| Nicknames |
Willy, Will (hickstead-admin.co.uk, 02 May 2019; themixedzone.co.uk, 24 Sep 2015) |
| Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning gold in the team event at the 2013 European Championships in Herning, Denmark, and winning the Hickstead Derby in England. (jumpernews.com, 16 Jul 2021) |
| Hero / Idol |
British jumper John Whitaker. (jumpernews.com, 16 Jul 2021) |
| Injuries |
In June 2021 he broke his ankle at the Nations Cup event in Sopot, Poland, when he fell after his horse crashed through a fence. He returned to competition in November 2021. (horseandhound.co.uk, 11 Nov 2021, 21 Jun 2021) |
| Sporting philosophy / motto |
"If the basics are right, then the rest comes together. A lot of the time we overlook the simple things." (jumpernews.com, 16 Jul 2021) |
| Awards and honours |
He and his wife Pippa were the first husband and wife to both be inducted into the British Horse Society Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2014, while Pippa became a member in 2005. (horseandcountry.tv, 08 Dec 2014) |
| Famous relatives |
His wife Pippa competed in eventing at the Olympic Games in 2000, 2004, and 2016, winning a total of two silver medals and one bronze medal. (horseyhooves.com, 10 Apr 2021; horseandhound.co.uk, 10 Nov 2017; SportsDeskOnline, 09 Aug 2016) |
| Ambitions |
To compete at the Olympic Games, and to breed horses capable of winning Olympic medals. (jumpernews.com, 16 Jul 2021) |
| Other information |
STABLES
He runs the Billy Stud near Dorking, England, with his wife Pippa and horse breeder Donal Barnwell. "Of course we dream [the horses] will all be grand prix horses, and we hope our hit rate keeps getting better every year, but it's a learning curve and we'll still be learning the day before we die." (Facebook team page, 22 Feb 2023; thebillystud.co.uk, 08 Oct 2022; heelsdownmag.com, 19 Sep 2019)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
He and his wife Pippa have both served as vice president of the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund. The charity is in memory of a rider who died as a result of an accident at the 1988 Burghley Horse Trials in England. William has also served on the committee of the London International Horse Show and helped organise the competition in December 2022. (horseandhound.co.uk, 20 Dec 2022; mdirf.co.uk, 05 Feb 2019) |
FEI Database
www.thebillystud.co.uk/ 
www.facebook.com/william.funnell.75 
twitter.com/TheBillyStud 
instagram.com/thebillystud 
www.youtube.com/channel/UCVEefzYlclp5PSlHo2M-_fw 
