Ellen is the daughter of Steven Whitaker and the niece of international riders John and Michael Whitaker. Ellen began riding before she could walk – on a brown and white Shetland called Billy – and has been so successful she looks sure to continue the legacy of her famous uncles.

Aged just 15, Ellen was third at the Hickstead Derby only to have the placing revoked as she had yet to reach the stipulated FEI age of 16 to compete internationally. In the same year she was the Pony Champion Under 16, Champion Under 18 and Champion Under 21.

She has been a member of the British Nations Cup teams since 2004 and was the leading under 21 rider in 2005, 06 and 07. Jumping a triple clear in the European Championships in 2007 was a career high.

Ellen is one of the many Whitakers currently dominating the show jumping world. Born into this family of show jumping legends, Ellen is taking the equestrian world by storm.

She competed in her first affiliated class at the tender age of five before qualifying for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show at just eight years old. She now has her sights set firmly on the London 2012 Olympics.

Her style and presence both in and out of the saddle has won her prestigious awards such as the Longines Ladies Award for Elegance and the British Show Jumping Association’s Personality of the Year.

When Ellen nearly lost the ride on one of her best horses, Locarno, her father Steven stepped in to help. She now has a strong team of horses including CS Online, Ocalado, Ladina B, Shearwater Mikado, Ashdale Futuro, and Safano.

In 2010, Ellen entered into a public row with world class performance manager Rob Hoekstra when she accused him of interfering in her schedule and vowed not to represent Great Britain. She had been selected to appear on the Nation's Cup team but was replaced by Dave McPherson. Her bold move saw her missing out on the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky too. Despite this, Ellen continued to compete individually at home and abroad notching up credible wins and pleasing crowds with her string of horses.