# What on earth? Michael Whitaker



## jules89 (31 July 2011)

what on earth happened I wonder!?

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/competitionnews/390/308948.html


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## Kadastorm (31 July 2011)

ooh... what could he have done? Breach of the peace maybe?


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## Ibblebibble (31 July 2011)

ohhh that's a bit rock and roll for old MW isn't it!!!!


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## Henry.Col (31 July 2011)

Life in the old dog yet


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## suzysparkle (31 July 2011)

A bit of info here...doesn't say much detail though.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jul/31/michael-whitaker-hotel-disturbance


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## HappyHorses:) (1 August 2011)

I think it was a game of 'knock down ginger' gone wrong


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## Twiglet (1 August 2011)

Very very odd. Can't imagine the owners would be best pleased!


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## Twiglet (1 August 2011)

What annoyed me is that the Metro newspaper so rarely prints anything equestrian in the sports pages yet THIS made it in!


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## Piglet (1 August 2011)

Wow how exciting, never knew he was such a rebel, p'raps he threw his telly out the window?


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## Doris68 (1 August 2011)

Perhaps alcohol was involved.......?!!


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## JanetGeorge (1 August 2011)

Or perhaps MW was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  The report said:  "it is understood that police were called to a hotel around 20 minutes north of Hickstead after a disturbance involving Whitaker and other hotel guests. They were not fellow riders."

Maybe the 'other hotel guests' started a fracas and MW was just caught up in the middle of it.  Maybe they took him on!  We don't know - so why assume  MW is to blame?


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## BBH (2 August 2011)

Theres a link on BS website saying he's apologised and is making a donation to charity.

The piece is very cringy actually makes for awkward reading IMO afterall he's not a schoolboy. Don't really understand why they had to put a statement out at all tbh, he had a ' moment ' so what we all do at some time.


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## sport horse (2 August 2011)

I have no idea what happened however the show jumpers do have a reputation, rightly or wrongly, for drinking heavily and 'rowdy' behaviour.

Michael Whitaker was part of Team GB this weekend and as such was representing his country and this would be for the whole show not just the actual Nations Cup. Perhaps we should celebrate the fact that the new regime behind the teams are instilling discipline and sending a clear message to the riders young and old that a certain standard of behaviour is expected for the good of the sport.

Michael is a  great rider,possibly the best in the world, and many youngsters would like to emulate him. He therefore has to set a good example to them and if in this instance he failed to do that, (I have no idea of the facts) it is good that he stands up and publicly apologises.

The sport needs much more sponsorship, owners, publicity (of a good nature) and it will be really hard to attract that type of support unless these types of stories are stamped out.


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## WandaMare (2 August 2011)

Storm in a teacup I reckon, not even newsworthy. I can't see how people can judge him without either being there or knowing the full details.


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## Polotone (2 August 2011)

I heard it was at the local pub round the corner from Hickstead


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