Nicola Wilson

Nicola Wilson

Wilson and Opposition Buzz competing at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London
Personal information
Birth name	Nicola Tweddle
Nationality	British
Born	Darlington, County Durham, England
Sport
Country	United Kingdom
Sport	Equestrian
Medal record Equestrian Representing  United Kingdom Olympic Games 2012 London Team Eventing World Equestrian Games 2010 Kentucky Team Eventing European Championships 2009 Fontainebleau Team eventing 2015 Blair Castle Team eventing 2011 Luhmühlen Team eventing

Nicola Wilson (née Tweddle)^[1] (born 1 October 1976 in Darlington)^[2] is a British equestrian rider specialising in three-day eventing. She competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics with her horse, Opposition Buzz, winning a silver medal.

She was given her first pony when she was three years old and later joined Hurworth Pony Club, where she competed in various pony club events and later became a member of the Bedale Hunt.^[3][4] Wilson studied for a degree in Sport and Business Management at Manchester University, and graduated with a 2:1 in 1999.^[3] As of 2012, she is 1.77 metres (5 ft 10 in) tall and weighs 64 kilograms (141 lb).^[3]

Eventing

Wilson first competed internationally at the 1997 Young Rider European Championships, where she rode Mr Bumble.^[3][1] Riding the same horse she finished in 10th place at the 2008 Burghley Horse Trials.^[1] In 2007 she began competing on Opposition Buzz, a horse owned by Rosemary Search.^[1]

She won a gold medal as part of the British eventing team at the 2009 European Eventing Championships in Fontainebleau, France; she finished ninth in the individual event with 64.7 faults.^[5] Alongside William Fox-Pitt, Mary King and Tina Cook, Wilson was part of the British team that won the team eventing gold medal at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, United States; Wilson rode a clear round in the show jumping meaning teammate, and individual silver medallist Fox-Pitt could have afforded three fences down and Britain would still have won team gold.^[6] Wilson and Opposition Buzz finished 16th overall in the individual competition.^[6]

At the 2011 Badminton Horse Trials, Wilson, riding Opposition Buzz, was the leading British rider, and in third place overall, heading into the last day of competition.^[7] During the show jumping phase she knocked down a fence and eventually finished seventh in a competition won by Mark Todd.^[8] She won a bronze medal at the 2009 European Eventing Championships as the British side finished behind Germany and France.^[9]

Wilson was initially selected as a reserve rider for Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics but was added to the squad for the individual and team eventing when Piggy French withdrew after her horse DHI Topper W suffered an injury.^[10][11] Wilson's horse for the Games was Opposition Buzz.^[10] The events were held at Greenwich Park between 28 and 31 July.^[12]

As of August 2015 Nicola`s top horses are as follows:

Annie Clover - 11yrs mare born 2004

Beltane Queen - 12yrs mare born 2004

One Two Many - 13yrs gelding born 2002

Watermill Vision - 13yrs gelding born 2002

Kiltealy Brief - 11yrs gelding born 2004

References