Legendary British showjumper John Whitaker says his proudest achievement in the sport is holding his own against the younger generation of riders. But we all know that it’s actually the hugely successful and much-loved 69-year-old Yorkshireman who continues to set the bar for his younger rivals.

In “Defying Age”, the fourth instalment of the free content series Rising Above presented by Longines, equestrian icon John Whitaker discusses why age is is just a number when it comes to competing at the top level in showjumping.

“The sport has changed so much, if you want to move up you have to change with the times,” he says in the programme which charts his journey to the top, the secrets behind his enduring success and the mindset that has kept him at the top of his game for five decades.

“In showjumping, there’s no time to dwell on mistakes,” he says.

John Whitaker: “It was a challenge to get back up to the top again after Milton”

The episode begins with John discussing the megastar grey Milton, his “all-time favourite”.

“He wasn’t a very big horse, but when he went into the arena, he grew,” says John, before admitting: “After Milton it was quite difficult. I had a couple of years where I was a bit down. It was a challenge to get back up to the top again. Sometimes the hardest thing is to pull yourself together after a bad day and face the next competition.”

John’s enduring love for the sport and his horses continues to inspire us all.

“People ask me, how long are you going to carry on riding? I say, I’m feeling good. I’m going to keep going longer, because I have a new pair of boots,” he jokes.

“My proudest achievement is to compete against all these good young riders and hold my own. Wait, I haven’t finished yet. I still want to keep going and winning.”

Inspiring the next generation

His advice to the younger generation of riders is, “Get over your obstacles in life as quickly as you can. Try to stay positive, enjoy, and keep going.”

As commentator Frederik De Backer suggests in a clip of John Whitaker competing during the programme, “Like a fine wine, John gets better every year.”

The Longines Global Champions Tour’s Rising Above series, produced in partnership with Longines, is available to stream on YouTube and all social media channels.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also like to read…

Horse & Hound’s 140th anniversary legends: Milton – John Whitaker’s wonder horse who won over £1m during his career

‘I’m 68, but I can still do it’: John and Michael Whitaker discuss longevity, mistaken identity and sibling rivalry

‘They could have put the jumps up even higher’: John Whitaker’s winning streak continues to London six-bar

Senior Whitaker brothers land a win apiece: ‘Something I’ll remember for ever’

John Whitaker’s new horse goes viral, a teenager clears 1.85m and a warm-up fall doesn’t stop the world number one

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

John Whitaker’s floating wonder horse was the first showjumper to win over £1m. But his scintillating results tell only half the story of this charismatic showman, writes Jennifer Donald, as we celebrate Horse & Hound’s 140th anniversary in 2024

Every so often in our sport, a partnership captures the heart of a generation and earns a place in history. For nearly a decade, audiences were held spellbound by the magical aura of Milton and his rider John Whitaker. With the gelding’s sparkling white coat and breathtaking ability to float over the highest fences, Milton could rival Hollywood stars for his fans’ adoration; how fortunate that he thrived on the attention.

We revelled in the wonderful affair Milton had with John, who coaxed every ounce of brilliance from his willing wonder horse to triumph in back-to-back World Cups, claim over 30 major classes, six championship medals and become the first showjumper to win over £1m.

But the tale is tinged with tragedy as Milton’s original rider Caroline Bradley died before seeing her protégé reach the Olympic potential she had pinpointed in him.

Born in 1977 and originally named Marius Silver Jubilee, Milton was the result of a shrewd pairing conjured up by Oxfordshire breeder John Harding-Rolls, and had jumping blood pulsing through his veins.

His sire Marius was a big winner for Caroline, including the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, hence why she was drawn to pay £1,000 for the iron grey weanling. Caroline’s mother Doreen described the young Milton as “a funny-looking thing” and David Broome remembers it wasn’t all plain sailing for the future champion in the ring.

“He had a bit of a chequered career in those early days because he was so untidy in front,” he explains. “My assistant even saw him have 16 faults at one show.”

But Milton’s talent was clear to Caroline as she quietly produced him until she died suddenly of heart failure aged just 37 in the summer of 1983. Her parents originally offered John Whitaker the ride but he was en route to the Royal Highland Show and couldn’t commit to anything until his return two weeks later. Instead, they sent six year-old Milton with just £63 on his card to local rider Steve Hadley.

