The Yorkshire showjumping family eyeing success on the biggest stage

A family considered by some the most successful in sport comprise 60 per cent of the British showjumping team this weekend. Stuart Minting reports.

Following a string of remarkable results, four of the five GB riders challenging this weekend at the CSIO5* Agria Nations Cup of Ireland, are Yorkshiremen.

What’s even more extraordinary is that three of them are members of the same family.

The competition at the Royal Dublin Society, is set to feature Britons Tim Gredley, from Newmarket and Matthew Sampson, who hails from Sheffield, who have been selected alongside three key figures in the Whitaker equestrian dynasty.

Following his triumph at the Great Yorkshire Show’s Cock O’ The North last month, Upper Cumberworth rider John Whitaker, was celebrating his 71st birthday this week by competing at the top international event with the 18-year-old bay gelding Equine America Unick du Francport.

With some 3,221 starts, John can now count more than 100 wins, including the 1989 European Championships.

His selection comes more than a quarter of a century after he became ill and collapsed prior to a show in Stockholm with a suspected brain haemorrhage and needed emergency surgery.

Meanwhile, his son, Robert, 43, will form a combination with the 13-year-old black stallion Equine America Vermento, the pair having last month made history with a third King George V Gold Cup in four years in the final day of action at the Agria Royal International Horse Show.

Last and not least will be John’s nephew, William, from Huddersfield, who has been selected with the 11-year-old bay mare Millfield Quickstep, weeks after ending a 10-year wait for a second Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby title.

Recent weeks have also seen the combination claim third in the 4* 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier at the Longines EEF Series in Sopot, Poland.

Speaking from Dublin ahead the tournament, William said: “Growing up my uncles John and Michael were always my biggest idols, so to be competing on teams with John is something you don’t really think about so much because he’s my uncle.

"But when you sit down and think about it and what I used to be like as a young kid, re-enacting their every move – I used to go to Olympia every year, that was our family Christmas treat to watch John and MIchael – it’s a pretty surreal feeling really.”

He said winning the Hickstead Derby had represented a “huge relief” during a whirlwind season.

William said: “I seem to be here, there and everywhere at the moment, but it’s what we work for and it’s great to be given the opportunities to compete at these fantastic venues.

"When you’re producing horses like we do it’s always the dream to have one that’s good enough to jump at this level. The thing is it takes years.

"The horse that I’ve got here in Dublin, Millfield Quickstep, I started riding her at the beginning of her seven-year-old year and now she’s 11.

"Each year you step up a little bit with the goal to get to this level, but there’s so many stumbling blocks along the way.

"So when everything goes to plan it’s great for everyone involved to get paid back for the hard work over the years, whether that’s me, my family, the people that work with us or the owners.”

With good form behind her, William, who began riding aged six, said his team were focused on keeping Millfield Quickstep healthy and happy.

He said: "She’s just stepped up to the 5* level, but obviously along that way she’s had some fantastic results as well, including a Grand Prix in Belgium and Cock O The North last year.”

The trio of Whitakers are among 12 family members competing on the international circuit, while a further nine family members are competing at junior levels.

“It’s fantastic”, said William. “If I wasn’t from a family that was into horses as well I don’t think I’d ever see anybody!”

William then animatedly talks about his relatives’ successes. He adds: "These shows, fantastic as they are, can be tough at times. If things aren’t quite going to plan.

"We are competing at the highest level, so it’s always a comforting feeling knowing you have got family members around if you need them.

"We all look out for each other. I think as we are all in the same job we appreciate how tough it is.”

Although it is top level sport with potential investments riding on results for many competitors, William says elite showjumping riders work collaboratively to a point.

He said: “For me, I don’t feel like it is me against the other competitors as such, whereas it might be in other sports. It’s us against the course if you like. Often we’ll walk the course together and discuss plans.

"If it’s a jump-off we’ll watch what route the other riders take and feed that back to the collecting ring so the other guys know exactly what they’re doing when they go in. I find that a big help.”