Robert Whitaker

Robert and Lacroix en route to 2009 British Open victory

Robert is the son of international show jumper John Whitaker and the nephew of Michael.

He began his competitive career in 1999 when he qualified for the Junior Show Jumper of the Year final at Horse of the Year Show. He was a member of the gold medal winning team at the Junior/Young Riders European Championships that year and was again on the gold medal winning team in 2000.

Robert competed on his first Nations Cup Team at La Baule in 2001 when only 18 years old. He was the youngest rider on the team when selected to jump off for Great Britain in the Nations Cup team at Lisbon in 2003 and produced the winning round to secure victory for Great Britain.

Robert has been selected for the World Class Start and Potential Programme aimed to develop riders to Olympic level. He has won eight European Championship medals and his cracking form continued in 2009, repeating his 2003 and 2008 successes taking the title of British Open Show Jumping Champion. His performance in 2010 was equally astounding with wins at the British Open, Braunschweig, HOYS and placings at the Royal International Horse Show.