Michael Whitaker is one of the best known names in showjumping. He has won an astonishing 15 championship medals during a 40-year career in the saddle.
Michael is one of the senior members of the Whitaker family showjumping dynasty, and began competing at the young age of seven. Michael trained with legendary Swedish coach Lars Sederholm when he was 16, the age at which he made his international debut. At the age of 20 he became Hickstead Derby’s youngest winner in 1980 and went on to win it three times in succession with his great horse Monsanta.
Michael Whitaker has ridden in five Olympic Games, the first time being in 1984 and most recently in Rio in 2016. Michael has competed in more than 20 FEI World Cup finals, finishing second in 2005.
In 2013, Michael helped Britain win team gold at the Europeans with Viking as well as playing a vital role when gaining team qualification for the Rio Olympics at the 2015 Europeans in Aachen. Britain fnished fourth to claim their Olympic spot.
Michael Whitaker lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife Melissa and three children. Oldest son Jack Whitaker is a rising star on the international showjumping circuit.
Read all you need to know about this year's British showjumping squad for the European Championships, plus their reactions to getting that all-important call
The British team heading to Aachen for the FEI European Showjumping Championships (19-23 August) has been revealed
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The British squad for the Hickstead leg of the Nations Cup has been announced
The British squad racks up another resounding success in the 2015 Nations Cup series
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The matriach of the Whitaker dynasty passed away on Saturday 3 January 2015
The British showjumper was back on top form with Viking at Oslo Horse Show
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On Sunday (22 September) 51 horses flew into California on a chartered Emirates flight from Liege, Belgium, ahead of the first class on Thursday
British showjumpers crash out of WEG and miss qualification for 2016 Olympics
Team GBR’s hope for world championship glory has come to an end as they failed to reach the final 10 of the team jumping
The youngest showjumper at WEG has won the opening speed round, while Britain managed three clear rounds
The Irish rider holds the lead at the half-way point in the opening leg of the World Equestrian Games showjumping
One of the British horses has been ruled out of the showjumping
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Michael Whitaker notes the high standard in the King George V Gold Cup at this year’s Longines Royal International
A top rider has labelled the decision not to field a British showjumping team at the Nations Cup in Aachen "very disappointing"
Hundreds of journalists welcome a plane-load of horses in to Shanghai airport for the inaugural Longines Global Champions Tour event this weekend
