It’s been 16 years since John Whitaker represented Great Britain at a showjumping World Championships – his last appearance came with the great Peppermill at the 2006 World Equestrian Games.
Remarkably, John is also the last British showjumper to win an individual World Championship medal, which came in Stockholm in 1990 with the unforgettable Milton.
But John, who turns 67 next Friday (5 August), has once again been picked, this time with his top horse Equine America Unick Du Francport, to represent Great Britain at this year’s showjumping World Championships in Herning, Denmark, as the travelling reserve. He joins Ben Maher (Explosion W), Joe Stockdale (Equine America Cacharel), Scott Brash (Hello Jefferson) and Harry Charles (Romeo 88) on the squad.
“I’m excited to be on the team but a bit disappointed not to be on the final four because Unick has been jumping really well this year, just not as good as he can,” says John, whose last championship was the Rio Olympics in 2016. “I felt Unick was always going to be just in or just out of the team.”
John Whitaker: ‘I don’t like to make excuses’
On their final Nations Cup performance at Aachen in the run-up to the world championship team announcement, John and Unick jumped for four and nine faults – a misunderstanding at the water jump in their second round proving pivotal.
“Although Aachen wasn’t a disaster by any means, it wasn’t just as good as I’d hoped for,” says John. “The first round in the Nations Cup was really good, very unlucky, then the second round is a bit of a mystery – he just jumped in the water and that unsettled him a bit.
“He’s always been a really good water jumper – confident and safe – so I don’t quite know what happened there. I don’t like to make excuses, but on this occasion I have to put it down to the lights because it was just a weird thing. I felt I had an even better stride in the second round than the first round and he just popped over the bush and landed straight in the water. That shocked him, and it shocked me as well! So many horses tip up after doing that. I just thought I have to pull myself together quickly. So I have to put it down to the lights and a one-off thing hopefully.”
The pair competed at Great Yorkshire the following week where Unick remained on great form.
Looking ahead to Herning, where the showjumping kicks off on Wednesday 10 August, John says: “It might be a long week for me, but you never know if something could go wrong and they’ll need me in. But either way, I’ll do what I have to do for the team.”
John credits Unick for taking him back to the top tier of the sport and to this enviable position of being part of a red hot team for a world championship at the age of 67.
“I was lucky enough to find Unick, who’s kept me going a bit longer,” he reflects. “He’s been so good for me and we just keep ticking along.
“I didn’t think I’d do another World Championship – or another World Cup Final actually [for which John qualifed earlier this year], but it’s worked out well this year.”
You may also be interested to read…
British World Championships showjumping team announced
‘It was a bit scary, but I tried not to panic’: John Whitaker wins in Hamburg – with only one rein
Heading to the World Championships in Herning? Here’s where to stay…
John Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘If ever there was a horse that was a certainty to win it, it was Welham’
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
