Behind the Camera – "Defying Age" with John Whitaker

In Rising Above: Episode 4 “Defying Age” presented by Longines, we sit down with a legend of the sort, John Whitaker. Whitaker discusses how he has remained at the top of the sport well into his sixties, explaining his journey in the sport and how he has kept on moving forward, no matter the obstacle.

John Whitaker is often regarded as one of the icons of show jumping and is widely considered to be one of the most well-respected figures in the equestrian world. With over forty years at the top, Whitaker’s journey has not always been an easy one. But he goes on to explain to us that it’s the love of the sport and most of all, a good foundation as a horseman, that enables him to tackle whatever obstacles may come his way.

“It starts with a love of horses,” Whitaker remarks, “to be a horseman is very important.” The British show jumping icon explains how the base of his success is a love for the sport and the animals that he works alongside. He goes on to say that in the sport, “one of the main challenges is to try to work out how the horse’s mind is ticking. At the end of the day, horses are animals, not machines."

This foundation as a horseman has laid the groundwork for Whitakers mythic career. “Horse welfare always comes first, and I try to show that with my riding and my care of the horses,” he says. “Every horse is different and every show, every arena is different. You just have to work out the situation, work out the show you’re in and how the horse is feeling.” His strong foundation as a horseman has given him the confidence to succeed in the sport, where a win can come down to split-second decisions.

Whitaker doesn’t view his age as any sort of disadvantage, but rather a main ingredient to his success. “A lot of success in our sport comes from confidence,” he says. A confidence that comes from decades in the sport. “The younger riders probably take bigger risks to win whereas I try to be a little bit more calculated.” His experience enables him to know when to play it safe and when to take risks, giving his horses the best chance of success. Whitaker says, “confidence is a really big thing in our sport, and that confidence rubs onto the horse.” No matter how many victories a rider has amassed, at the end of the day, it all comes back to the love of the horse.

“You only get out what you put in,” says Whitaker, explaining that this mantra goes far beyond the competition arena and into every facet of his life. He goes on to say, “you have to focus on what you want to do, and you have to learn to get over the bad days and cherish the good days.” He credits staying positive as one of the main reasons he has remained successful for so long, as we learn in “Defying Age”, now available to stream on all of LGCT’s social channels.

Next week, we sit down with Swedish rider Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli to learn about her journey to balance professional and family life in Rising Above: Episode 5 “Finding the Balance.” This eight-episode series is being regarded as a must-watch for equestrian enthusiasts and sports fans alike, offering an intimate look at the lives and careers of the top show jumpers in the world.