 Wilson and Opposition Buzz competing at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Nicola Tweddle Darlington,County Durham, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft9+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Equestrian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Nicola Wilson (néeTweddle;[1] born 1 October 1976[2]) is a Britishequestrian rider specialising in three-dayeventing. Riding Opposition Buzz, she won a team gold at the2010 FEI World Equestrian Games and team silver at the2012 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.
Born inDarlington, Wilson was given her first pony when she was three years old and later joined Hurworth Pony Club, where she competed in variouspony club events and later became a member of theBedale Hunt.[3][4] Wilson studied for a degree in Sport and Business Management atManchester University, and graduated with a 2:1 in 1999.[3]
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 2008Burghley 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 2009European Eventing Championships inFontainebleau, France; she finished ninth in the individual event with 64.7 faults.[5] AlongsideWilliam Fox-Pitt,Mary King andTina Cook, Wilson was part of the British team that won the team eventing gold medal at the2010 FEI World Equestrian Games held at theKentucky Horse Park inLexington, 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 2011Badminton 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 theshow jumping phase she knocked down a fence and eventually finished seventh in a competition won byMark 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 forGreat Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics but was added to the squad for theindividual andteam eventing whenPiggy 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 atGreenwich Park between 28 and 31 July.[12]
| 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 | ||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||
