William Fox-Pitt
MBE
William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning, Badminton Horse Trials, 2015
Personal information
Full nameWilliam Speed Lane Fox-Pitt
Nationality Great Britain
DisciplineEventing
Born (1969-01-02) 2 January 1969 (age 55)
Hampstead, London, England
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Equestrian
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Team eventing
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team eventing
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing Team eventing
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Kentucky Team eventing
Silver medal – second place 2006 Aachen Team eventing
Silver medal – second place 2010 Kentucky Individual eventing
Silver medal – second place 2014 Normandy Team eventing
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Jerez Team eventing
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Normandy Individual eventing
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1995 Pratoni del Vivaro Team eventing
Gold medal – first place 1997 Burghley Team eventing
Gold medal – first place 2001 Pau Team eventing
Gold medal – first place 2003 Punchestown Team eventing
Gold medal – first place 2005 Blenheim Team eventing
Gold medal – first place 2009 Fontainbleau Team eventing
Silver medal – second place 1997 Burghley Individual eventing
Silver medal – second place 2005 Blenheim Individual eventing
Silver medal – second place 2015 Blair Castle Team eventing
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Luhmuhlen Team eventing
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Malmö Individual Eventing

William Speed Lane Fox-Pitt MBE[1] (born 2 January 1969) is an English equestrian who competes in eventing. His career highlights include winning three Olympic medals in the team event, with silver in 2004 and 2012, and bronze in 2008.[2] At the World Equestrian Games, he won team gold and individual silver in 2010, and team silver and individual bronze in 2014. He also won World team medals in 2002 and 2006. At the European Championships, he has won six team gold medals, as well as Individual silver in 1997 and 2005, and Individual bronze in 2013. He is the recordman CCI*****'s winner with 14 grand slam titles. In 2011, he became the first rider to win five different five-star events,[3] having won the Burghley Horse Trials a record six times (1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011), Rolex Kentucky three times (2010, 2012, 2014), Stars of Pau twice (2011, 2013), the Badminton Horse Trials twice (2004, 2015), and the Luhmühlen Horse Trials once (2008). A serious fall in 2015 left him in a coma for two weeks, but he came back to make the British eventing team and attend the 2016 Summer Olympics. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2018 Birthday Honours.[4]

Family background and education

Fox-Pitt was born in Hampstead, the eldest son of William Oliver Lane Fox-Pitt (1932-2012, known as Oliver) and Marietta Speed. His father competed in many sports, and in addition had a career in the city, founding an investment bank now known as Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Waller.[5] Oliver and Marietta were both equestrian competitors, riding at Badminton and Burghley, and his siblings have been very successful as well.[6] His paternal grandfather was Major-General "Billy" Fox-Pitt DSO MC a Dorset landowner who served in both World Wars and was a founding officer of the Welsh Guards.[7][8]

Fox-Pitt was educated at Wellesley House School in Kent, Eton College and the Goldsmiths, University of London.[9]

Fox-Pitt began riding at age four. At 13, he stopped riding because he feared he would be bullied by his peers.

He is married to former eventer and current ITV Racing presenter Alice Plunkett. They have four children.[10]

Sporting career

He is the recordman of CCI*****'s winner with 14 titles. He is also the only rider to have won 5 out of the six CCI*****'s having won Burghley (1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011), Badminton (2004 & 2015), Pau (2011, 2013), Kentucky (2010, 2012, 2014) and Luhmuhlen (2008). He holds the record for the most wins (six) at the Burghley Horse Trials;[11] William's victories coming in 1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011. Additional major wins have been at the Badminton Horse Trials in 2004 and again in 2015, at Gatcombe Park in 1995, 2000, 2003 and 2005. Team golds in European Championships in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009. He took individual silver at the 1997 Europeans, team bronze at the 2002 and 2011 Europeans, individual silver at the 2005 Europeans, team silver at the 2006 Aachen World Equestrian Games, team silver at the 2021 Nations Cup in Boekelo, team gold at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, individual bronze at the 2013 Europeans, team silver and individual bronze at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, and team silver at the 2015 Europeans. He also represented Great Britain at the (1996 Summer Olympics/Atlanta), (2004 Summer Olympics/Athens), (2008 Summer Olympics/Beijing), (2012 Summer Olympics/London) and (2016 Summer Olympics/Rio), winning team silver in Athens, team bronze in Beijing and team silver in London. In 2006 he was ranked the leading rider in Britain for the sixth year running and 2nd in the world, and as of 2014 he was ranked 1st in the world.

