Nicola Wilson

PROFESSIONAL RIDER OF THE YEAR

NICOLA WILSON capped a fabulous season by winning the Professional Rider of the Year title. The Yorkshire event rider achieved two career bests in 2017, riding Bulana to finish second at Luhmühlen — her best fourstar placing — and winning her first individual medal, bronze, at the European Championships. She also led the British team to victory after a lengthy dearth of gold medals.

“I was astonished to be nominated and to be actually standing up there was overwhelming — I’m just grateful to everyone who’s made it possible,” said Nicola, who was accompanied to the H&H Awards by her husband Alastair and Bulana’s owners, James and Jo Lambert.

“I’m the lucky one who rides the horses, but it’s a huge team who make it possible. There are a lot of lows in equestrianism and in life, but if you keep your head down and keep battling on, you hope one day you’ll get there. But it’s a slippery mountain. Without doubt the reason for my success is my support team, from the girls on the yard to sponsors and owners.”

Nicola paid tribute to her first team horse, the inimitable Opposition Buzz, saying Bulana is her “second horse of a lifetime”.

“I feel incredibly lucky and humbled to ride her,” she said, adding that Bulana is a “professional” and is already back in work.

“She’d been on holiday since the Europeans, but recently she started to whinny and wanted to come in, so she’s now started her preparation for 2018 in walk. She’s a feisty mare so I’m glad to be in walk! She always wants to get on.”

‘If you keep battling on, you hope one day you’ll get there’ NICOLA WILSON ON THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF EQUESTRIAN SPORT