Andrew Nicholson (equestrian)

Last updated

Andrew Nicholson
Andrew Nicholson Nereo Staircase Badminton 2010.jpg
Andrew Nicholson and Nereo at the Staircase during the cross-country phase of Badminton Horse Trials 2010.
Medal record
Equestrian
Representing Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Olympic rings.svg
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1992 Barcelona Team eventing
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1996 Atlanta Team eventing
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2012 London Team eventing
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1990 Stockholm Team eventing
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Lexington Team eventing
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Lexington Individual eventing

Andrew Clifton Nicholson ONZM (born 1 August 1961 in Te Awamutu) is a New Zealand horseman who has competed at six Olympic Games (though selected for seven). Born and raised in the Waikato Nicholson moved to England in the 1980s to further his equestrian career. He currently works there as a horse trainer.

Contents

Nicholson's greatest success at international level has been in Three-Day Event teams. He won a gold medal at the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, a silver at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and a bronze at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, but he became infamous for his ride on Spinning Rhombus at Barcelona. With the New Zealand team having seven rails in hand to win the Gold medal, his horse knocked down nine rails, instead of withdrawing he kept the New Zealand team intact (his withdrawal would have instantly eliminated the entire team by dropping completing member numbers below the minimum required) to scoop the silver medal behind arch-rivals Australia. Nicholson competed at the 2010 WEG (world equestrian games) and received a bronze medal.

In the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours, Nicholson was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to equestrian sport. [1]

Nicholson and Mark Todd were the first New Zealanders to compete at six Olympic Games.

Nicholson's best individual results have been at Burghley which he has won five times on;

After winning Burghley 2012 it set off a winning streak for Nicholson going on to win;

He also won Badminton Horse Trials with Nereo in 2017, after 36 completions.

CCI 5* Results

Results
Event Kentucky Badminton Luhmühlen Burghley Pau Adelaide
199513th (Jagermeister II)
RET (Spinning Rhombus)
Gold medal icon.svg (Buckley Province)
19968th (Buckley Province)
12th (Cartoon II)
199732nd (Cartoon II)
199814th (Cartoon II)
40th (Jagermeister II)
Bronze medal icon.svg (Hinnegar)
8th (Merillion)
1999did not participate
2000Gold medal icon.svg (Mr Smiffy)
2001did not participate
20029th (New York)
10th (Mr Smiffy)
200311th (Fenicio)
13th (Mr Smiffy)
Bronze medal icon.svg (Lord Killinghurst)
2004Silver medal icon.svg (Lord Killinghurst)
22nd (Flush Banker)
Bronze medal icon.svg (Lord Killinghurst)
16th (Mr Smiffy)
20055th (Lord Killinghurst)
EL (Fenicio)
14th (Duddles)Bronze medal icon.svg (Lord Killinghurst)
8th (Duddles)
200614th (Lord Killinghurst)13th (Henry Tankerville)
20075th (Lord Killinghurst)
8th (Henry Tankerville)
4th (Lord Killinghurst)
RET (Silbury Hill)
6th (Ginger May Killinghurst)
2008RET (Armada)
RET (Silbury Hill)
8th (Armada)
RET (Muschamp Impala)
4th (Henry Tankerville)
EL (Muschamp Impala)
200923rd (Armada)21st (Armada)
EL (Nereo)
13th (Armada)
EL (Avebury)
201011th (Nereo)
27th (Avebury)
4th (Mr Cruise Control)
10th (Armada)
14th (Armada)
22nd (Avebury)
9th (Mr Cruise Control)
201110th (Avebury)
12th (Nereo)
10th (Armada)
14th (Mr Cruise Control)
Silver medal icon.svg (Nereo)
8th (Avebury)
Silver medal icon.svg (Mr Cruise Control)
23rd (Armada)
RET (Henry Tankerville)
20127th (Qwanza)
RET (Calico Joe)
4th (Calico Joe)
21st (Shady Grey)
26th (Mr Cruise Control)
Gold medal icon.svg (Avebury)
13th (Calico Joe)
Gold medal icon.svg (Nereo)
7th (Mr Cruise Control)
,
2013Gold medal icon.svg (Quimbo)
Bronze medal icon.svg (Calico Joe)
Bronze medal icon.svg (Nereo)
11th (Avebury)
Gold medal icon.svg (Mr Cruise Control)
6th (Rathmoyle King)
EL (Qwanza)
Gold medal icon.svg (Avebury)
Silver medal icon.svg (Nereo)
7th (Calico Joe)
5th (Mr Cruise Control)
26th (Quimbo)
RET (Viscount George)
201421st (Avebury)RET (Quimbo)
EL (Nereo)
Gold medal icon.svg (Avebury)
20156th (Nereo)
22nd (Calico Joe)
22nd (Qwanza)
20165th (Qwanza)
7th (Perfect Stranger)
Silver medal icon.svg (Nereo)
2017Gold medal icon.svg (Nereo)
12th (Qwanza)
19th (Teseo)8th (Nereo)
EL (Qwanza)
RET (Qwanza)
EL (Jet Set)
2018WD (Nereo)Bronze medal icon.svg (Swallow Springs)
WD (Jet Set)
20194th (Swallow Springs)
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

International championship results

Results
YearEventHorsePlacingNotes
1984Olympic GamesKahlua6thTeam
28thIndividual
1990World Equestrian GamesSpinning RhombusGold medal icon.svgTeam
4thIndividual
1992Olympic GamesSpinning RhombusSilver medal icon.svgTeam
16thIndividual
1994World Equestrian GamesJager Meister6thTeam
48thIndividual
1996Olympic GamesJager MeisterBronze medal icon.svgTeam
Buckley ProvinceELIndividual
1998World Equestrian GamesNew York5thIndividual
2002World Equestrian GamesFenicio5thTeam
9thIndividual
2003World Cup FinalFenicioSilver medal icon.svg
2003Asian Pacific GamesDuddlesSilver medal icon.svgTeam
9thIndividual
2004World Cup FinalFlush Banker14th
2004Olympic GamesFenicio5thTeam
60thIndividual
2006World Young Horse ChampionshipsArmada23rdCCI**
2006World Equestrian GamesLord Killinghurst6thTeam
23rdIndividual
2007World Young Horse ChampionshipsMr Cruise Control4thCCI*
Avebury4thCCI**
Nereo41stCCI**
2008World Young Horse ChampionshipsTristar II7thCCI*
Mr Cruise Control11thCCI**
2008World Cup FinalHenry Tankerville26th
2008Olympic GamesLord Killinghurst5thTeam
ELIndividual
2009World Young Horse ChampionshipsQwanza6thCCI*
Tristar II14thCCI**
2010World Young Horse ChampionshipsQuimboBronze medal icon.svgCCI**
Qwanza16thCCI**
2010World Equestrian GamesNereoBronze medal icon.svgTeam
Bronze medal icon.svgIndividual
2012Olympic GamesNereoBronze medal icon.svgTeam
4thIndividual
2013World Young Horse ChampionshipsJet SetSilver medal icon.svgCCI*
Tilikum13thCCI**
2014World Young Horse ChampionshipsSwallow Springs9thCCI*
Jet Set6thCCI**
2014World Equestrian GamesNereo14thTeam
8thIndividual
2017World Young Horse ChampionshipsAs Is7thCCI*
Yacabo BKBronze medal icon.svgCCI**
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

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References

  1. "Queen's Birthday honours list 2018". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.