Ellen Whitaker (born 5 March 1986) is an English
show jumping
Show jumping is a part of a group of English riding equestrianism, equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including th ...
rider,
currently ranked 191 on the
FEI riders Longines Ranking list in July 2022.
Career
Competing since the age of 5, Whitaker has had much experience in the equestrian world and qualified for
HOYS at just 8 years old.
In 2006, Whitaker and her father Steven Whitaker were hit with a legal dispute over ownership of thirteen horses, including her top horse Locarno. However, a few months later a peace deal was made.
In 2007, Whitaker represented Great Britain in the European Championships and helped allow Britain to qualify for the Olympics after jumping triple clear. She missed out on being selected for the 2008 Beijing Olympics due to
lameness
A limp is a type of asymmetric abnormality of the gait. Limping may be caused by pain, weakness, neuromuscular imbalance, or a skeletal deformity. The most common underlying cause of a painful limp is physical trauma; however, in the absen ...
in horse Locarno 62.
In 2010, Whitaker spoke to the press after refusing to jump for the British team due to a conflict with the British team manager, Rob Hoekstra. She told ''
Horse & Hound
''Horse & Hound'' is the oldest equestrian weekly magazine of the United Kingdom. Its first edition was published in 1884. The magazine contains horse industry news, reports from equestrian events, veterinary advice about caring for horses, and h ...
'': "I only have Ocolado at the moment and Rob wanted to interfere with the way I do everything." Her father and manager Steven Whitaker added: "It's not a matter of Ellen not wanting to jump for her country, but we won't jump again until Rob Hoekstra is finished." But
British Equestrian Federation
British Equestrian (previously The British Equestrian Federation) founded 1972 is the national governing body of equestrian sport in Great Britain and represents the country at the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI). Her Maje ...
World Class performance director Will Connell said: "The riders wanted stronger management and leadership and that's what Rob is delivering." Hoekstra did not wish to comment, saying: "I do not think team issues are best resolved through the press."
Personal life
She is the daughter of former show jumper Stephen Whitaker and his wife Carol, and niece of riders John and
Michael Whitaker
Michael Whitaker (born 17 March 1960) is a British Olympic equestrian rider, who competes in the sport of show jumping. He was ranked 5th by the British Showjumping Association in March 2014.
Career
Younger brother of John Whitaker, Mich ...
. Her brothers Joe, Thomas, and Donald, as well as her cousins
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
,
William
William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
, Louise, Joanne, George, James, and Jack are also show jumpers.
She lives on the family farm near Barnsley, South Yorkshire,
and attended
Penistone Grammar School
Penistone Grammar School (PGS) is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in Penistone, South Yorkshire, England.
Founded in 1392, it is the 45th oldest extant school in England with its most notable alumnus being Nicholas ...
.
On 19 September 2011, Whitaker pleaded guilty to driving under the influence. Whitaker was stopped by local Police in
Knutsford
Knutsford () is a market town in the borough of Cheshire East, in Cheshire, England. Knutsford is south-west of Manchester, north-west of Macclesfield and 12.5 miles (20 km) south-east of Warrington. The population at the 2011 Census wa ...
Town Centre,
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
at 2 am after she attended a charity ball. A roadside breath test proved positive and she was taken to a police station where her lowest reading was 77 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – more than double the legal limit of 35.
She was engaged to British actor
Henry Cavill
Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill ( ; born 5 May 1983) is a British actor. He is known for his portrayal of Charles Brandon in Showtime's ''The Tudors'' (2007–2010), DC Comics character Superman in the DC Extended Universe (2013–2022), Gera ...
from 2011 until 2012.
Whitaker and Spanish showjumper Antonio Marinas Soto have two sons together, born May 2014 and March 2016.
On 5 August 2016, Whitaker and Soto announced their engagement.
Horses
Current
* Arena UK Winston (born 2009),
ISH
Ish may refer to:
*Ish (name) also ancient Hebrew word for Man at Genesis 2:23, also Ish-shah for Woman
*Chazon Ish, sobriquet of Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz
*the Sanskrit for "lord", see Ishvara
* ''...ish'' (audio drama), Doctor Who audio d ...
