Ambitious Wilson has her sights on 
being crowned Queen of Bramham

Wilson’s 30th-placed finish on Opposition Buzz at the four-star Badminton Horse Trials event has been backed up by impressive displays at Richmond and Chatsworth International.

And now Wilson is hoping to shine in the three-star showpiece at the Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials which take place between Thursday, June 6 and Sunday, June 9.

Olympic star Opposition Buzz is clearly the most recognised of Wilson’s team but come the second weekend in June the spotlight will fall on Bramham hopes Beltane Queen and Annie Clover.

Both have shown huge promise during the opening months of the 2013 campaign and Wilson is hoping the pair’s best results of all will come at Bramham, an event the world No 52 is desperate to win.

“Beltane Queen and Annie Clover are hopefully going to Bramham and that’s their big aim,” Wilson told the Yorkshire Post.

“We are very much looking forward to Bramham and we hope to do as well as possible there.

“I’ve always loved going to Bramham – it’s a Yorkshire, local event and we’ve had some great results there.

“I think we’ve had all placings bar the win so we need to try and keep doing better.”

Wilson was second at Bramham in 2009 on board Master Banks and the Northallerton rider’s 2013 hopefuls are approaching the summer in fine form, particularly Beltane Queen.

Beltane Queen was fourth in her three-star event at Chatsworth last weekend with Wilson believing her equine prospect is “showing signs of top class potential”.

Indeed, the Northallerton rider, who competes 11 horses at present, has been thrilled with her 2013 as a whole so far.

“I’ve been delighted with how all of the horses have been going,” said Wilson, whose Watermill Vision also won last weekend’s Open Intermediate at Richmond.

“They’ve all been incredibly consistent and we’ve had some lovely results.

“They are all stepping up a level and they are all going nicely so we just hope that the wheels stay on and we can continue in the way that we started.”

Next up comes this weekend’s trip to Floors Castle followed by a visit to Bishop Burton the following weekend.

The latter event will be just two weeks away from the eagerly-awaited outing at Bramham.

It is a busy schedule with Wilson looking to combine both notable success in 2013 with the development of the stars of tomorrow.

“We’re obviously only a small yard who are always thinking of the future,” said Wilson.

She added: “The one-day events that these horses have been doing at the moment are all about preparation.

“It’s all about getting them experience and getting them ready for the three-day events that come later on in the year.

“Hopefully they will be the future stars in years to come and now it’s about their education and their grounding – getting the basics and the foundations right really for the years to come.

“It takes a long time to get horses to top level.”

Also at that top level is Huddersfield’s world No 4 Oliver Townend who will be in action at the new event at Rockingham Castle this weekend. From there Townend will compete at Saumur in western France on May 21 and Tattersalls in Ireland on May 28 ahead of his bid for glory at Bramham.

Townend – who finished 34th at Badminton – was in decent form at Chatsworth International last weekend with Imperial Master and ODT Sonas Rovatio both filling CIC3* runners-up slots with Douglas in fourth. Townend’s Garrybritt Daisy also continued her run of form with a Novice win – the Chatsworth victor yet to finish out of the top five this season.

Townend’s Cooley Ramiro was also placed with Power Drive one place out of the ribbons in 11th spot.