“By September he was jumping small grands prix and it was clear he was destined for great things,” Steve recalls. “It felt like he was on springs, he was beautifully balanced and he enjoyed it because he was good at it.

“At Park Farm’s Lancia Championships he jumped double clear in the £200 class each day and I said to my groom, ‘Look after that one because he’s the best you’ll ever see.’”

But misfortune struck ahead of his Olympia debut when Milton, whose one phobia was being clipped, lashed out.

“We don’t know if he hit the blade of the clippers or he struck himself, but he injured his tendon and had to have more than a year off, so he returned to the Bradleys,” says Steve.

An epic tale

Paul Schockemöhle, who was instrumental in securing Next’s sponsorship of the Whitaker brothers and for whom Caroline rode several horses, wanted Milton for John as part of the deal.

“I was sad to lose Milton, but I’d decided to stop competing during that time anyway – he just arrived 10 years too late for me,” says Steve.

John takes up the epic tale: “I was at the World Cup Final in 1985 and Paul asked if I’d be interested in taking Milton on. I actually said, ‘I’m not really that bothered,’ but as a favour to Paul I said I’d try him.”

Even over their first cross-pole together, John knew he had “something very special”.

“He was light as a feather off the ground and I’d never experienced anything like it,” he says. “I rode up to the house, knocked on the window and said to [my wife] Clare, ‘Come and watch this horse jump!’”

John began eight-year-old Milton at some local shows then took him to Berlin, where he finished third in the small grand prix.

“A week later in Brussels he was second in the World Cup, then we went to Bordeaux and won the World Cup,” recalls John.

“It wasn’t all plain sailing. He had his own style coming off the ground in front at a fence – if you pushed him too deep or made him jump too quick he used to twist and he didn’t like it.

“He was nevertheless jumping a lot of clear rounds and we were picked for the Nations Cup at Hickstead in 1986, but Peter Robeson said in the collecting ring: ‘That horse needs a big ground line at the practice fence to help him get up in front.’ Once I figured out that was what he liked, we never looked back.”

The Bradleys gave John three stipulations: that Milton couldn’t do the Hickstead Derby; the Olympics, because of a previous dispute Caroline had with selectors; or the Suffolk Show, where she died, but the world soon took notice as the duo’s career went stratospheric.

The pair’s crowning achievement was winning double gold at the 1989 European Championships in Rotterdam, two years after securing individual silver and team gold.

“To win was a real milestone,” says John. “But to do it on Milton… He was a dream horse because he wanted to please you. After you’d jumped one fence he’d say, ‘All right, what’s next?’ He just loved the job and the more the crowd cheered, the higher he jumped.”

The following year, John and Milton scored their tremendous victory in the King George V Gold Cup at the Royal International – having been third in 1987 and second in 1988 and 1989 – before heading to the inaugural World Equestrian Games in Stockholm. Great Britain took bronze and John joined Eric Navet (Quito De Baussy), Hubert Bourdy (Morgat) and Greg Best riding the other famous grey, Gem Twist, for the horse-swap individual medal decider.

John, who finished with silver, remembers: “Gem Twist was a dream to ride, but he was the total opposite to Milton so when Greg rode Milton, it didn’t really work out and he had two fences down. But that woke Milton up, he wasn’t for knocking anything else down after that – and for about the next two months!”

Greg commented afterwards: “Getting to ride Milton was like finding out you’d got a date with the most beautiful girl in the world – you find yourself tripping over your feet.”

Among the other equine behemoths of the time were Pierre Durand’s Jappeloup and Ian Millar’s Big Ben, resulting in many thrilling showdowns with Milton, including during his astounding run of World Cup Finals. In 1989, Milton just missed out to Big Ben, but returned to take the title in 1990 and 1991 in Gothenburg, when the pair made the front page of the Swedish papers. They missed a potential hat-trick in 1992 when Milton was found to have pus in his foot, then the following year they finished runner-up to Ludger Beerbaum and Ratina Z.

“Milton was just as good indoors; he was a machine really,” says John affectionately.

The Bradleys’ Olympic stipulation had come to haunt John in 1988, possibly in Milton’s prime, when amid a media furore the pair couldn’t travel to Seoul. But Tom and Doreen had a change of heart in 1992, and John and a 15-year-old Milton joined the squad of Michael Whitaker, Tim Grubb and Nick Skelton in Barcelona, which would play out as one of the most heartbreaking conclusions to any medal-decider.

