Spencer Wilton

Spencer Wilton is a British Olympic dressage rider, who won a silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Spencer Wilton was born on 1 February 1973 in Suffolk. He was a member of the Essex and Suffolk branch of the Pony Club, and his first love was eventing. He rode as an individual at the pony European Eventing Championships, then left school to become a working pupil for Ruth McMullen, Lucinda Green and Mark Todd.

However, after meeting dressage Olympian Carl Hester, he made a discipline switch to dressage. Spencer Wilton and Carl Hester spent 13 years working together, as well as spending time as a couple during this period.

Spencer won his first national dressage title in 1999 riding Fantastic Elastic. He went on to win a total of 13 national championships including the prestigious title of national dressage champion with his first grand prix horse Dolendo in 2007. Spencer and Dolendo also competed successfully on the international grand prix circuit that year.

In 2013, Spencer made his international debut with Jen Goodman’s De Niro x Weltmeyer gelding Super Nova II, known at home as Neville. The pair moved up to grand prix a year later, and have since become one of Britain’s most successful grand prix combinations.

Spencer and Neville were selected to represent Britain at the Rio Olympics in 2016, winning team silver alongside Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester and Fiona Bigwood. The following year they helped Britain finish fourth at the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. They were selected for the British team for the third year running in 2018, winning team bronze at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA. 

In 2019 Spencer underwent surgery for a ruptured disc in his lower back, having already decided to withdraw Neville from team contention that year. 

The pair made their long-awaited comeback in early 2020, scoring four consecutive wins at Lier  CDI3* and Keysoe CDI3* as they sought a place on the British team for the Tokyo Olympics. After the postponement of the Olympics, Spencer gave Neville an easy year in order to target the Olympics in 2021 with the now 18-year-old gelding. 

Spencer is married to fellow dressage rider Darren Hicks, having tied the knot in December 2018. In 2020, the pair relocated from Berkshire to Gloucestershire, and are now based together at The Cotswold Club Equestrian.