A WINNER AT LAST
ANDREW NICHOLSON’S OUR OLDEST EQUESTRIAN WINNER!
Andrew Nicholson at Badminton
There’s that old saying: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And then there’s Andrew Nicholson.
After surviving a broken neck, an unceremonious Olympic dumping and 36 – yes, 36 – attempts at winning the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials, New Zealand’s most resilient rider has finally taken the title on his 37th crack.
It’s fair to say Andrew (56), who’s originally from Te Awamutu, has braved a few knocks on the way to the top. Chatting to the Weekly from his home in Wiltshire, England, he says he can barely wipe the smile off his face as he reflects on his incredible achievement, which also saw him break fellow Kiwi Mark Todd’s record and become the oldest person to win the high-profile competition.
“I’ve been on a high for quite a while,” he laughs. “When you win an international competition and they play the national anthem, it’s an unbelievable feeling. I don’t get back to New Zealand often enough, but I’m still very proud to be a New Zealander – you feel so proud.
“The thing that sticks with me the most is the genuine sincere happiness from the other riders and from the crowd. I could really feel that they meant it.”
Although he’s stoked he can finally put the Badminton trophy on his mantelpiece, Andrew says it’s being a Kiwi champion that he’s the most chuffed about.
It’s a mutual feeling for the nation too, especially following Andrew’s dramatic tumble in 2015, when he fell off his horse and broke his neck at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, Princess Anne’s country residence.
He was up and walking freely immediately after the fall, but unbeknown to him, the impact had shattered one of his vertebrae. In something of an understatement, Andrew describes the following months as “tough”.
“But I was lucky that I had the best surgeon in the country for dealing with that. I assured him that I was fully mobile before I got on the bed and that I was sure if he did his job, I’d be fully mobile afterwards,” he says.
As it turned out, the surgeon had to remove the entire vertebrae, but Andrew’s determined attitude was invaluable in dealing with such
a serious injury.
“First of all, I just had the mindset that I hoped I’d be able to walk again, and riding was secondary. Once I woke up from the surgery and realised I could move my hands and my feet, then
I was on track to walking around. It’s good to have stuff like that to motivate you.”
Horses are in Andrew’s blood. After discovering at a young age that he could make
‘ When they play the national anthem, it’s an unbelievable feeling. You feel so proud’
a living in New Zealand from riding horses, he moved to the UK to kick-start his career. Although at first he “absolutely hated” England’s cold weather, Andrew mucked in and realised he was on track to achieve international success.
“A lot of people think you have to be wealthy to ride horses. I don’t come from a wealthy background, but learned I could make money out of selling ponies and riding horses.
“And then I found something I liked doing and I was good at it! That’s what’s driven me.
You get a bit of success at the big events and then you want more success,” he says.
Andrew says having his family – wife Wiggy (45) and children Lily (12) and Zach (8) – by his side during the competition helped immensely. Lily appears to have the riding gene and has started riding with her dad.
Always keeping his eyes on the prize, any celebrations of Andrew’s win have been relatively fleeting. After a few “gin and tonics”, he says he’s always up early the next day to train.
“There will come a time when I feel I’m not competitive enough and I’ll stop doing it, but I’ll still produce horses for other riders and still train,” he says.
“I’m lucky to have a job that most people would spend a fortune on as their hobby.”
Ciara Pratt