John Whitaker lands the feature Chedington Estate Grand Prix at Chard International with the final round on Unick Du Francport
Tuesday 28 April 2026
It’s what fairytales are made of: the legendary John Whitaker claimed victory in the Chedington Estate International 2* Grand Prix at Chard International in Somerset with Equine America Unick Du Francport in the final round of the show.
“He’s feeling good and fresh; we’re both getting old, but I feel alright and so does he,” said John.
Fifty-five competitors faced course-designer Ben Townley’s 1.45m Grand Prix track but technical questions teamed with a restrictive time allowed caused problems, and William Whitaker led the field for a long time on one time fault. Eventually, the clears came; Katie Speller providing the first followed by Gemma Stevens, and it looked like it was going to be a battle of the ladies, until John Whitaker added his name to the list to provide a three-way decider.
“It was a good track, but the time was just a little tight, obviously I just turned the corners a bit tighter to get inside [the time],” added John.
Katie was first out on the shortened, raised track and, although Z7 Pink Panther is only an eight-year-old, this pair have gained experience in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the first two months of the year. Katie was hoping to post the first clear to give the other two a target to chase, but Team Z7’s Cuick Star Kervec x Obos Quality 004 gelding tapped out one pole for four faults. Gemma was second out and finished on a similar score aboard the nine-year-old Warrior Special (Warrior x Caretino Glory) but edged ahead by 0.01 seconds to head into a temporary lead.
The depth of John’s experience, and that of the 18-year-old Unick Du Francport, was on display, and with a cool head in a position he has been in countless times before, John produced a masterclass of a clear round, almost three seconds slower than his rivals, but nonetheless, all the poles stayed intact. The tactics paid off and gave Chard Equestrian’s owner Jane Gregory another ‘Dream come true’ historic moment.
“I knew what I had to do and I didn’t go that slow so, if I had an early fence, I could speed up, but I wanted to get the double of tall verticals – it needed jumping – and another tall vertical that followed out of the way, and then I eased up to make sure I [cleared] the last fence,” said John, who enjoyed his visit to this Somerset venue.
“It’s a good set-up, the rings are good and they try very hard, they looked after us very well. It’s quite difficult to put on an FEI show for these show centres and they need our support. It was a nice atmosphere here, good jumping and plenty in the classes.”
It was only the second show back for ‘Frank’ since Gothenburg in February.
“He jumped in Honk Kong and the day after Gothenburg, he had a hernia operation,” said John. “I gave him a spin around a 1.20m at Northcote last week and then came here. I’ll jump at Chepstow next week and then I’ll make a plan for the summer – but I’d like to jump at [Royal] Windsor.”
Matt Sampson captured the world ranking 2* 1.45m with Nouvelle V.H. Veldhof. Fifty-nine competitors came forward in this speed class, Matt taking charge just after the halfway stage to secure victory by 1.30 seconds on the 13-year-old Cooper Van De Heffinck x Calido I mare. Ireland’s Kian Dore slipped Helssinki into second and Emily Ward filled third spot aboard Wild Star HF.
Mark Edwards hit on a double of wins, outpacing his 36 rivals in the Big Tour 2* 1.40m speed from penultimate draw with almost three seconds in hand on the home-bred nine-year-old Tinkers Touch (Tornesch 1042 x Tinkas Boy). Alfie Bradstock jumped Arizona Ospa Z into second and Jessica Hewlett filled third riding Half Of My Heart.
‘Master of Faster’ Mark was in flying form in the 63-horse Medium Tour 2* 1.35m speed, hitting top gear on the Tinkers Tale 15-year-old Flying Tinker II for a 1.51 second win. Iwan Carpenter slotted Starido into second and Madison Heath claimed third on BP Millionaire.
Sammie-Jo Coffin featured strongly in the initial competitive 76-entry Big Tour 2* 1.40m two-phase, clinching the win by only 0.01 seconds on the 16-year-old Chaccomo Blue and taking third on Cornet Of Follyfoot, sandwiching Ireland’s Kian Dore and Helssinki into second.
Joe Trunkfield delivered a hattrick, twice denying Mark Edwards a win. The first came as he commandeered the top spot by 0.07 seconds in the 34-strong 2* Medium 1.35m two-phase with the 10-year-old Cashallco (Cassalco x Kannan) over Mark and Flying Tinker. William Funnell slipped Billy Caravaggio into third.