, Stallion, sired by: waldo, damsire: Hamilton Tropics Owner: Ellen Whitaker
* Irorko VD Brouwershoeve (born 2008),
Belgian Warmblood
The Belgian Warmblood or is a Belgian breed of warmblood sport horse. It is bred for dressage, for show-jumping and for three-day eventing. It is one of three Belgian warmblood breeds or stud-books, the others being the Zangersheide and t ...
, Gelding, sire: Canturano, dam: Artemis, Owners: Jose Bono Rodríguez & Club Hipico Fierro
* Luibanta BH (born 2008),
ISH
Ish may refer to:
*Ish (name) also ancient Hebrew word for Man at Genesis 2:23, also Ish-shah for Woman
*Chazon Ish, sobriquet of Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz
*the Sanskrit for "lord", see Ishvara
* ''...ish'' (audio drama), Doctor Who audio d ...
, Stallion, sire: Luidam, Dam Sire: Abantos Owner: Gochman Sport Horse LLC
* ''Virginia'' (born 2005), Mare, sire: Centauer Z, dam: Bella Madona, Owners: Haudani Consulting S.L
* “Spacecake” (born 2012), Mare, sire Stakkatol, Dam Sire: Kannan. Owner: Tilly Shaw
* “Conshira Blue PS” (born 2013), Mare, sire Conthargos, Dam Sire: Chacco-Blue. Owner: Tilly Shaw
Former show horses
* Magic Mal
* Miami Bound
* Savy Mill
* Lawyer
* Great Love
* Kanselier (born 1992),
Dutch Warmblood
A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands (KWPN), which governs the breeding of competitive dressage and show jumping horses ...
, gelding, sired by: Notaris, damsire: Nimmerdor
* Locarno 62 (born 1996),
Holsteiner horse
The Holsteiner is a breed of horse originating in the Schleswig-Holstein region of northern Germany. It is thought to be the oldest of warmblood breeds, tracing back to the 13th century. Though the population is not large, Holsteiners are a do ...
, Stallion, sire Lord Calidos, damsire: Romino, Owners: Dawn Makin & Steven Whitaker
* Equimax Ocolado (born 1996),
Dutch Warmblood
A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands (KWPN), which governs the breeding of competitive dressage and show jumping horses ...
, Gelding, sire: Habsburg, damsire: Calvados, Owners: Dawn Makin & Steven Whitaker
* Ladina B (born 1997),
Württemberger, Mare
* Royal Rose (born 1998),
Dutch Warmblood
A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands (KWPN), which governs the breeding of competitive dressage and show jumping horses ...
, Stallion, sire: Calvados, Owner: Steven Whitaker
* ''Ximena'' (born 2001), Mare, sire: Irco Mena 763, damsire: Hertigen, Owners: Dawn Makin & Steven Whitaker
* ''Arena UK Lando'' (born 2002),
Oldenburg horse
The Oldenburg or Oldenburger is a warmblood horse from the north-western corner of Lower Saxony, what was formerly the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. The breed was built on a mare base of all-purpose farm and carriage horses, today called the Alt-O ...
, Gelding, sire: Landor S, damsire: Lord, Owner: Norman Orly
Successes
* European Junior Championships:
** 2003, San Remo: Rank 2 (Team)
* European Championships:
** 2007, Mannheim: Rank 3 (Team)
Among many others, some of her achievements are:
* Winning the 2010 British Open Show Jumping Championships
* Winning the 2010 Hickstead Speed Derby
* Winning the 2009 HOYS show jumper of the year Grand Prix and show jumper of the show
* Winning the HOYS speed stakes in 2006, 2008 and 2009
* Winning the HOYS 2009 Puissance
* Winning the 2007 Hickstead Speed Derby
Video Game
Koch Media
Plaion (formerly Koch Media) is a German-Austrian media company headquartered in Höfen, Tyrol, Austria, with an operating subsidiary based in Planegg, Germany. The company was founded in 1994 by Franz Koch and Klemens Kundratitz. The company ...
launched ''Ellen Whitaker's Horse Life'' video game for PC,
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
DS and
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
.
References
External links
Team GBR Rider History for Miss E C Whitaker
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitaker, Ellen
Living people
1986 births
English female equestrians
British show jumping riders
People educated at Penistone Grammar School
Sportspeople from Yorkshire