Posted: 15th June 2015 | Back to news feed
John Whitaker's remarkable longevity as one of showjumping's all-time greats is underlined by the astounding fact that when he won an Olympic silver medal in Los Angeles 31 years ago, current world number one Scott Brash was not even born.
And while Brash is currently at the peak of his powers, 59-year-old Whitaker also continues to thrive among the showjumping elite, with this summer's European Championships and the 2016 Rio Olympics both possible achievable targets for the affable Yorkshireman.
Next week's Ashford Farm CSI**** Bolesworth International will see both riders feature among a stellar cast assembled for an epic four-day production in the stunning grounds of Bolesworth Castle, and spectators should expect a real treat.
"First of all, Scott is a great rider," said Whitaker, who has 19 major medals in a collection that he began to assemble at the 1982 World Championships.
"He is also a great horseman and is very cool and calculated. He knows what he has to do to win, without doing too much, if you know what I mean. He's very gifted in that respect. Scott has a team of top horses, and he is flying. He just doesn't crack under pressure."
London 2012 Olympic team gold medallist Brash's partnership with Hello Sanctos is among the greatest showjumping has ever seen, with their roll of honour also including successive Longines Global Champions Tour crowns and two European Championship medals, while back-to-back grand prix wins in Geneva and Aachen mean the Rolex Grand Slam and its 1 million Euros jackpot could be won at Spruce Meadows later this year.
Whitaker is full of admiration for such magnificent achievements, but his own form continues to stack up, highlighted by a thrilling Hong Kong Grand Prix victory earlier this year with Argento and a vintage Nations Cup performance in Rome last month when his double clear on the same horse secured silverware for Great Britain.
"I am having a good year," he said. "I am still enjoying it, and I can still beat them on my day! I am glad I can still do it at my age.
"We will see how it turns out. The Europeans are very important this year for the British team in terms of Olympic qualification, and Di Lampard (Great Britain chef d'equipe) has had a really good start, with two Nations Cup wins and a second place at Lummen."
This year's Bolesworth International - from June 18-21 - will run for the first time at four-star level, and Whitaker added: "It is a super show. The arena is fantastic, and the setting with the castle in the background is spectacular. We are short of top-class shows in this country, especially in the north, so the whole Bolesworth team deserve huge credit."
Whitaker will be joined by his son Robert and nephew William at Bolesworth, along with their fellow Nations Cup performers Spencer Roe and Holly Gillott, in addition to the ultra-consistent Laura Renwick and Dan Nielson.
A strong Irish representation, meanwhile, includes London 2012 individual bronze medallist Cian O'Connor, recently-crowned Royal Windsor grand prix champion Dermot Lennon, last year's Hickstead Derby winner Trevor Breen, his brother Shane and their fellow global stars Billy Twomey and Cameron Hanley.
And considerable anticipation surrounds a mouthwatering overseas challenge, headed by Australia's Edwina Tops-Alexander, Americans Lauren Hough and Laura Kraut, young Belgian star Jos Verlooy, Italian Luca Moneta, Swedish challengers Angelica Augustsson and Angelie von Essen, plus Colombia's Daniel Bluman.
With more than £250,000 in prize money on offer, visitors to Bolesworth can expect to witness world-class showjumping at the sport's elite level, while a number of two-star classes also feature on an exciting Bolesworth schedule, together with national and amateur competitions.
For more information go to www.bolesworthinternational.com
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