SHE boasts a silver medal from the Olympics, and gold and bronze medals from the European Championships. Now North Yorkshire three-day eventer Nicola Wilson is targeting next year’s World Championships in the United States to try to complete the set.

Wilson, who is based at Morton-on-Swale, near Northallerton, was the star of the British team at this month’s European Eventing Championships in Poland.

Riding her new stable star, Bulana, she was sitting in fourth position in the individual rankings as she tackled the show-jumping discipline on the final day.

A polished display took her into third spot, securing an individual bronze medal and helping the British team claim their first team gold since 2009.

Having won a team silver at the London Olympics on Opposition Buzz, Wilson knows what it takes to succeed at World level. And with Bulana having made giant strides in the last 12 months, the 40-year-old rider is confident her mare is capable of taking on the very best.

“Bulana is of a good age and, looking forward to next year’s World Championships, it would be lovely to think that she’s put in a good enough performance to attract the attention for the selectors for next year,” said Wilson. “I always dream of being on teams – it’s what drives me day in, day out, and going to championships and being competitive and successful.

“She’s come out of the Europeans as if she’s done nothing. To look at her, you wouldn’t have thought she had travelled all the way to Poland and back for a three-day event, she looks superb.

“It was a very proud moment, and I’m just so delighted for James and Jo Lambert, who own Bulana. They have a very special horse, and Bulana and I have a very special partnership.”

Wilson has returned to her North Yorkshire base after triumphing in Poland, and can reflect on a hugely-successful season that has also seen her rise to her highest position in the individual world rankings.

While Opposition Buzz was regarded as a cross-country specialist, often ‘pathfinding’ for the rest of the team, Bulana is more of an all-rounder, with her dressage scores having improved markedly since the start of the year.

Wilson went last in both the cross-country and show-jumping at the Europeans, and handled the pressure superbly as she delivered for the British team.

“I’m still pinching myself but I’m thrilled and over the moon,” she said. “There are so many people to thank, there are so many people who have made this possible.

“Every rider knew what they had to do, everybody was very focused and it was nice to come out on top.

“It’s very special. This is my first individual medal, and I’ve been lucky enough to be part of the British team for a number of years. To go last for the team this year, after many years being the pathfinder, was so exciting.

“There was an awful lot of waiting around – waiting for the dressage and cross country, and fortunately still waiting for the show jumping.

“I had plenty practise of waiting, but it was important to just stay in my own little bubble and have confidence in the feeling that Bulana was giving me. Every time I worked her, she felt really good, and we had confidence and belief in each other that we could do it.”

Prior to competing in Poland, Wilson had been set to line up in this weekend’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials on One Too Many.

Her plans have changed as a result of her success at the Europeans, and as well as targeting next year’s World Championships, which take place in North Carolina next September, she is also well placed to challenge for a place on the Team GB squad for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

“I love Burghley Horse Trials, they were my first four-star event I competed in all those years back with Mr Bumble when we were tenth,” said Wilson. “It’s a very exciting competition for me, and it’s a great shame not to be there this year, but hopefully I’ll be there in years to come.”


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PAT McCORMACK’S hopes of a medal at the World Boxing Championships were dashed when he suffered a quarter-final defeat to Uzbekistan’s Shakhram Giyasov.

The Birtley welterweight had seen off Brazilian Jhonathan de Oliveira and Greece’s Alexandros Tsanikidis, but was unable to keep his run going to claim a medal.

McCormack looked to have edged an extremely close bout, but the judges awarded the decision to Giyasov, who won a silver medal at last year’s Olympic Games in Rio.

McCormack’s defeat means all three Birtley boxers on the GB squad have been beaten before the semi-final stage.

Callum French suffered an another narrow defeat to Ukrainian Iurii Shestak, while Pat McCormack’s twin brother, Luke, was beaten by German light-welterweight Artem Harutyunyan.

Britain are guaranteed at least one medal in Hamburg, with Peter McGrail having made it through to the last four at bantamweight.

Liverpool’s McGrail, who is the reigning European champion, saw off Leonel De Los Santos of the Dominican Republic 4-1.


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KAT DRISCOLL will turn her attention to next month’s British Trampoline Championships in Liverpool after making her return to international action at a World Cup event in Belarus last weekend.

Driscoll, who is based in West Rainton and a member of the Apollo Trampoline Club in Washington, has not been in action since making the final at last year’s Olympics in Rio.

She finished 31st in the qualifying event as she eased herself back into action in Minsk, and was not involved in the individual final.

“Not quite the competition I was ready for,” tweeted Driscoll. “Gave it my all – lots to take home from here. Loved being out there again, but hungry for more.”

In the men’s event, Britain’s Nathan Bailey claimed the silver medal as he scored 59.165 in the final to finish behind Belarussian Olympic champion Uladzislau Hancharou. Bailey teamed up with Luke Strong to finish fifth in the men’s synchro.