William Fox-Pitt, top British event rider
Born in 1969, William Fox-Pitt is one of the most consistently successful British eventers of the past two decades.
A junior and young rider medallist, he first represented Britain at senior level in 1993 and since then he has won 16 championship medals:
- team silver at the Athens Olympics (2004)
- team bronze at the Hong Kong Olympics (2008)
- team silver at the London Olympics (2012)
- team bronze at the Jerez World Equestrian Games (2002)
- team silver at the Aachen World Equestrian Games (2006)
- team gold at the Kentucky World Equestrian Games (2010)
- six team golds at European Championships (1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009)
- two individual silvers at European Championships (1997 and 2005)
- individual silver at the Kentucky World Equestrian Games (2010)
- team bronze at the Luhmuhlen European Championships (2011)
William won Badminton in 2004 with Tamarillo and is the only person to have taken the Burghley title six times (1994 on Chaka, 2002 on Highland Lad, 2005 on Ballincoola, 2007 on Parkmore Ed, 2008 on Tamarillo and 2011 on Parklane Hawk). He has also won Luhmuhlen (Macchiato in 2008) and Pau (Oslo in 2011), so in total he has collected top spot in a record 12 four-stars.
He also shares the record for four British open championship wins at Gatcombe with Mary King and Mark Todd and has topped the end-of-season points leader board numerous times.
When winning Blenheim Horse Trials 2012, William chalked up his 50th three-day event triumph of his career.
William was educated at Eton and has a French degree from the University of London. His mother Marietta (nee Speed) rode for Britain at the 1967 European Championships and was placed at Badminton and Burghley; his father Oliver also competed at top level.
William lives in Dorset with his second wife, racing presenter Alice Plunkett. They have two sons, Oliver (born 2005) and Thomas (born 2006) and a daughter Chloe Rose (born 2012).
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William was an H&H columnist from 2003 to 2008.
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