TIM Price says the eventing competition at the Olympic Games this summer has been thrown wide open after his star ride Wesko was ruled out for the season.

The Marlborough-based eventer had high hopes for his 13-year-old steed, whose second place at Kentucky and third place at Pau last year helped the New Zealander to finish the year third in the world.

However, a soft tissue injury means that the 37-year-old will have to re-evaluate his plans for Rio later this year.

“I’m probably better now,” Price told the Gazette and Herald.

“If you had asked me last week then it may have been a different answer.

“It’s like anything, when you get kicked you roll around for a little bit then you dust yourself off and carry on and hopefully you don’t roll around in the dirt for too long.

“It’s a bit of a confidence thing because I bring a lot of confidence to what I do because of Wesko and then when you lose him it is the first time you feel a little bit of a dent in that.

“It is just a bit of a shame, to be understated about it.

“He had his name written all over it really.

“I feel bad for a lot of people because so many people are disappointed, not just because we were going to the Olympics we were real contenders.

“We’ve opened up the competition a little bit with what has happened.

“It just sets it up for a different storyline now and I’ll have to go and do it on another horse.”

Wesko will now spend the summer recuperating and Price has admitted that his wife and fellow New Zealand rider Jonelle has helped him keep things in perspective.

“She is so philosophical and practical and that is important in our game,” he added, with Tim looking to also qualify for Rio on Jonelle’s horse Cloud Dancer, which she is already qualified with alongside Classic Moet and Faerie Dianimo.

“There is a real methodical nature to do our job well and if you lose that beat then other things start to slip up and she is very good at keeping things focused.

“She has given me an opportunity with one of her horses, which is a very unique offering.

“It’s just spreading our options and taking advantage of our depth of horses.”

Tim has flown out to America where he will compete in the first of the three Grand Slam of Eventing competitions at Kentucky.

Wesko was scheduled to be his main ride in the competition, as they looked to better their second place last year, but now all hopes will fall on 10-year-old Bango.

“In a funny way sometimes the next horse down will tend to blossom,” said Tim.

“He is a bit of a greenhorn at that level but he is full of talent and ability and it is about slotting it all into place at this stage, something I know he will do down the track.”