PONY Tales extends a big happy birthday to Michael Whitaker, who turned 60 on St Patrick’s Day. With all that is currently going on in the world due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Whitaker was forced to curtail the celebrations for now!

A member of the most famous show jumping dynasty in the world, Whitaker has won too many top-level classes around the globe to mention. His championship medal cabinet is a sight to behold.

Michael was part of the silver medal-winning British team at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles at the age of 24, and was a member of no less than four gold medal-winning teams at the European Champions in 1985, ’87, ’89 and 2013. He also won the individual silver medal at the 1989 Europeans with Mon Santa, and individual bronze with Midnight Magic in 1993.

One of Britain’s most capped riders, he also has a team silver (1986) and team bronze (1990) from the FEI world championships.

Amazing record

Michael has won the Hickstead Derby a record-equalling four times, and held the record as the young winner (20) until Ireland’s Mikey Pender broke that just last summer.

Michael is a firm favourite with the Dublin crowd where he has been on an incredible six Aga Khan-winning British team in 1986, 1988, 1991, 1994, 2005 and 2011 – an astonishing record.

He is showing no signs of slowing down either, still riding at five-star level week-in, week-out, now alongside his son Jack (18) who made his Global Champions Tour debut in Doha a few weeks ago.