“He was maybe slightly past his best, but still very capable,” remembers John. “But I realised the really hard sand there was making his fetlocks sore when he jumped and he wasn’t enjoying it.”

Such was the horse’s class, however, they held the lead coming into the final round and expectations soared.

“He stumbled badly on landing in a massive combination so I pulled him out,” says John. “I was so disappointed because I had a fighting chance for a medal, but you can’t dwell on it.”

Greatest years

Milton’s machine-like quality also made him the mainstay of Britain’s all-conquering Nations Cup teams, at one point jumping seven consecutive double clears for his country from their regular number four spot. According to chef d’equipe Ronnie Massarella, Milton gave him “my greatest years in the sport”.

“One of Milton’s greatest assets was that every single day you knew what you’d get from him,” says John. “He was never looking for a way out – you just pointed him at the jumps and he’d do it. His floaty style over the jumps made it feel as though you were up in the air for ages – like you’d never come down, in fact!”

At home, Milton was a tremendous character and loved to be the centre of attention, kicking the stable door if the lorry left without him and becoming an adored member of the Whitaker family for 14 years.

“I used to race the kids on their ponies – I’d stagger Robert on his Shetland and Louise on her pony, all greys, down the field and say ‘Go!’ Milton loved that,” recalls John. “He loved the Shetland so much that we put him under Milton’s neck in the lorry if the kids took their ponies to shows. One Nations Cup, I was warming up for a crucial second round when the kids flew past on their ponies and all Milton would do is whinny at Robert’s Shetland.”

Milton would receive sack-loads of fan mail and the Whitakers tried to accommodate his many visitors. But he will always be remembered for his Lipizzaner-esque party piece that brought the crowd to its feet.

“He did it by accident the first time but I soon realised I could make him jump up off all fours to command,” reveals John. “I would canter round on the lap of honour, stop in middle and up he’d go.”

Vast popularity

Milton’s final competitions came in 1993, when John began to notice something niggling the 16-year-old. “I could have given him six months off to sort it, but I wanted such a brilliant horse to retire sound and healthy,” says John.

There was no way this megastar could slope quietly off to pasture though…

“Nearly every show in the world wanted me to do a retirement ceremony,” says John. “In Zurich, Tina Turner sang Simply The Best, then as the dry ice floated away, Milton and I were left standing in the ring with her. That was surreal. Of course, Milton lapped it all up.”

His vast popularity was evident in the many appearances he made in retirement. They joined Geoff Billington on a lecture demo tour; another time, John was joined by his brother Michael on another heroic grey, Desert Orchid.

“Milton loved showing off and it was good for him to have a purpose for another year or so,” says John.

After a couple of bouts of colic, Milton died in July 1999 at the age of 22 and is buried on John’s farm.

“I often give him a nod as I walk past,” John reveals. “Many people have asked, ‘Don’t you miss him, don’t you wish you still rode him?’ And I say, ‘Well at least I was lucky enough to have him.’”

Groom Penny Dalton on Milton

“Milton was 100% true character, and that made him the horse he was. He loved people, so if anyone didn’t pay him enough attention he would blow raspberries or grab your sleeve.

“But he could be the devil to look after. He didn’t like being rugged up – every morning he’d be standing with his rug over his head, or shredded on the floor, waiting to be rescued. He was a nightmare travelling, too – he was bored before you left Yorkshire and would paw constantly.

“People always wanted a bit of his mane and, before security was ramped up at shows, if I left my brushes out with white hair on them, they’d get taken.

“We were so upset when we lost him, but no other horse is remembered like Milton. Even people outside the sport knew him – being with Milton was like being with a pop star.

“At Modena, Pavarotti’s horse show, the great man himself wanted to meet Milton. Pavarotti was in tears just stroking Milton for ages, he was so in awe of this horse. It was a truly special moment.”

David Broome on Milton

“I first saw Milton at Newark Show. Caroline was riding him in the grade B&C class, and I asked how much she wanted for him.

“‘He’s not for sale,’ she replied. I said, ‘Never mind he’s not for sale, how much do you want for him?’

