Nicola Wilson (née Tweddle,[1] born 1 October 1976)[2] is a British equestrian rider specialising in three-day eventing. Riding Opposition Buzz, she won a team gold at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games and team silver at the 2012 Olympic Games. She is also a seven-time medallist at the European Championships, including team golds in 2009, 2017 and 2021 and individual gold and bronze in 2021 and 2017, respectively.

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
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Sport
Country	United Kingdom
Sport	Equestrian
Medal record Equestrian Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games 2012 London Team Eventing World Equestrian Games 2010 Kentucky Team Eventing European Championships 2009 Fontainebleau Team eventing 2017 Strzegom Team eventing 2021 Avenches Team eventing 2021 Avenches Individual eventing 2015 Blair Castle Team eventing 2011 Luhmühlen Team eventing 2017 Strzegom Individual eventing

Early life

Born in Darlington, Wilson 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]

Career

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 2011 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]

CCI 5* Results

Results
Event	Kentucky	Badminton	Luhmühlen	Burghley	Pau	Adelaide
2003		27th (Skiver)
2004		20th (Skiver)
2005		RET (Skiver)	9th (Skiver)	WD (Skiver) WD (Highland Loch II)
2006	Did not participate
2007		16th (Opposition Buzz)		15th (Opposition Buzz)
2008		7th (Opposition Buzz)		5th (Opposition Buzz)
2009	11th (Opposition Buzz)		EL (Oingy Boingy)
2010		8th (Opposition Buzz)		30th (Master Banks)
2011		7th (Opposition Buzz)RET (Bee Diplomatic)			18th (Bee Diplomatic)
2012	Did not participate
2013		30th (Opposition Buzz)	EL (Opposition Buzz)	10th (Opposition Buzz)
2014		WD (Beltane Queen)WD (Annie Clover)			8th (One Two Many)
2015	8th (Annie Clover)26th (Watermill Vision)	7th (One Two Many)19th (Beltane Queen)		EL (Annie Clover)
2016		RET (One Two Many)			4th (One Two Many)8th (Annie Clover)
2017		RET (Annie Clover)	(Bulana)
2018			RET (Bulana)
2019		21st (Bulana)
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

International Championship results

Results
Year	Event	Horse	Placing	Notes
2009	European Championships	Opposition Buzz		Team
			9th	Individual
2010	World Young Horse Championships	Annie Clover		CCI*
		Inde	23rd	CCI**
2010	World Equestrian Games	Opposition Buzz		Team
			15th	Individual
2011	World Young Horse Championships	Annie Clover	5th	CCI**
2011	European Championships	Opposition Buzz		Team
			16th	Individual
2012	Olympic Games	Opposition Buzz		Team
			28th	Individual
2014	World Equestrian Games	Annie Clover	24th	Individual
2015	European Championships	One Two Many		Team
			27th	Individual
2017	European Championships	Bulana		Team
				Individual
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

Notable Horses

• Opposition Buzz - 1997 Dark Bay Trakehner Cross Gelding (Fleetwater Opposition x Java Tiger)
  • 2009 European Championships - Team Gold Medal, Individual Ninth Place
  • 2010 World Equestrian Games - Team Gold Medal, Individual 15th Place
  • 2011 European Championships - Team Bronze Medal, Individual 16th Place
  • 2012 London Olympics - Team Silver Medal, Individual 28th Place
• Annie Clover - 2004 Brown Irish Sport Horse Mare (Newmarket Venture x Clover Hill)
  • 2014 World Equestrian Games - Individual 24th Place
• One Two Many - 2002 Bay Irish Sport Horse Gelding (Chacoa x Colin Diamond)
  • 2015 European Championships - Team Silver Medal, Individual 27th Place
• Bulana - 2006 Black Dutch Warmblood Mare (Tygo x Furore)
  • 2017 European Championships - Team Gold Medal, Individual Bronze Medal

References