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Nicola WILSON

Nicola WILSON, British Eventing athlete.
Name Nicola WILSON
FEI ID 10005104
Gender Female
Date of Birth 01/10/1976
Competing for Great Britain - GBR
Registration Eventing 2022
Last update 12/04/2023
FEI Database




Eventing 70x70
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport? She was given her first pony at age three, and began competing at the Hurworth Pony Club branch in Thirsk, England.
Why this sport? "I have always ridden and been passionate about horses. I did all the usual Pony club competitions and really enjoyed cross-country so the eventing really developed from there."
Club / Team Nicola Wilson Equestrian: Northallerton, ENG
Further Personal Information
Family Husband Alastair
Other names Nicola Tweddle
Residence Northallerton, ENG
Occupation Athlete, Coach, Horse Trainer
Languages English
Higher education Business Management, Sport Management - University of Manchester: England
General Interest
Most influential person in career Coach Christopher Bartle, and British rider Lucinda Green. (localrider.co.uk, 11 Sep 2018)
Injuries In May 2022 she suffered a spinal cord injury after a fall competing at the Badminton Horse Trials in England. She returned home in September 2022 after four-and-a-half months in hospital. (eventingnation.com, 16 Sep 2022) In June 2019 she fractured four vertebrae in her back after a fall from her horse in Arville, Belgium. She needed six months of recovery. (horseandhound.co.uk, 23 Sep 2021, 28 Jun 2019; fei.org, 23 Sep 2021) She suffered a knee injury in a fall from her horse in 2018. (horseandhound.co.uk, 01 Aug 2018; eventingnation.com, 09 Jul 2018) In February 2015 she broke her collarbone during a competition in Port Royal, England. (thenorthernecho.co.uk, 12 Aug 2015)
Sporting philosophy / motto "Ride the waves, enjoying the highs and learning from the lows. Always be prepared to dig deep and appreciate everyone who does so much to help you achieve. Aim high, be realistic, and work hard." (localrider.co.uk, 11 Sep 2018)
Awards and honours In November 2022 she was presented with the Horse Dialog Inspiration of the Year Award at the Horse & Hound Awards Dinner. (Facebook page, 01 Dec 2022) She was named the 2017 Leading Rider of the Year by the British Equestrian Writers' Association. (nicolawilsoneventing.co.uk, 22 Dec 2017) She received the 2017 Professional Rider of the Year award from British equestrian magazine Horse & Hound. (nicolawilsoneventing.co.uk, 14 Nov 2017)
Famous relatives Her mother Mary Tweddle served as a field master of the Bedale Hunt in England for eight years. (badminton-horse.co.uk, 2017; yorkshirepost.co.uk, 07 Mar 2008)
Other information SPINAL INJURY In May 2022 she suffered a spinal cord injury after a fall competing at the Badminton Horse Trials in England. In September 2022 she returned home after spending four-and-a-half months recovering in hospital. Her injury affected the mobility of her arms, hands, and legs, and she has had to re-learn some necessary movement functions. "I'm so, so grateful to [the] medical team at Badminton, who saved my life. I'm so indebted to you for doing that and for putting me in the position where I am now. There is a lot more rehab and work to be done, but I'm so delighted to have phase one completed and behind me." (Facebook page, 29 Nov 2022; eventingnation.com, 16 Sep 2022) STABLES She runs Nicola Wilson Equestrian in Northallerton, England. (Facebook page, 07 Apr 2023) OTHER ACTIVITIES In January 2014 she became a patron of the Riding for the Disabled Association [RDA] Unicorn Centre in Hemlington, England. She has also worked as an ambassador for Saddle Up, a campaign for spinal research. (nicolawilsoneventing.co.uk, 30 Mar 2016)
Milestones Alongside British teammates Kitty King, Rosalind Canter and Piggy March, she was part of the first all-female eventing team to win gold at the European championships when they triumphed at the 2021 edition of the tournament in Avenches, Switzerland. (fei.org, 26 Sep 2021)