“She said no, she was keeping him, but eventually she promised that if she ever did sell him I’d have first chance, but then the poor girl died.

“Milton was very lucky to finish up with John because he brought out the best in him. I competed against Milton most of his life, but it was always nice to have him on our Nations Cups teams as last to go. Everyone who ever saw Milton jump was very privileged.”

Milton’s greatest achievements

• First showjumper to win more than £1m
• Winner of nearly 30 major grands prix, including the 1986 Du Maurier and 1990 King George
• Six championship medals – three gold, two silver, one bronze
• World Cup winner in 1990 and 1991
• Britain’s highest-earning horse from 1986 to 1991

Milton’s breeding

Milton was a real mix, by a Dutch warmblood stallion out of an Irish Draught/thoroughbred mare, with trakehner bloodlines on his paternal side and Anglo-Arab on his dam’s. Both sire and dam were grade A showjumpers – his dam was four when producing Milton, going on to compete with Derek Ricketts before being sold to Belgium as a broodmare, while his grand-dam Pennywort was the 1970 Foxhunter champion. Marius’s sire, Marco Polo, was a foundation sire of the modern Dutch warmblood sport horse.

You might also enjoy reading…

Senior Whitaker brothers land a win apiece: ‘Something I’ll remember for ever’

‘I’m 68, but I can still do it’: John and Michael Whitaker discuss longevity, mistaken identity and sibling rivalry

The Horse & Hound Podcast 141: John & Michael Whitaker

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Suppose your Christmas stocking contained a ride on the horse of your dreams… We find out which superstars of yesteryear this top rider would love to have been in the saddle on

Mary King, a six-time Olympian who counts Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky wins on her record – along with a seriously impressive medal haul – admired a certain grey superstar who took the showjumping world by storm.

“A horse I would have always loved to have ridden was Milton. I remember seeing him in the flesh at a show in Leicester and I was absolutely bowled over as he walked past. He just looked so amazingly soft, supple and athletic – and that was just walking, let alone how incredible he looked jumping,” says Mary.

Milton is best known for his iconic partnership with John Whitaker, who was given the ride in 1985. The pair were a match made in heaven, and Milton became the first horse outside racing to win more than £1m in prize money. Known for his carefulness and rarely touching a pole, he was loved by showjumping fans around the world.

“I first saw him around about the time I was riding King William. I’d been having some fences down at big three-day events, so it made me even more in awe of Milton,” says Mary King.

“He just had this aura about him, he was so incredible in his heyday. He was so quick off the ground and soft in the air. Although I never met him, I admired him from afar and used to think, gosh, what it must feel like to ride such an athlete.”

You might also be interested in:

Horse & Hound’s 140th anniversary legends: Milton – John Whitaker’s wonder horse who won over £1m during his career

Thought you knew everything about Milton? 8 insights to the equine legend that may surprise you

Milton’s groom Penny Dalton, who had perhaps the most coveted job in the world, shares with us some fantastic insights

Mary King back in the saddle after breaking bones in her neck in a fall at home

From the Badminton Horse Trials archives: watch when Mary King won her first title in 1992

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

John Whitaker has inspired generations of riders, not least William Funnell. The pair sit down to discuss horsemanship, riding Milton, keeping motivated and years of friendship...

William: I have admired your quiet consistency with horses since I was a kid, so it made a big impact years later when you sent your horse Barry Bug for me to ride.

To go on to win the leading showjumper at Horse of the Year Show on a horse owned by you was a big thrill; I was in my twenties, I’d not done many internationals and had Comex as my top horse but nothing else, so I really felt like I’d made it. Was there a moment you thought, “Yes, I’ve made it”?

John: That night was a great experience for me, too, because I’ve never been on that side of the game – usually I’m on the horses’ backs. But, yes, aged about 18 when Ryan’s Son was seven and I had another seven-year-old called Singing Wind we went to Yorkshire Show. The first day was a big step up from what I’d been doing at the small county shows and it was a complete disaster.

On the way home I said to my father, “I think I’m a bit out of my depth,” and I was a bit reluctant to go back the second day, but my father talked me into it. I won the first class with Singing Wind, then the big class with Ryan’s Son and the third day won the Cock O’The North against David Broome, Harvey Smith and all the top riders. That was the point I thought, “I’m all right at this!”

