Eventing champion in intensive care after Trials fall

A EUROPEAN individual eventing champion from North Yorkshire is in intensive care after falling from her horse during the Badminton Horse Trials.

Nicola Wilson, who is based in Northallerton, fell towards the end of her cross-country round with JL Dublin on Saturday.

British Equestrian (BE) said that she had suffered “several spinal fractures” but did not require surgery.

She was taken to Bristol’s Southmead Hospital where staff continue to work with the British Equestrian’s athlete health lead and chief medical officer.

In a statement BE said: “Nicola was taken to Southmead Hospital, where she has received outstanding care and attention from the expert team. Nicola is in intensive care, and will be for the next week or so.

“She is able to breathe independently and is talking. She sustained no head injury.

“There are several spinal fractures, but these are all stable and will not require any surgical intervention, but will be managed conservatively.

“Other acute symptoms from the trauma are being managed in intensive care by the specialists at Southmead.

“British Equestrian’s athlete health lead Ashleigh Wallace and chief medical officer Anna-Louise Mackinnon have been working with Nicola’s family and the team at Southmead to ensure all medical information is shared fully across the teams so that care and appropriate support is optimised.”

BE added that JL Dublin had returned to Wilson’s North Yorkshire base and appeared “none the worse” for his fall.

Wilson, 45, won European individual and team gold aboard JL Dublin in Switzerland last year. She was also a member of Great Britain’s silver medal-winning team at the London 2012 Olympics. Badminton cross-country action was watched by a crowd of more than 100,000 as the event returned following a three-year absence.