Equestrian Royalty Reigns at Royal Windsor Horse Show
Saturday 17 May 2025
World-class competition took centre stage on Friday at Royal Windsor Horse Show with the CSI5* Defender Stakes, as 31 of the sport’s elite riders tackled Bernardo Costa Cabral’s demanding 15-fence course under glorious sunshine.
It was Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza who set the pace early on, delivering the first clear aboard her talented 12-year-old mare, In The Air. Hot on her heels, USA’s Lillie Keenan followed suit with an immaculate round on Le Louvre 5, ensuring early excitement for the crowds.
As the class unfolded, 15 combinations – including an impressive eight from the home nation – secured spots in what promised to be a thrilling jump-off. Among them were two of Britain’s Paris 2024 Olympic team gold medallists, Ben Maher and Harry Charles, adding even more star power to the line-up.
In true family tradition, the Whitakers made their presence known with four relatives progressing to the second round. Legendary showjumper John Whitaker and his son Robert were joined by Donald and Jack Whitaker – the latter riding Valmy de La Lande, the mount owned by his father, Michael.
Seven nations were represented in the jump-off, and Brazil’s Yuri Mansur was the first to produce a double clear. Ben Maher and Point Break followed, but a wide turn before the double left the door open for the Whitaker clan to make their mark. The crowd erupted as John Whitaker, decorated with Olympic, World, and European Championship medals, surged into the lead with a time of 40.71 seconds. Sweden’s Petronella Andersson laid down a valiant challenge but slotted into third place with a slower time, but it was John’s nephew and Royal Windsor Horse Show Ambassador, Jack Whitaker, who put the pressure on. In a display of brilliance, Jack took out a stride between the penultimate Defender oxer and the final water tray fence to clinch victory in a time of 39.40 seconds – sealing a remarkable family triumph in front of an elated Windsor crowd.
A delighted Jack commented: “I think I was a bit quicker in the middle of the jump-off, he [Valmy de La Lande] was flying around, and jumped amazingly. I feel very very happy to have won here on the first day of International Jumping at Royal Windsor Horse Show.”
The Show on Saturday was bathed in May sunshine on an action-packed day, where the international CSI5* Show Jumping once again delivered world-class sport. In a thrilling first round of The CSI5* Kingdom of Bahrain Stakes for The King’s Cup, it took eight combinations before the first clear was posted by none other than World No. 6 Martin Fuchs, riding his long-time partner, Commissar Pezi. At the halfway mark, the Swiss star remained the only rider with a clean scorecard, despite several getting agonisingly close. Among them were Show Ambassador Jack Whitaker, winner of The CSI5* Defender Stakes which took place on Friday, who finished fourth, and his uncle John Whitaker who eventually placed third. Both left all the fences standing but picked up a single time fault. It was not until the third-last rider, Kim Emmen, entered the arena aboard 10-year-old mare Keavanta-C, that the crowd saw another clear - setting up a jump-off between the Dutch rider and Fuchs, who would become the eventual winner.
Image credit: Royal Windsor Horse Show
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