My first memories of you, Will, were when you started riding for Cyril Light and believe it or not I thought you were really shy…

William: I was!

John: We’ve been good mates since. I remember your really good win in the Foxhunter final when you were 17.

William: Cyril never came to the big shows, so he sent me up to what I think was my first Horse of the Year Show in a little lorry with one horse, Once More. We left at 4am for the 7am warm-up class and I ended up in the evening jumping-off against Liz Edgar and won, stopping off for fish and chips on the way home. I thought, “This lot aren’t that good really – I’ve turned up with my one horse and won. This showjumping business is easy!”

Little did I realise how long it would take to win another Foxhunter final. But I’ve always admired your confodence, John – it’s something we all need, isn’t it?

John: These days you can walk the course and think, “Bloomin’ ’eck this is massive and I’m not sure my horse can jump it.” But I like a challenge – it is all about confidence, and success breeds success.

Sometimes you get stuck in a rut and keep having one down and you don’t know what’s going wrong, but there’s nothing really wrong and as soon as one horse wins a class, they all start going well. Do you analyse things much more than I do?

William: I think your strengths could be my weaknesses, yes. Whereas you would always sit quietly, perhaps I’d be overcomplicating things.

As a breeder and dealer I’ve never set out to achieve anything like you have, but as a young rider I used to study you in the collecting ring and I’ve learned a lot from the way you produce your horses – if you’re consistent, you don’t have to bully a horse.

I’ve never seen you lose your rag with a horse – have you always been so level?

John: I think losing your temper is a sign of weakness. Like you, I watched all the top riders, my predecessors, and tried to pick up the good things from certain riders and stay away from the bad things. A lot of what I do comes from feeling, and horses aren’t machines – you have to explain what you want from them and that sometimes takes a long time, sometimes you never get there!

People often take for granted that these horses want to jump, or can jump, but we should keep in the back of our minds that they’re not even really meant to showjump – to go in a big ring with huge jumps and thousands of people watching – yet we expect them to do it.

William: I remember seeing you and Michael at the county shows turning up to 1.60m verticals and thinking, “Crikey, that’s unbelievable, how can they do that?”

I was so lucky that you encouraged me in those early days and it was never any problem if I asked you questions – you always had a very simple way of putting things.

John: I wouldn’t say I’m a superstar, but there is a knack to turning back to big jumps. Some riders are absolute experts, like David Broome, who used to keep his rhythm back to his fences and he was magic to watch.

Nowadays, Marcus Ehning is especially good – he never takes a pull, he’s always on a forward stride. It’s something that comes with practice – and con dence.

Of course, it helps if your horse can jump a bit! But I do practise that with my young horses, teaching them to think for themselves and get them looking for the next fence.

William: When I won the Foxhunter final in 1984 it was on telly. Can you imagine that now? Even at South Of England or Great Yorkshire, the crowd would be seven or eight deep for the big class and you’d never even have thought about going into the ring and schooling round. You were always playing to a crowd at places like that, weren’t you?

John: People ask me how I got into showjumping and I remember as a kid watching it on BBC One at 9pm and thinking it was unbelievable. The next day, I would get out some bricks and a pole and start jumping – it all stems back from watching it on prime-time TV.

William: In terms of horses that you’ve had over the years, there are many I’d have liked to have ridden but I know I couldn’t have done a better job. It would have been lovely just to have had a sit on Milton though. I always admired how much time you gave him.

John: I had to adapt to Milton – you had to give him time to come off the ground whereas in general I like to push my horses into fences. He jumped in a unique way. His front legs came up out in front of him and you had to sit behind the movement a bit. After a few years, I didn’t have to think about it and he adapted to me a bit as well. We met in the middle.

William: You’ve achieved so many unbelievable things but two that stand out for me are winning the Hickstead Derby on 21-year-old Gammon – you’d never hear of that nowadays – then we have to talk about you hopping on Buddy Bunn in 2004 after I tore my groin on him in the Derby trial, and winning it. I don’t think many riders could get on a horse and do that.

John: What I admire in you though is your professionalism, you’re stylish, you think everything through and you know which classes to place the horses in. You’re very good at producing them and not bad at breeding them, either!

William: How do you deal with the highs and lows? I’ve seen you disappointed, but I’ve never really seen you down. After a bad round I get the impression you’re thinking it’s a challenge to make this horse as good as it can be.

