European bronze medallist Nicola Wilson
The newly-crowned individual European eventing bronze medallist shows Lucy Higginson around her new base, and talks about Bulana’s star quality
“I never dreamed I’d have anything like this," says a beaming Nicola Wilson as she shows me round her new yard, a former dairy farm brilliantly converted by her husband Alastair.
“We have 99 acres which is far more than we’d imagined,” she explains. “But it was very run down, and there was only us bidding in fact. It’s funny sometimes how things work out.”
Few people deserve “things to work out” more than Nicola Wilson, one of the most approachable, upbeat and talented riders in the sport.
She and Alastair really go out of their way for people — he even co-drove the lorry 1,000 miles to Strezgom himself so Nicola’s groom Ruth Asquith (who doesn’t yet have an HGV licence) could have her first championship experience. And it’s no accident that Nicola’s head girl Lynn Swift, and several owners — whom she never forgets to credit — have been with her for well over 10 years.
Afirst individual medal in Strezgom this month (bronze) compensated for the disappointment of losing Luhmühlen on the same mare by less than a penalty in June, having collected three time-penalties during a clear showjumping round.
“I did go to win and we had a fantastic result, but to lose by a time-fault was very galling,” admits Nicola, who was touched that Julia Krajewski, who pipped her to victory there, was among the first with a hug in
Poland. The congratulations have continued back home in North Yorkshire, the kitchen strewn with cards, flowers and balloons.
The Wilsons’ new home is only 16 minutes away from her former base, and though she’s been able to keep the same support team, Nicola was anxious about her horses’ stamina without the use of the steep river banks she trained on there.
“I’ve always prided myself on my horses’ fitness, but they’ve gone well all season across the board,” she says. “To be the only clear inside the time at Bramham on One Two Many, who isn’t the fastest horse at the best of times, was a huge relief.”
Ironically perhaps, her European success comes at a time when Nicola doesn’t have too much firepower at advanced level — with nothing entered for Blenheim, Burghley or even her beloved Blair — before aiming One Two Many for Pau.
Annie Clover will go hunting this winter in a bid to re-stoke enthusiasm dented at Badminton, and both she and Beltane Queen have embryo transfer foals on the ground now, the latter’s by Chilli Morning.
Though Nicola has an array of younger horses producing excellent results at the lower levels, she agrees that Bulana is very much her only team contender for now.
“I’m not even daring to think about next year yet. But after Poland I hope we’ve done enough to attract the attention of the selectors again — of course we’ll have to prove our form again in the spring.”
COULD Bulana be her best horse yet? Nicola is loathe to rank any horse above her adored Opposition Buzz and Skiver, who took her round her first four-stars, but it’s clear this feisty horse, who came to her as an intermediate in 2014, is special.
“She has talent and ability in all three phases, and the brain to be top class,” agrees Nicola. “She moves beautifully, she’s very eyecatching and finds the dressage relatively easy.”
Past problems holding her across country have been mastered, with Nicola even having downgraded her cross-country bit lately. “She used to put her nose on her chest and charge, but we’ve done a lot of playing around and she’s been so rideable now since the winter, so I can ask for more and more. Each competition this year she’s done a personal best.”
Nicola nevertheless adopts an unconventional warm-up with Bulana to prevent her becoming lit up by a “buzzy” collecting ring, working her early and putting her away until just 10 minutes or so before they compete.
When her saddle is off, it helps that
“Berry” can switch off completely. “She’s very professional — a good eater who likes to be fed first,” says Nicola.
Britain’s new performance coach Chris Bartle has been Nicola’s mentor for the past 15 years, so is it helpful that he now leads the team too?
“In a funny way, I probably do less with him — possibly because he’s trying to form partnerships with all the other riders and he knows me quite well,” says Nicola.
On the flat she’s worked with Ian
Woodhead for seven years and he came to final team training before Strezgom.
She’s full of praise for the atmosphere created by Chris and performance manager Dickie Waygood at Strezgom — “they really are a superb team” — and the course walk and briefings they ran for owners, but recognises the preparatory work laid down by their predecessor Yogi Breisner and his team too:
“It was the accumulation of years of hard work, support, training and advice.”
Now 40, Nicola shyly replies she’s “never really thought about that” when I enquire if children have ever been part of the Wilsons’ plans, though I bet they’ve at least mulled it over. With life so busy, and Nicola’s career thriving, perhaps they’re reluctant to change a successful formula.
Alastair’s dedication to what her owners called “Team Nic” is palpable. The pair have had only two holidays in 11 years of marriage.
“Alastair says his holiday is our time away at events,” says Nicola, more in admiration than total agreement, I sense. “I am so, so grateful for what he has set up for us here.”
As for many riders, life revolves around their sport, though Nicola also enjoys going running occasionally — “it’s good for my mind”. In fact, Nicola was on the British Pony Club tetrathlon team and once considered a career in modern pentathlon — “but I was rubbish at fencing”.
With Bulana only 11, a fantastic new base and some cracking young horses on the yard, thank goodness she stuck with eventing.