Nicola Wilson (née Tweddle) is a commentator and trainer who won nine senior championship medals in her riding career before retiring from eventing after an accident.
Nicola started eventing professionally after graduating from university. Her greatest individual success as a rider was being crowned European champion in 2021 when she took the individual title and led Britain to the team gold at the European Eventing Championships in Avenches, Switzerland, riding JL Dublin.
Nicola sustained a serious neck injury in a cross-country fall at Badminton 2022 and was in hospital recovering from her injuries for more than four months. She was discharged and returned home to continue her rehabilitation in September 2022. She is now forging a new career in equestrian media and as a trainer.
Nicola Wilson with JL Dublin at the European Championships 2021.
Nicola got her first taste of success in 1997 when she was selected to ride as an individual for the young rider European squad in Pratoni on Mr Bumble.
Nicola was first selected as a senior British team member at the 2009 European Eventing Championships in Fontainebleau where she came home with a team gold medal riding Opposition Buzz (aka Dodi).
The talented gelding attracted a huge following thanks to his incredible scope and slightly unorthodox jumping style and the pair became regular pathfinders for the British team over the next few years.
Together they won team gold at the World Equestrian Games in 2010 in Kentucky, team bronze at the 2011 European Championships in Luhmühlen and team silver at the Olympics in London in 2012.
Nicola was also a team silver medallist at the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle Horse Trials riding One Two Many.
Nicola Wilson won her first individual medal — bronze — at the 2017 European Championships in Strzegom in Poland with Bulana. She also led the British team to gold.
Nicola Wilson and Bulana on the way to individual bronze at the 2017 European Championships.
In 2021, Nicola was selected for the British team for the European Championships in Avenches with the then 10-year-old JL Dublin. The pair went on to take the individual gold and lead the team to victory.
JL Dublin was bought by Nicola as a four-year-old at the Holsteiner sales in Germany and Nicola says the winter of 2020 to 2021 was a turning point in his career.
“He had matured into the horse we’d always hoped he’d be,” said Nicola in an interview after her Europeans win. “He’d always tried hard, but he used to strike me as the kind of character that would love to be at the bar drinking beer with his mates.
“And over the winter, it was like he decided, ‘I’d still like to drink beer on my downtime, but I’d also like to do really well and drink champagne afterwards’.”
Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin at the 2021 European Championships.
No, Nicola’s best result at five-star was finishing second at Luhmühlen Horse Trials in 2017 on Bulana.
Yes. Nicola married Alastair Wilson in 2006. They don’t have any children.
Prior to her accident at Badminton 2022, in which she sustained a life-changing neck injury, Nicola had a bad fall while competing at Arville in Belgium in 2019 and fractured four vertebrae. She recovered to compete at the top level again.
Nicola is based on a 100-acre farm in North Yorkshire, which she and Alastair own.
There is another event rider called Nicola Wilson (who also calls herself Nici Wilson). She won an individual silver medal at the 2007 young rider Europeans at Blair Castle riding Oingy Boingy.
There is also a theatre, radio and television writer called Nicola Wilson.
Laura Collett has earned her first senior squad cap — to represent Britain at this year’s European Championships — while four riders from last year’s World Equestrian Games also make the cut
World Equestrian Games team gold medallist Nicola Wilson has secured sponsorship from the herbal wormer manufacturer Verm-X
William Fox-Pitt, Tina Cook and Nicola Wilson are the latest top names to join Ariat’s team of sponsored riders.
William Fox-Pitt led the British eventing team to gold this afternoon at the World Equestrian Games and claimed the individual silver for himself and Cool Mountain
The Brits lead the team competition at the World Equestrian Games after an exciting cross-country day, while William Fox-Pitt is in the individual silver position
Britain's first two team members have added nothing to their dressage scores across country at the World Equestrian Games
The British team is second behind Germany at the close of the eventing dressage at the World Equestrian Games, while German Michael Jung also holds the top spot individually
H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome blogs from the World Equestrian Games about multi-lingual riders and her thoughts on Britain's position in the eventing
A good test by European champions Tina Cook and Miners Frolic has lifted the British team into third place halfway through the second day of eventing dressage at WEG
German riders hold the top two places early in the eventing dressage at the World Equestrian Games, while Britain's first rider Nicola Wilson was pleased with her mount Opposition Buzz
Nicola Wilson will be the pathfinder for the British eventing team at the World Equestrian Games, with Mary King as anchorwoman
The six British horses went through the first eventing horse inspection at the World Equestrian Games with no problems, but America and France are both down to five riders
Nicola Wilson is a British eventing team regular with her outstanding jumper Opposition Buzz
The British Equestrian Federation has announced that Sophie Wells, Ruth Edge, Lucy Wiegersma and Nicola Wilson are to join its World Class Performance Programme
Local rider Nicola Wilson is in the lead at Bramham after cross-country, while Andrew Nicholson tops the CIC
Last Friday Nicola Wilson, Brook Staples and Jo Chipperfield claimed the three qualifying places for the eventers’ competition at the British Open
Emily Galbraith heads the young rider eventing short-list, but another short-listed competitor is out of action with an injury
Local rider Nicola Wilson is in pole position after cross-country at Bramham Horse Trials and the under-25 section also has a new leader
Nicola Wilson and the veteran campaigner Skiver lie in pole position after the first day of dressage at Bramham Horse Trials
A brief round up of eventing action at Witton Castle Horse Trials, where controversy surrounded the result of the advanced section