John: Definitely. Both Michael and I are the same and it goes back to our father. He would always find something good to say and that’s rubbed off on us – we always try to get the best out of what we have. Often my son Robert or wife Clare will say, “Why are you wasting your time with that horse?” But I’m stubborn and that makes me more determined.

It’s worked both ways though and a few horses turned out to be absolute superstars when in the beginning even I didn’t believe it. Like Grannusch – jumping newcomers, you’d think he had no chance of even doing Foxhunter.

It can take you more than three or four years to make a horse and sometimes your hopes are too high, but horses can reach their best at 15, 16 or 17.

William: You more than any other rider have had horses peak in their late teens, what do you put that down to?

John: It must be the Yorkshire grass! But it’s a bit of everything – keeping them mentally fresh, physically sound, not over-jumping, not doing too much in the warm-up and not trying to win every single class at break-neck speed. Just trying to keep everything in their comfort zone.

Sometimes in a jump-off, you get carried away trying to win and do things that you probably shouldn’t do, but you’re there to try to win. But to try to win by half a second rather than five seconds, just little things like that.

Willim: Talking about fitness, I still enjoy riding at 54, you’re 10 years older than me?

John: I’m 66 this year.

William: Have you any tips on how I can keep going?

John: I wouldn’t follow my regime!

William: [LAUGHS] If I didn’t have a horse at the top level, I’d still enjoy riding the young ones; I just don’t enjoy falling off now, that seems to hurt a lot more. But I admire the fact that you still enjoy it and I see you riding as well as ever. Physically are you still finding it easy?

John: I have to confess after Christmas I was only riding two or three horses a day but I’m back up to five. I do feel a bit sti er when I get out of bed in the morning and I might walk around like a bit of an old man, but on a horse I feel good.

William: The horses you have now are as nice as you’ve had for a few years, aren’t they?

John: I have two or three good ones. I was away for three months at the end of last year on various tours and I tell you what, I really enjoyed it. I always have done, but now I feel I have nothing to prove, I can enter classes that I feel suit the horses and I can still beat them on my day!

If shows return to normal this year I could go back to five-stars and if I think my horse is good enough to do Nations Cups or maybe a championship, then yes I would do it. What are your goals, Will?

William: The world is still my oyster! It’s nice to do the big shows, but only if you are competitive. I have a nice Nations Cup horse in Billy Diamo but let’s see what happens – we have a plan but a couple of months ago we were thinking there would definitely be super leagues, Olympics, European Championships, now who knows?

We’re still running a commercial business, so it’s all about producing and selling them. So physically, and as long as I keep enjoying it, I’d like to keep going.

Looking back then John, what do you count as your proudest moment?

John: The one that stands out was winning the European Championships in Rotterdam in 1989. I’d been knocking on the door a few times with Ryan’s Son and then Hopscotch, so when I won – and Michael was second – it was a real milestone.

Winning a championship is not something many riders do so that was a good one, in those glory days with Milton.

William: For me, winning team gold at the 2013 Europeans with Billy Congo was right up there, and on a home-bred it adds an extra dimension. But as great as it is to achieve things myself, I get such satisfaction from seeing somebody else winning on a Billy horse.

Hickstead, though, has always been a great place to win, so to have so many seconds in the Derby then to end up winning four was great. But it would be nice to win another one – just to get that fifth one that nobody else has done would be pretty special.

● As told to Steven Wilde and Jennifer Donald

Ref: 11 February 2021

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It’s been three decades since John Whitaker and Milton ruled the showjumping world during a historic era in the sport. We will be celebrating the full career of this equine legend in the 15 October issue of Horse & Hound and his groom Penny Dalton, who had perhaps the most coveted job in the world, shares with us some fantastic insights into life with the great flying grey.

Here are eight things that may surprise you…

1. “It was all hands on deck to clip him — he just hated it — and that’s why sometimes he was a bit fluffy at shows,” says Penny.

2. “He always wore knee boots when riding out. He was very nosy and one time out hacking with John he fell in a ditch, just because if he heard a noise or saw something going on that he needed to look at it — he would literally trip over his own feet in the process.”

3. “He was a bit of a nightmare travelling in the lorry — he’d be bored before you even left Yorkshire and would paw constantly. He had no patience and just wanted to be doing stuff.”

