characteristic for cross-country, for alertness. When horses are a bit tired and waning a little bit, he’s still on his feet and he’s thinking and he’s in the moment with me.

“So I think he’s one of the nicest young five-star horses around and I’m very privileged to ride him.”

Tim says going first this week is helpful in terms of giving the horse shy Jarillo more space in the warm-up rings.

“I’ve had quite a few horse shy ones, including Wesko and Bango, to the point where I started to wonder if it was me making them horse shy,” he said. “But I think I’m quite good with them because I just stay soft and relaxed and go with them rather than create a brick wall, which creates more tension.”

Although Jarillo is a light type, Tim adds that he is a “good eater – like a lanky teenage boy!”

The pair made a great start yesterday in the dressage, scoring 28.4 for equal second overnight.

And because we know you want to know – the Prices other five-star horses this week have as their mascots a troll (Hiarado), Batman (Happy Boy) and Tigger (Falco).

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