Eventing’s world number one Andrew Nicholson gets married

Andrew Nicholson and his long-term partner Wiggy Channer got married in the UK last weekend.

The couple live together near Marlborough in Wiltshire and have two young children, Lily and Zach, who both enjoy riding.

Andrew, 52, enjoyed a phenomenal 18 months of competition from September 2012 until the end of last season, winning four CCI4*s on four different horses (Burghley 2012 on Avebury, Pau 2012 on Nereo, Kentucky 2013 on Quimbo, Luhmühlen 2013 on Mr Cruise Control).

The New Zealander finished 2013 as the world number one, collecting a $50,000 (£30,575) bonus for leading the HSBC rankings. He also topped the British Eventing top 100 list — for the 15th time — and won the 2013 HSBC FEI Classics, collecting $150,000 (£94,000).

If Jock Paget is stripped of his Burghley title after the upcoming FEI tribunal into a failed dope test, Andrew is also in line to collect this first prize. Should this happen, the Barlows’ Avebury would become the first horse to win the autumn 4-star twice in a row.

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.