William's Profile
Born in 1969 and having ridden from a young age, William started eventing at the age of 15. Encouraged by his parents, both of whom completed Badminton and Burghley, he represented Britain throughout his teens, winning individual Silver at the Junior Europeans in 1987, Young Rider Team Gold medals in successive European Championships in 1988 and 1989 and completing Badminton himself at the age of 20. His first Burghley win five years later established him as a regular on the senior British Team and guaranteed him a ticket to the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
William was the first British rider to become eventing’s World No 1, a distinction he achieved in 2002 and again in 2009 & 2010. He has represented his country consistently over the past 15 years, winning team Silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, team Bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, team Bronze at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, team Silver at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, team Gold and individual Silver at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. He has won seven team Gold medals at the European Championships and has been the British No 1 nine times.
He is the only rider to have won five out of the six CCI****’s worldwide having won Burghley (1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011), Badminton (2004), Luhmulen (2008), Rolex Kentucky (2010) and Pau (2011). He has won the HSBC FEI Classics, a series linking the top six Three-Day Events in the world, twice (2008 & 2010) and finished second in 2011.
In 2011 William became the first rider to win a record six Burghley titles (on six different horses) and became one of the first riders to ever win a CCI*, CCI** and CCI*** at the same event on the same day - a feat acheived at Tattersalls, Ireland.
William has won an unprecedented 10 CCI****'s, 46 CCI three-day events and 21 CIC one-day events. His achievements in the sport make him one of the most successful British event riders of all time.
In 2003 William and his wife, Channel 4 Racing presenter Alice Plunkett, began the development of a 28 stable state of the art training centre in Hinton St Mary, Dorset. In 2005 everything was complete and Wood Lane Stables has been home to Fox-Pitt Eventing ever since. With the facilities needed to produce a top class team of horses all eyes are now on London 2012 and with three horses qualified William has one of the strongest contingents in the country.
His involvement in eventing goes beyond just being a rider. He is a Board Director for the Event Riders Association and has written two books; Schooling For Success and the autobiography What Will Be. William is also Vice President for the Dorset County RDA.
William, Alice and their two young sons, Oliver (5yrs) and Thomas (4yrs), live in the village with two lurchers (Molly and Turtle), a cat (Puddypuds) and a menagerie of rare breed chickens. Apart from eventing full time William enjoys spending time with his family, the boys are particularly keen on fishing , the nearby river Stour is popular and it is something which Alice and William are becoming more fond of!
