You know what they say about keeping it in the family? These riders are at various stages in their competitive careers, but all are carrying on the family tradition by making their own waves in equestrian sport.
1. Emily King
The daughter of Mary King, who’s competed in six Olympic games and won Burghley, Badminton and Kentucky, Emily had some pretty big (horse)shoes to fill when she decided to pursue an eventing career, but she’s doing pretty well so far. Now aged 20, she represented Britain for the first time aged 15, and made the step up to four-star last year, coming an impressive fourth on Brookleigh at Pau in France.
2. Zara Phillips
Her grandmother — Queen Elizabeth II herself — is probably the most famous horsey woman in the world, and both her parents, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, have won Burghley, so it was probably pretty inevitable that Zara’s destiny lay in equestrianism. Riding Toytown, she won the European Eventing Championships in 2005, the World Equestrian Games in 2006, and was presented with a silver medal by her mum at the London 2012 Olympics where she rode High Kingdom.
3. Izzy Taylor
One of Britain’s top eventers and one of the most stylish on the circuit when going cross-country with her popular mare KBIS Briarlands Matilda (pictured), Izzy Taylor’s love of the sport definitely runs in the family. Her grandmother, Jane Whiteley (Drummond-Hay), was placed at Badminton, while her great aunt, Anneli Drummond-Hay, won the first ever Burghley Horse Trials in 1961, was second five times, and also won Badminton. And don’t forget her mother, Nichola, who represented Great Britain at both junior and young rider levels — not bad going! These days, Izzy runs her eventing business from her home in Banbury, Oxfordshire, alongside her mum’s hunters. With two young children of her own, will they be following in the family’s horsey hoofprints…? Only time will tell.
4. Sienna, Scarlett and Harry Charles
Showjumper Sienna (pictured, above) is already making her father proud — which is quite an achievement as her dad is none other than showjumping legend and Olympic 2012 gold medallist Peter Charles. She made history in 2014 aged 12, by becoming the first rider to win the Horse of the Year Show 128 cm championship twice — following in the footsteps of older sister Scarlett and brother Harry, who’ve both won this class before. Move over the Whitakers, there’s a new showjumping dynasty in town.
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5. Jack Whitaker
Talking of the Whitakers, Jack is the latest one to watch — at the age of 13 he was picked for the British children on horses showjumping squad last year for the Wierden Nations Cup show. The son of Olympic team silver medallist Michael Whitaker, Jack has famous showjumping uncles and cousins all over the place. Wonder what they end up talking about when the family gets together for Christmas dinner…?
6. Oliver Fletcher
Another child from a showjumping dynasty is Oliver Fletcher, whose parents are Graham and Tina Fletcher. He went clear on Dad’s bay mare Little Business for the British children on horses team at the European Championships in Wiener Neustadt, Austria last year at the age of 12 — an even more awesome accomplishment considering he was the youngest member on the team. Oliver is also one of the youngest team riders ever to represent Great Britain. The team walked away with silver medal — well done Oliver!