4. “To sit on he was amazing — he was strong, but it felt as if you were riding a dressage test on him, he was so light in the mouth.”

5. “He didn’t like having his mane and tail pulled, either — Clare, John’s wife, was the master but you’d have to back him up and stand behind the stable door to do it.”

6. “I used to jump every single fence with him in the ring. He could be the devil to look after, but I really believe that character made him the horse he was.”

Article continues below…

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7. “Nobody knew how he did it, but every morning he’d be standing with his rug over his head, or shredded on the floor, waiting to be rescued. He just didn’t like having a rug on.”

8. “I still get upset when I see him on videos because he really was such a character and we were so upset when we lost him. But no other horse is remembered like Milton — even so far down the line,” says Penny.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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British breeding has surged in recent years, with more and more quality sport horses being proudly British-bred, and getting the recognition they deserve. H&H takes a look back at some of the best in history, from Milton to Desert Orchid.

Foxhunter

1940-1959

By Erehwemos and out of Catcall

FOXHUNTER won Olympic bronze in 1948 and secured Great Britain’s only gold medal of the 1952 Games, with Harry Llewellyn. They remain the only partnership to have won the King George V Cup three times, and Foxhunter has put his name to the national showjumping competition at HOYS since 1954.

Priceless

1973-2003

By Ben Faerie and out of Reckless

BRED in Somerset and ridden by Ginny Holgate (now Elliott), Priceless held both the world and European team and individual eventing titles concurrently, won Badminton and became the first horse to win Burghley twice. Throughout his career, he never incurred a single cross-country jumping penalty.

Milton

1977-1999

By Marius and out of Aston Answer

MILTON and John Whitaker claimed almost every domestic and international title, including European team gold medals in 1987 and 1980, plus European individual gold in 1989. Milton was the first horse outside of racing to earn more than £1million in prize money.

Desert Orchid

1979-2006

By Grey Mirage and out of Flower Child

BRED in Leicestershire by James Burridge out of his hunter Flower Child, “Dessie” exceeded all his breeder’s expectations, winning 34 races, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase four times.

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King William

1983–2002

By Nickel King and out of unknown

AT the point of his death, Mary King’s prolific and much-loved eventer held the record for the most British Eventing points amassed (1,926). He was instrumental in Mary’s career, giving her her first Badminton win in 1992.

Don’t miss this week’s 48-page breeding special (6 April 2017), where we find out whether breeding really pays the bills

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From Milton to Peppermill, John Whitaker has partnered many well-loved horses to success, but who is your favourite? Cast your vote below

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Legendary showjumper Milton, this week’s cover star (11 June 2015), became one of the best known horses in the world during his heyday, collecting fan clubs wherever he travelled.

Ronnie Massarella, Britain’s chef d’equipe during that golden era, recalls: “Milton gave me my greatest years in the sport and he and John [Whitaker] were the perfect ambassadors for British showjumping. Milton had something no other horse had.”

12 things you need to know about Milton

1. Milton was bought in 1977 by the late Caroline Bradley. Caroline’s mother Doreen described him as “a funny-looking thing — ugly, and no bigger than a 13.2hh pony”. Little did she know that he would grew up to become showjumping’s first millionaire…

2. Milton was a rarity. He was the product of careful selection by John Harding-Rolls at a time when British sport horse breeding was in its infancy. Caroline bought him because he was by Marius, a Dutch-bred stallion she had partnered to many successes, out of a part-Arab mare from whom he inherited his coat colour and tremendous presence. He also ended up much bigger than his sire, standing 16.3hh in his prime.

3. He impressed many people throughout his novice career, during which he surprisingly failed to qualify for the Foxhunter final after spooking at cars parked around the ringside. “He was green and his front legs were dangly, but he had star quality,” remembers John Whitaker, with whom Milton was eventually to forge a dream partnership.

4. John was given the ride in the autumn of 1985, when Milton was an eight-year-old. He jumped the horse at a couple of small shows and then took him to Berlin indoor show, where he finished third in the small grand prix. And that was the beginning of a great partnership that swept all before it…

5. Milton and John became the mainstays of Britain’s all-conquering team, jumping seven consecutive double clears in Nations Cup.

