“I am speechless (for the first time in my life!),” said former international event rider Nicola Wilson after being recognised in the 2025 King’s New Year Honours list.
The multi-medalled eventer, who is now a mentor and coach and gave a popular demo alongside Ros Canter and Laura Collett at last year’s Your Horse Live, has been awarded a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to sport.
In a post she shared on her Facebook page, Nicola added she is “shocked and unbelievably humbled” to have received the MBE.
“I have to say that when I got the letter I told my family but said it may be a joke and they mustn’t say anything until the announcement was made to see if my name was actually there,” continued Nicola.
“Then whilst teaching yesterday, the local paper rang and I thought with a nervous tummy, this isn’t a joke.
“What an incredible honour. I am grateful to you all for helping me along this sometimes challenging journey through life, but I feel incredibly lucky to have a life.”
Impressive career
Nicola was a stalwart of the British eventing team for many years, winning gold medals at the European Championships on three occasions, the World Equestrian Games in 2010 and a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games aboard the great Opposition Buzz.
With JL Dublin, Nicola was crowned individual European eventing champion at Avenches in 2021, while in 2017 she took home individual bronze at the European Championships in Strzegom riding Bulana.
The Yorkshire-based equestrian recorded numerous top 10 5* placings at Badminton, Burghley, Lexington and Pau, and won the CIC3* class at Blair Castle an impressive four times.
She also won the prestigious CCI4*S for eight- and nine-year-old horses class at Blenheim in 2021.
A cross-country fall at Badminton in 2022, in which she sustained multiple spinal fractures, ended her competitive career. After a lengthy rehabilitation process, she has forged a new vocation mentoring and coaching event riders and their horses.
Nicola’s husband Alastair was a part of the team that cycled from Blair Castle in Scotland to The Savoy in London, via several major horse trials settings in the UK, to raise money for Spinal Trust — the charity of which he is Patron — and British Eventing Support Trust.
The epic 1,100km journey, led by event rider Piggy March in memory of her sister-in-law Caroline, who died by suicide in March 2024, has raised just under £330k, including Gift Aid, to date.
Main image © Julie Harding/Your Horse Library.
