Legendary showjumper John Whitaker is trying his hand at eventing, as he feels it is “about time for a new challenge”.
The multiple medal-winning rider turns 70 this year, and he told H&H approaching the milestone made him wonder what else he could achieve.
“It was a toss-up between dressage and eventing and I thought dressage wouldn’t be exciting enough,” he said. “Vaulting was also a possibility but I wasn’t keen on what they have to wear – I prefer a jacket and breeches.”
John’s decision was confirmed by a youngster sired by his legendary stallion Argento, out of a thoroughbred mare.
“He was bred by my close friend Barbara E Castle, an American who moved here a few years ago,” he said. “She wanted an event horse with Argento’s jump and the mare’s speed, which she got – in spades.”
John said Filaloor P, who turns eight today (1 April) was obviously very special from the start.
“He jumped straight out of the arena the first time he was loose out there, over a six-bar gate, and made it look easy,” he said. “Then he showed us his speed, by galloping off round the field, and his beautiful movement that would be good enough to do pure dressage. That got me thinking.”
John has had to brush up on his dressage, not so much the moves but “remembering which letter was where!” He competed successfully up to advanced intermediate level last season, under a pseudonym, and had planned to enter the Lycetts Grantham Cup at the Thoresby Spring Carnival last weekend but was thwarted by a calendar issue.
“I thought it would be simpler if no one knew who I was so I’ve been competing as Hugh Jeauke – that’s my great-uncle who rode at Badminton before the war,” he said. “I had entered Thoresby as myself but then realised I wouldn’t have time to get to Basel for the World Cup Final this week, so I had to re-route.”
John intends to secure his and Filaloor’s minimum eligibility requirements for five-star this season, with his eye on Badminton next spring.
“If I’m going to do something, I want to do it properly,” he said. “Until a couple of years ago, my only experience of badminton was rackets and a shuttlecock. But we went to watch on cross-country day last year and I thought it looked worth doing – plus, it’s always the week before Royal Windsor so it fits nicely into the calendar.
“It’s a new challenge but it’s still all about riding and horsemanship, and learning something new every day, which I enjoy. And who knows, the LA Olympics are only three years away!”
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