Nicola Wilson fulfilled a dream as she rode to a first international individual title and headlined a British clean sweep at the European Eventing Championships in Switzerland.
Wilson topped the all-British podium ahead of Piggy March and Sarah Bullimore, while the quartet of Wilson, March, Ros Canter and Kitty King beat defending champions Germany to also take team gold.
Riding JL Dublin, London 2012 Olympic team silver medallist Wilson finished on just 20.9 penalty points after a scintillating, faultless showjumping round with March in second on 23.3.
On Brookfield Inocent, March climbed from fourth after the cross-country phase to take silver, while Bullimore – riding as an individual rather than her score also contributing to the team event – claimed bronze on Corouet.
“It’s been a fantastic week for all of the Brits and to finish up there on the top is just a dream come true,” said Wilson.
“He (JL Dublin) is fabulous horse that his owners bought as a four-year-old and he’s been so exciting, all the way through the years.
“For him to come and do his first championship and finish at the top of the podium, I really am just pinching myself – but he really is a very, very special horse and he felt class in all three phases.”
Wilson and March’s individual one-two also formed the bedrock of British success in the team event, as they led all three phases to finish on 73.1 penalty points – more than 13 clear of Germany in silver, with Sweden taking bronze.
That team gold means GB are now the reigning Olympic, world and European champions, while the fact that an entirely different trio – Laura Collett, Tom McEwen and Oliver Townend – took gold at Tokyo 2020 earlier this summer, shows the depth of eventing talent in Great Britain.