Joe secured victory in the final day’s 2* Medium 1.35m speed, flying into the top spot on Paul Sims’ 12-year-old Jankorado GB Labor’s VDL Indorado x Nunero Uno) with a 1.21 second advantage over Mark on Tinkers Touch. Uptons El Champo (Global Champion x El Bundy) marked another win for Joe, topping the Seven-year-old 1.30m speed by 0.90 seconds.
Harry Bateman claimed a victory double. He headed a 19-strong jump-off of the 2* Medium 1.35m on the eight-year-old Casablanca WW (Casall x Lux Z), flying into the top spot from the latter half of the draw to beat John Whitaker into second on Cornets Olona by 0.32 seconds. Second earlier in the week, the ultra-quick eight-year-old mare Billy Be Brave (Billy Tudor x Kannan) handed Harry his second win in the final 27-entry 1* Silver 1.20m speed, galloping into the top spot with 4.61 seconds in hand.
Angie Thompson was another double winner, taking the 2* Small 1.30m speed spare on Deborah Gilder’s 12-year-old Kassanova Del La Pomme daughter Kokonut Van De Nethe Z with almost two seconds to over Sammie-Jo Coffin’s Big Star of Follyfoot Z. Angie also sped to victory in the 1* Silver 1.20m speed, guiding the 12-year-old mare Hathaway Whole Lotta Love into a 1.41 second win.
Josh Kindell posted a victory double with a 59-strong 2* small 1.30m two-phase 0.35 second win on the Ukato 16-year-old Flashback VL and topping a nine-horse decider in the 1* Bronze 1.10m by 1.35 seconds on the seven-year-old mare Ashdale Baussy.
Second to Josh in the small 1.30m, Harry Wainwright and 17-year-old Pinheiro Beech (It’s the Business x Cantero) went one better on the final day, leading the majority of the way in the 27-participant 2* Small speed to win by 0.55 seconds.
Vicky Mitson found the shortest route in the nine-horse jump-off of the 2* Small 1.30m to win by only 0.20 seconds on 16-year-old mare Classic Addiction (Comme Il Faut x Argentinus), pushing Ireland’s Derek McCoppin and Nozem into second place.
Ryan Page faced a nail-biting wait in the seven-horse jump-off of the Seven-year-old 1.30m Final with Beech House Stud’s home-bred Uno Beech (Numero Uno x Balou Du Rouet). Ryan had already relegated Iwan Carpenter’s effort on the home-bred Merllyns Special Illusion by 0.94 seconds, but final drawn Adam Morgan (IRE) gave him a run for his money, Othello proving one whole second quicker but at the expense of a rail to drop to third.
Madison Heath clinched victory in the 1* Gold 1.30m Final with a penultimate round flyer on Ivory, the 13-year-old Don VHP X x Cartogran mare winning by an impressive 3.24 seconds.
Rose Moss conjured up a winning double on the 10-year-old mare Petite Balou; winning an early 38-horse 1* Gold 1.30m speed by 0.16 seconds and a 20-strong 1* Silver Tour jump-off by 0.69 seconds.
James Loffett dominated the Veterans Major Tour, claiming the top two places in the initial 1.15m two-phase with the 15-year-old Gaudi (Ukato x Goodtimes) and 14-year-old Gerard van Den Katten Eeck (Elvis Ter Putte x Lys De Darmen), repeating the feat in the 1.20m speed 24 hours later. In the five-horse decider of the 1.20m Final, James won on Gaudi and finished third with Gerard, sandwiching Saturday’s winner Isobel Hudson’s Cooley Iron Man into second by 0.06 seconds.
Martin Brake was another to score a hat-trick, all with Akham Hero Z. Day one’s 1.10m two-phase was shared after dead-heating on time with Kath James and Orkaan Van’t Kizelhof, headed the 1.10m speed by 2.45 seconds, and secured the top two places in the Final on Akham Hero and the 12-year-old Judela. In Friday’s speed, Martin and Judela had to settle for second as Chard Equestrian proprietor Jane Gregory took time out of her busy schedule to realise a personal dream, posting a popular win by more than four seconds aboard the 14-year-old Ruthies Dream.
Emily Rodney doubled up in the Amateur 1.05m riding the 14-year-old Miss Saigon Van De Netervallei, winning the initial two-phase by more than two seconds and topping the 13-horse jump-off with 2.35 seconds to spare.
Image: ESP Photographic
