Wilson hoping One Two Many can earn Bramham’s top spot
NORTHALLERTON’S Nicola Wilson hopes the aptly named One Two Many can finally put her in the No 1 position in the main event at the 2018 Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials.
London 2012 silver medallist Wilson is Yorkshire’s leading hope at this year’s eventing extravaganza and the 41-yearold flew into the lead in the CIC three-star class on the opening day after a fine dressage score of 25.0 on star mare Bulana.
After Germany’s Julia Krajewski had shot to the top of the CCI three-star leaderboard with a record Bramham dressage score under the new scoring system of 19.4 on Chipmunk, Wilson then dropped to third in the CIC event as Britain’s world No 3 Ros Canter took pole position on No Excuse with 24.4, ahead of fellow Brit Izzy Taylor on Be Touchable on 24.5.
In any case, Bulana’s lofty position will be shortlived with Wilson set to withdraw her mount before cross country to save her mare for next week’s CCI four-star at Luhmuhlen. Wilson and Bulana finished second in the German event last year and the duo looked in fine fettle during Thursday’s dressage test of a class that Wilson won back in 2015 on Annie Clover.
Yet a victory in Bramham’s main CCI three-star class still eludes the Yorkshire rider whose sole shot at glory in 2018 will rest with 16-year-old gelding One Two Many who finished eighth in the same event last year.
One year on, Wilson has purposely aimed One Two Many at Bramham, hoping the gelding can peak at the perfect time to land her a victory of which the rider has dreamed of throughout her career.
“It would just be the icing on the cake,” admitted Wilson.
“I love this event so much and I have had all of the other placings that I could have done other than the ‘one’. I know Annie Clover was amazing when she won the CIC three-star but it is certainly on my bucketlist to try my absolute best to win the CCI one day. When that day will come or if it comes, I don’t know but I am doing my best to achieve that goal. For One Two Many, Bramham was always the aim and he has been prepared to hopefully peak here this week. I am looking forward to his dressage test.”
Germany’s Krajewski sets a lofty target with France’s Matthieu Vanlandeghem second on Trouble Fete Ene HN with 25.2 ahead of Britain’s Pippa Funnell in third with a penalty score of 27.9 on MGH Grafton Street. Ten riders are representing Yorkshire and Harrogate’s Hazel Towers sits 22nd in the CCI three-star after dressage on Simply Clover.
Her second CCI three-star entry, Simply Smart, has her dressage test today. James Sommerville, Phil Brown, Sophie Platt, Charlie Dennis, Nicola Rooke, Katie Magee, Caroline Clarke and Storm Straker are also representing Yorkshire.
The USA’s Caroline Martin leads the CCI three-star under25s event on Danger Mouse.
Yorkshire’s Wilson aiming for No 1 spot at international horse trials