William is married to Channel 4 Racing presenter Alice Plunkett. They have two sons; Oliver (born in August 2005) and Thomas (born 15 November 2006), and two daughters; Chloe (born October 2012) and Emily (born September 2014). William is a regular columnist in the weekly equestrian magazine, Horse & Hound.

In the eventing world, one of his best known partnerships is with the horse Tamarillo.

In October 2015, a fall at a competition in France left him in a coma for two weeks. After regaining consciousness, he had initial trouble with blindness and then double vision, but was ultimately able to earn a spot on the British team for the 2016 Olympics and returned to international competition with the stallion Chilli Morning.[12] He was the only remaining member of the 2012 team who won silver in London 2012.[13]

Career highlights

William Fox-Pitt and Idalgo at the Hillside during the cross-country phase of Badminton Horse Trials 2009.
William Fox Pitt and Before Time at the Ice Pond during the cross-country phase of the CIC*** (Section K) competition at Chatsworth International Horse Trials 2013.

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1990

1989

1988

1987

1985

Partial CCI5* Results

Results
Event Kentucky (USA)

late April

Badminton (UK)

early May

Luhmühlen (Germany)

June

Burghley (UK)

early September

Maryland (USA)

mid-October

Pau (France)

late October

Adelaide (Australia)

early November

1993 7th (Chaka) Event first

held in 2021

1994 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Chaka)
1997 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Cosmopolitan II)
2001 9th (Springleaze Macaroo)
2002 4th (Stunning) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Tamarillo) 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Highland Lad)7th (Moon Man)
2003 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Moon Man) 22nd (Highland Lad) 28th (Ballin Coola)
2004 4th (Ballin Coola)11th (Coastal Ties) 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Tamarillo) 11th (Ballin Coola)
2005 2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Tamarillo)RET (Ballin Coola) 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Ballin Coola)
2006 RET (Mr Dumbledore)

EL (Coup De Coeur)

9th (Ballin Coola)

WD (Tamarillo)

11th (Birthday Night) 6th (Ballin Coola)

19th (Idalgo Du Donjon)

2007 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Parkmore Ed)5th (Ballin Coola)
2008 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Ballin Coola)18th (Tamarillo) 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Macchiato) 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Tamarillo)2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Ballin Coola) 11th (Idalgo Du Donjon)
2009 6th (Seacookie TSF)23rd (Navigator) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Idalgo Du Donjon)5th (Macchiato) 8th (Seacookie TSF)RET (Macchiato) 17th (Macchiato)
2010 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Cool Mountain) 34th (Macchiato)

WD (Seacookie TSF)

2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Seacookie TSF)6th (Macchiato) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Navigator)
2011 4th (Neuf Des Coeurs) 13th (Cool Mountain)

15th (Navigator)

9th (Macchiato) 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Parklane Hawk)

18th (Neuf Des Coeurs)

1st place, gold medalist(s) (Oslo)

3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Lionheart)

25th (Macchiato)

2012 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Parklane Hawk) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Parklane Hawk)

RET (Seacookie TSF)

4th (Bay My Hero)5th (Chilli Morning)
2013 2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Seacookie TSF)

RET (Chilli Morning)

5th (Parklane Hawk)52rd (Oslo) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Neuf Des Coeurs)

4th (Lionheart)

3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Parklane Hawk)

RET (Neuf Des Coeurs)

1st place, gold medalist(s) (Seacookie TSF)

3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (Cool Mountain)

15th (Neuf Des Coeurs)

2014 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Bay My Hero)

9th (Seacookie TSF)

EL (Parklane Hawk)

WD (Cool Mountain)

WD (Cool Mountain) 4th (Bay My Hero) WD (Parklane Hawk)

RET (Seacookie TSF)

2015 4th (Bay My Hero) 1st place, gold medalist(s) (Chilli Morning) 10th (Fernhill Pimms)
2016-17 Did Not Participate
2018 RET (Fernhill Pimms) Event first

held in 2021

EL (Little Fire)
2019 8th (Little Fire)

