‘My proudest achievement? Holding my own against good young riders’ says John Whitaker, 69, in new TV programme

Legendary British showjumper John Whitaker says his proudest achievement in the sport is holding his own against the younger generation of riders. But we all know that it’s actually the hugely successful and much-loved 69-year-old Yorkshireman who continues to set the bar for his younger rivals.

In “Defying Age”, the fourth instalment of the free content series Rising Above presented by Longines, equestrian icon John Whitaker discusses why age is is just a number when it comes to competing at the top level in showjumping.

“The sport has changed so much, if you want to move up you have to change with the times,” he says in the programme which charts his journey to the top, the secrets behind his enduring success and the mindset that has kept him at the top of his game for five decades.

“In showjumping, there’s no time to dwell on mistakes,” he says.

John Whitaker: “It was a challenge to get back up to the top again after Milton”

The episode begins with John discussing the megastar grey Milton, his “all-time favourite”.

“He wasn’t a very big horse, but when he went into the arena, he grew,” says John, before admitting: “After Milton it was quite difficult. I had a couple of years where I was a bit down. It was a challenge to get back up to the top again. Sometimes the hardest thing is to pull yourself together after a bad day and face the next competition.”

John’s enduring love for the sport and his horses continues to inspire us all.

“People ask me, how long are you going to carry on riding? I say, I’m feeling good. I’m going to keep going longer, because I have a new pair of boots,” he jokes.

“My proudest achievement is to compete against all these good young riders and hold my own. Wait, I haven’t finished yet. I still want to keep going and winning.”

Inspiring the next generation

His advice to the younger generation of riders is, “Get over your obstacles in life as quickly as you can. Try to stay positive, enjoy, and keep going.”

As commentator Frederik De Backer suggests in a clip of John Whitaker competing during the programme, “Like a fine wine, John gets better every year.”

The Longines Global Champions Tour’s Rising Above series, produced in partnership with Longines, is available to stream on YouTube and all social media channels.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also like to read…