MARLBOROUGH eventer Jonelle Price knows her New Zealand team need to all perform on the day if they are to stand any chance of claiming an Olympic gold medal in Rio.

The Kiwis head to Brazil with an experienced squad, with three of the quartet having been part of the side that claimed bronze in London four years ago.

New Zealand currently have three of their five riders, including reserve Tim Price, in the top 25 in the world.

However, with Germany, who have Rolex Grand Slam holder Michael Jung in their ranks, having won gold at the last two Games, Price is not underestimating the size of the task at hand.

“We’ve got four really strong guys coming off the back of good individual performances over the last year or two,” said the Kiwi, who was part of her country’s bronze medal-winning London 2012 team.

“I think the thing with the Olympics is, and where the Germans have been particularly good over the years, is producing their very best on the given day.

“I think all of us haven’t always been able to do that on the same day.

“I think Aachen last year was probably the first time three of the four were able to post very good scores and we were a very close second to the Germans.

“I think that is the key for us. Yes, as a team, but the individuals need to figure out how best to figure out their individual performance on that day.

“If we can do that individually, then as a team, we will be very strong.”

This will be Price’s third Olympic Games, having been an unused reserve in Athens in 2004 before participating in London.

However, the 35-year-old had the unglamorous role of being the path-finder for New Zealand in Greenwich Park as she finished 55th on Flintstar, and is hoping to play a more influential role this time out.

“I scraped in to get the final spot in London and I was trail-blazer, so I was never going to be an individual chance, but I had a job to do and we did that well,” she added.

“I hope I’m coming to Rio to be a bit more of a front-runner and I think we have done that this year.

“They are two good horses ( Faerie Dianimo and reserve Classic Moet).

“Hopefully, we can contribute to a healthy team score.”