Michael Whitaker – An Olympian Close To Home

Michael Whitaker is a household name for any equestrian, a name known by everybody. This is not just for his own heroics in the ring, bringing home a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics along with many more medals and accolades, but also for his family’s successes both on and off horseback. The Whitakers certainly have their stamp on not just British, but worldwide equestrianism.

Michael begins by naming some of his favourites of the many events he has competed at “The 84 Olympics, then I won the Hickstead Derby 4 times, Aachen Grand Prix, European Championships 1989 me and (My brother) John were 1st and 2nd and we won the teams so that was a good one”

Whitaker’s career is certainly not one short of accolades but he admits that success starts to taste sweeter with age saying “I think as you get older it feels better… I had a couple of lean years so I think you appreciate it more as you get older.”

Michael and John Whitaker have, for numerous decades, been two of the biggest names in showjumping speaking on their brotherly relationship Michael reveals “I think it made it a lot easier because John was there most of the time so if you needed a bit of help or something, you could go to him and there would be no messing about. He’d tell you exactly what he thought!

“If he was winning, I’d try and beat him but it wasn’t beat him at all costs. We got on very well really!”

Michael grew up in Huddersfield, Yorkshire before making the move further South initially to Buxton, Derbyshire, where he admitted “It was good for the horses, it was hilly and you get them fit, but it was very hard travelling and getting around.” Michael is now settled in Whatton, Nottinghamshire where he has stayed for over 30 years. “This is almost central actually, it’s a lot easier to get around.

“It’s a lot better climate” Michael continued “A day like today it’d be like blinking blizzards up there” he chuckled as the snow fell in the Nottinghamshire countryside.

“I love to be from Yorkshire but this is a lot more convenient, it’s better for the horses actually.

“A friend of mine saw this place and we had looked at a few places local to this actually so I think this area was on the radar. It’s very nice, the countryside’s very nice so it’s a nice place to be.”

Day-to-day Michael enjoys spending his mornings exercising his horses and his afternoons keeping the yard in order and keeping on top of jobs. “It’s not like going to work every day at all, it’s just having a good time every day really.” Admits the Olympic silver medallist “It’s the only thing I’ve ever done, so I’ve never thought about doing anything else, I don’t think I’d be any good at anything else either.

“With the horses as well, every day is different, you’ve always got a challenge.”

Thinking about the most enjoyable parts of his job Whitaker relishes “Watching horses improve and going on to win something big, because you’ve put a lot of work in and it’s all paid off.

“The part I don’t really enjoy, which I did used to, is all the travelling. But that’s the only part I would say.”

Having competed all over the world, Michael is not short of show day knowledge and before going into the arena he says “Really try to focus on what’s in front of you. You’ve sort of gone through everything in your head and you know what’s in front of you. Just really, really focus.”

“There’s not that many places I haven’t competed at” boasts the Hickstead champion “You know what horse would suit that place.

“You kind of know what the courses are going to be like, not exactly, but like if you go to Hickstead you know you’re going to get a big grass ring with bold fences and you need quite a brave horse.” He continued “Hopefully you’ve got the right horse at the right place and then it’s up to you.”

“I like Hickstead and Aachen but then I like Olympia and Horse of The Year Show at Birmingham. But like I say… different arenas, different conditions so it’s always a challenge. If it was the same thing every day it would be hard work.”

When asked if after decades of competing at the top-level he still gets pre-show nerves, the Nottingham showjumper admits “Yeah you do, if you got blasé about it then I think that’s time to give up really. You only get nervous because you want it to go well… nerves are a good thing.”

Whilst the past year has been a difficult one and the number of competitions has heavily decreased, Michael has still been keeping himself busy at home in the Vale of Belvoir. “I’ve just been really concentrating on the young horses at home, I’m not that enthusiastic about going to the bigger shows at the moment with all the quarantine.

“Brexit’s made it a lot more difficult to get your horses abroad as well.”

With the next generation of Whitakers bursting onto the scene, Michael’s son Jack Whitaker is competing internationally at the age of 19. He celebrated his 17th birthday with a youth Olympics teams silver medal in Buenos Aires, 34 years after his father’s teams silver at the Olympics in Los Angeles in a team with his brother John Whitaker and fellow team GB showjumpers Steven Smith and Timothy Grubb.

Michael’s hopes for the future revolve around working with his son to keep the Whitaker legacy in the sport “My son Jack is really keen and he’s doing really well so I can see him carrying on where I’ve left off and me bringing on the young horses on for him.

“I’m still riding everyday and I’m fairly fit so that’s going to be the future I’d say, Jack will take over from me and I’ll bring the young ones on… for a few years anyway.

“Jack’s looking very good at the minute so hopefully he will be able to carry it on.”

Matthew-Benton-Smith Michael Whitaker - An Olympian Close To Home

*Article provided by Matthew Benton-Smith (Sports Correspondent).

*Main image @matthewbsjourno Michael Whitaker doing what he does best.

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