12th (Oratorio)

2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 Cancelled due to COVID-19 Cancelled due to COVID-19 Cancelled due to COVID-19 Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021 EL (Oratorio) Cancelled due to COVID-19 Cancelled due to COVID-19

("replaced" by Bicton 5*:

RET (Oratorio II))

22th (Little Fire)

27th (Oratorio)

Cancelled due to COVID-19
2022 13th (Little Fire)

14th (Oratorio)

RET (Oratorio)
2023 14th (Grafennacht) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) (Grafennacht)
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

International Championship results

Results
Year Event Horse Placing Notes
1987 European Junior Championships Steadfast 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Individual
1989 European Young Rider Championships Steadfast 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Team
4th Individual
1990 European Young Rider Championships Steadfast 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
4th Individual
1995 European Championships Cosmopolitan II 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
5th Individual
1996 Olympic Games Cosmopolitan II 5th Team
1997 European Championships Cosmopolitan II 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Individual
2001 European Championships Stunning 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
6th Individual
2002 World Equestrian Games Tamarillo 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Team
14th Individual
2003 European Championships Moon Man 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
8th Individual
2004 Olympic Games Tamarillo 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Team
RET Individual
2004 World Young Horse Championships Gidran Sohaj 18th CCI**
Jass de la Fosse 22nd CCI**
2005 World Cup Final Ballin Coola 4th
2005 European Championships Tamarillo 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Individual
2006 World Equestrian Games Tamarillo 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Team
15th Individual
2006 World Young Horse Championships Chuckelberry WD CCI**
2008 World Cup Final Kaleidoscope RET
2008 Olympic Games Parkmore ED 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Team
12th Individual
2008 World Young Horse Championships Oslo 1st place, gold medalist(s) CCI*
Neuf des Coeurs 12th CCI**
2009 European Championships Idalgo du Donjon 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
4th Individual
2009 World Young Horse Championships Oslo 2nd place, silver medalist(s) CCI**
2010 World Equestrian Games Cool Mountain 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Individual
2010 World Young Horse Championships Fernhill Highlight 4th CCI**
Bay My Hero 6th CCI**
2011 European Championships Cool Mountain 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Team
7th Individual
2012 Olympic Games Lionheart 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Team
27th Individual
2013 European Championships Chilli Morning 6th Team
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Individual
2013 World Young Horse Championships Top Baits WD CCI*
Luxury F H WD CCI**
Henton For Fun WD CCI**
2014 World Equestrian Games Chilli Morning 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Team
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Individual
2015 European Championships Bay My Hero 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Team
RET Individual
2015 World Young Horse Championships Reinstated EL CCI**
The Soapdodger WD CCI**
2016 Olympic Games Chilli Morning 5th Team
12th Individual
2019 World Young Horse Championships Grafennacht 4th CCI***
2021 FEI Nations Cup Grafennacht 2nd CCI****
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

Gallery

William Fox-Pitt on Idalgo clears the Cottesmore Leap at Burghley Horse Trials, 2006

References

  1. ^ "Birthday Honours 2018 - the Prime Minister's list" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk.
  2. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "William Fox-Pitt Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  3. ^ "William Fox-Pitt wins Pau, but Mary King takes HSBC FEI Classics". Horse and Hound. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  4. ^ "No. 62310". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 2018. p. B20.
  5. ^ "Oliver Fox-Pitt". The Telegraph. London. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  6. ^ Fox-Pitt, William. What will be: The autobiography. ISBN 978-1-4072-2334-6.
  7. ^ "Oliver Fox-Pitt". The Telegraph. London. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  8. ^ "William Fox-Pitt Survived Gunshot Wound and Pneumonia". Merseyside at War 1914 - 1918. Liverpool John Moores University. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  9. ^ Lacey, Hester. "The Inventory: William Fox-Pitt". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  10. ^ "I Love My Hunting: Alice Fox-Pitt". The Master's Voice (26). March 2011. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  11. ^ "Fifth Burghley crown for Fox-Pitt". BBC Sport. 7 September 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
  12. ^ Staff (6 August 2016). "Fox-Pitt Leads Early in Olympic Eventing". Blood-Horse. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Oliver Fox-Pitt". The Telegraph. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.

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