“Show jumping isn’t as popular as its big brother Racing but it’s an equally exciting spectator sport.”
It seems young girls all over the world and celebrities from all spheres are fascinated by what will be the only animal involved in the Olympic Games. With London 2010 around the corner and the country’s young sports stars stepping into the limelight, it’s no wonder the equestrian world is creating a buzz that extends the industry. Aside from the famous faces of Leona Lewis, Madonna and Katie Price, who are all dedicated riders, it’s the young equestrian stars who will be hoping to make themselves a household name. And with such a wealth of talented riders in Great Britain, Olympic Gold in 2012 is a very achievable dream.
Ellen Whitaker
Equestrian events have been part of the Olympic Games since 1900 with show jumping being integral since 1912. One hundred years on, all eyes will be on the picturesque venue for the London Olympic Equestrian Games, Greenwich Park. With its natural rolling hills and tree lined features, it’s visually stunning and the stadium in front of the Queen’s House promises to be one of the finest settings ever seen in an Olympic Games. It will create a wonderful atmosphere which cannot fail to excite television producers, giving equestrianism the best possible chance when negotiating for precious air time. However, the main value of the site is that it places equestrian sport at the heart of London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Expected to be just 12 minutes from the main stadium and Olympic Village it will be at the Olympic hub for the first time in Games’ post-war history.
Sadly, gone are the days of Harvey Smith and David Broome making front page news. However, as show jumping continues to grow in the UK, national events are enjoying primetime coverage on the BBC and SKY Sports and new personalities are being portrayed. In order to develop equestrian sports and encourage more people to ride in the UK, it is very important that the nation can identify with these new personalities becoming idols for both the older & younger generation. The UK boasts some of the best riders in the world but do we really celebrate their success?
Within the British Showjumping association’s ranking list, the top ten positions host competitors who have experienced huge success and fame. With an average age of 51, John and Michael Whitaker, Nick Skelton, Robert Smith and Tim Stockdale all know how it feels to be at the ‘very top of your game’ and ‘achieving success for your country’, but outside of the equestrian world what recognition have they received?
Actively competing at top level and winning medals at 51 is a sporting achievement that takes some beating and isn’t replicated in most other sports, so why are these talented athletes unrecognised by the masses? Show jumping isn’t as popular as its big brother Racing but it’s an equally exciting spectator sport. With jumps twice the size of most Grand National fences, show jumping has its own infamous obstacles like Becher’s Brook, such as the crowd favourite Puissance wall. In the Puissance class riders face the daunting wall that stands at 1.8 meters in the first round (of which there are a maximum of five rounds). The record height for this class is, incredibly, 2.4 meters. To put this height in perspective, it’s slightly shorter than a telephone box, almost twice the height of Becher’s Brook and is more than a foot taller than Peter Crouch, an ostrich and a grandfather clock!
Introducing the young talent…
Interestingly, it’s the talented pool of GB youngsters, including several Whitaker offspring, that are currently making their mark on the national and international show jumping circuit. Three young riders in particular have already experienced great success and have their sights firmly set on the Olympics…
Ben Maher
Current No 1* show jumper in Great Britain, 25 year old Ben has achieved success from a young age. Following gold medal results with the GB Pony and Young Rider teams, Ben has represented his country on 13 occasions and his major achievements include being part of the 2009 European Championship Team and competing at the Beijing Olympics with Team GB in 2008.
Ben is available for interview via the British Open Press Office (see contact details below). A full biography and images are also available.
Robert WHITAKER
Robert Whitaker
Ranked 3rd* in the UK, 27 year old Robert is son of the legendary John Whitaker and has inherited his unique talent and style. Another successful Pony, Junior and Young Rider competitor, Robert claimed seven gold and one silver team medals, and an individual bronze medal in his early days. Robert then went on to represent his country on senior teams 19 times. In addition to his senior team success, Robert has won many illustrious individual titles including the British Open Show Jumping Championship title for a record three times (2003, 2008 and 2009).
Robert is available for interview via the British Open Press Office (see contact details below). A full biography and images are also available.
Ellen Whitaker
Currently ranked 9th on the British Showjumping ranking list, 24 year old Ellen has been aptly named the Golden Girl of show jumping with her talent, charm and endearing looks. The Maria Sharapova of show jumping knows no bounds where results are concerned and has an impressive CV of achievements. In her early days Ellen was part of the Junior silver winning team, fast forward and she has represented the British team on 15 occasions. Ellen was part of the senior European team that qualified Great Britain for the Beijing Olympics and only missed out on her Olympic place because of an injury to her horse.
*Information sourced from the current official British Showjumping ranking list – http://www.britishshowjumping.co.uk/rankings/lists/team-GBR
