Biography

British rider Nicky Hill (33) who is based near Droitwich in Worcestershire last competed at Badminton in 2024 with MGH Bingo Boy albeit the combination did not complete. She competed at her first Badminton in 2019 gaining her first completion (18^th) with Bingo Boy and in 2023 the pair completed its second Burghley (20^th). He is her Badminton entry this year also.

Nicky comes from a non-horsey background but was determined to ride and began lessons at the age of four. She acquired her first pony, on loan, at the age of 12 and at the age of 18, in 2010, bought her first horse Thomas Wombat, formerly ridden by Louise Harwood (then Skelton) to two-star level, and began eventing.

After leaving school Nicky undertook a degree in biology and sport science at the University of Worcester combing her studies with riding. She now runs her own yard. Bingo Boy was acquired in 2016 and the pair was 4^th in their first CIC2* at Rockingham – just their fourth competition together. At the end of that year they completed the 8/9year-old class at Blenheim and were 14^th in the CCI2* at Osberton.

The following year (2017) the pair was selected to represent team GB in the CIC2* European championship in Belgium where they finished 9^th and won team silver. That year Nicky was third in the Mark Todd Bridging the Gap Scholarship and finished 2017 completing their first CCI3* at Blenheim and in 2018 completed their first four-star at Pau with a top 20 place.  Nicky has also competed in showjumping and in 2019 with Kilrodan Sailorette won the RIHS eventer challenge at Hickstead.

Nicky enjoys skiing in the winter and climbing in the summer. She trains with Richard Waygood and Karen Nicholas.

MGH Bingo Boy is an Irish-bred 17-year-old gelding of unrecorded breeding. He was imported into the UK by Padraig McCarthy and was competed to intermediate by Megan Cummings and was acquired by Nicky when a seven-year-old. She says, ‘Bing is a massive character – if there’s trouble on the yard you can guarantee it’s down to him’.