Golden girl Nicola gets Buzz from world glory

But once she was out there, "I felt as if I was living a dream," says Nicola Wilson.

Now she has a gold medal as proof that it was far from a dream. Winning team gold was a major achievement for British eventing – it was our first eventing world team title for 16 years.

Now back at home near Northallerton, Nicola has had chance to reflect on a week that she says was "fabulous from start to finish."

She adds: "If you can have fun in those situations,we did. All the horses went fabulously well, they travelled well and it's nice to come home with big smiles on our faces. Opposition Buzz did a super test and was fantastic in the jumping. It was very emotional for all concerned."

There was particular pressure on Nicola, who was first to go for the British team in each of the three phases. "I was the first rider of the entire competition into the dressage arena and he did a really nice test.

"I was delighted with how he went. It was a privilege and an honour to ride such a lovely horse cross-country and it was by far his best round to date. He wasn't as strong as he is sometimes and it felt perfect from start to finish. The fences were quite big but all fair with questions scattered throughout the course. That suited us and meant he could stay in a lovely rhythm all the way round."

The British team was in gold medal position after the cross-country but the pressure was on for the show-jumping, with Nicola again going first, as the scores were very close. Nicola and an exuberant Opposition Buzz went clear inside the time to finish on their dressage score of 51.2.

"He did get a bit keen in the show-jumping but he always tries so hard. I did look back at the screen to check our score and I was a little overwhelmed by then... it dawned on me that we had just jumped clear at the the World Equestrian Games and everyone was shouting and clapping."

Team-mates Mary King and Willam Fox-Pitt also jumped faultless rounds with Tina Cook's score not required to secure the team top spot. Fox-Pitt also won the individual silver medal.

There were major celebrations for all concerned afterwards and especially for Rosemary Search, who owns and bred Opposition Buzz.

The horse is having a well-earned rest and Nicola is also looking forward to a short break.

Britain finished the World Equestrian Games at the top of the final medal table with nine gold, seven silver and three bronze medals. There are plans for our riders to parade at Olympia in December in celebration of their success.

Daphne on course to boost Countryside Alliance cause

DAPHNE Bourne-Arton, a joint-master of the Bedale Hunt, is feeling jittery. After a sleepless night, she makes her debut tomorrow on a racecourse when she has her first ride in public on the well-fancied Ann Duffield-trained Hell's Angel at Newcastle's Countryside Raceday.

But when she lines up for the start of the 1.10pm – the Race for Repeal – she can at least be assured that few of the other eight jockeys in this contest have too much to shout about when it comes to prowess on the race track. Those riding are all masters of foxhounds or hunt staff from the north so, with a few exceptions, will have had scant experience.

Run over a mile and four furlongs, each runner will carry 12st 7lb so the lightest jockeys will have a distinct advantage. This is sure to help Daphne as, having been autumn hunting for the last two months, she is super-fit.

"I've also been riding out for Ann Duffield three mornings a week for six weeks – she and her ex-jockey husband, George, are Bedale subscribers and love their hunting – so I've had the best of tutors and a good laugh," she says.

The race is in aid of The Countryside Alliance and the jockeys are expecting to raise 1,000 each. Billed as a celebration of the countryside, the hope is to reinforce the links between hunting and horse racing, underlining the campaign by hunting's supporters for the repeal of the ban on hunting with dogs.

THE new Askham Bryan Horse Trials proved so successful it has already been decided that next year the event will be held over two days. Over 200 riders took part last weekend and college principal Liz Phillip said it exceeded all expectations. "We've had a fantastic number of compliments, particularly about the going in all three phases, which was great to hear," she said.

HOPE PASTURES Horse and Donkey Sanctuary in Weetwood, Leeds is holding a fund-raising open day tomorrow. The sanctuary, which relies on public donations, is home to 22 horses and ponies, a donkey and a mule. Visitors will be able to see them all and meet the staff. More information at www.hopepastures.org or call 0113 2614344.

CW 16/10/10