6. But Milton missed the Olympic gold he so deserved. The Bradleys did not want Milton to travel to Seoul in 1988, fearing that the journey would be too much for him and, despite much pressure — including the banishment of the horse and rider from Nations Cup teams for a season — would not budge.

7. When Milton finally got his chance, in Barcelona in 1992, he was past his prime. He hated the Spanish going and heat, but such was his class that he was in the lead coming into the final round. But a stumble in the deep sand after jumping into a double left him with no option but to stop, and a medal slipped away.

8. When Milton retired at Olympia in December 1994, it was as showjumping’s first millionaire, with winnings of more than £1.25m.

9. But John must also take great credit, because the “wonder horse” did have a flaw. His long stride made it difficult for him to clear verticals and John had to change his own style by shortening his stirrups and standing Milton off.

10. Milton retired to the Whitakers’ Yorkshire farm. He made some public appearances, but after he survived major colic surgery in 1998, the decision was made to let him live out his life in happy retirement with his best friend, Hopscotch.

11. The following year, the colic returned and this time, the old horse could not fight it off. He died in July 1998.

12. Milton may have been a superstar, but he was also a typical horse. “He often had a battle of wills with our grooms and would push them as far as he could by rooting to the spot or refusing to go into his stable. He also used to take his rugs off and shred them, and if he didn’t fancy doing something, he would blow raspberries,” says John.

Don’t miss this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (11 June 2015), where we ask leading equestrians which superstar would be their dream ride

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If you could ride any horse, past or present, who would it be?

That was the question H&H posed to readers last week, and the response was vast.

The resounding winner, however, was John Whitaker’s legendary partner Milton.

In a survey on Twitter 30% of H&H’s responding followers chose the mighty grey as their dream ride.

John Whitaker secured the ride on Milton in 1985 and the pair became a stellar combination. They were mainstays of British Nations Cup teams, and when the grey retired in 1994 he’d amassed more than £1.25m in prize money, the first in the sport to cross the million-pound mark.

Dual Olympic gold medal-winning dressage star Valegro was the runner up with 24%.

Diminutive showjumper Stroller scored 12%, while Charisma, Mark Todd’s gold medal-winning Olympic eventer, took 7% of votes.

Arkle, Desert Orchid, Istabraq, King William, Classic II, Big Ben, Frankel, Imperial Cavalier and Murphy Himself all received 3% of votes.

Meanwhile on Facebook fans were also championing Milton, Valegro and Stroller.

“Definitely Milton — my bedroom walls were plastered in posters of him as a child. Saw him at Olympia in his retirement parade and cried my eyes out,” said Facebook fan Emma Featherstone.

While Sophie Ray added: “Milton, didn’t even have to think.”

Ryan’s Son, Red Rum, Aldaniti and Secretariat also got several favourable mentions, alongside H&H’s very own equine blogger Hovis.

In this week’s issue top riders including Lucinda Green, William Whitaker, Jennie Lorriston-Clarke and Richard Dunwoody, reveal which horse they wish they’d had the chance to ride.

Find out who the stars would pick in the new issue of H&H magazine, on sale tomorrow (Thursday 11 June)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Milton, John Whitaker’s Olympic show jumper, is the best-loved horse in Britain, according to a poll of readers of Horse & Hound Online.

Crowd-pleasing Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Desert Orchid is the runner-up.

To celebrate Valentine’s day, Horse & Hound readers have picked their best-loved horses of all time — and it’s no surprise that these two great “white” champions have topped the list.

The top 10

• Milton: Started by Caroline Bradley before her death in 1983, he went on to represent Britain countless times with John Whitaker
• Desert Orchid: Four-time winner of the King George VI Chase
• Red Rum: Dominated the 1970s with three Grand National wins
• Best Mate: Three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner
• Over To You: The world’s most-medalled event horse with Jeanette Brakewell
• Ryan’s Son: Chunky bay and 1980 Olympic medallist with John Whitaker
• Supreme Rock: Back-to-back Badminton winner with Pippa Funnell
• King William: Badminton winner with Mary King
• Stroller: Pony who beat horses to Olympic silver show jumping medal in 1968
• Black Beauty: Iconic hero of seminal Victorian animal welfare novel

For the full article and the complete countdown of best-loved horses from 1-20 see Horse & Hound (14 February, ’08)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now