A budding five-year-old jockey from the Whitaker dynasty made her mark at her second-ever show with a championship win at this year’s Royal Windsor Horse Show. Gracie-May Whitaker was picture perfect aboard her grandfather Martin Wood’s Welsh section A Thistledown Silver Bullet to win the mountain and moorland (M&M) mini championship in the Adelaide Ring.
The pair had won the lead rein class, led by their co-producer Craig Elenor.
“This is only their second show together,” said Craig’s partner, Sara Parrott. “Martin bought him two years ago when we had him in as a colt to sell for his breeder Sandy Anderson. We’ve jockeyed him for the last two years with the aim of Gracie-May riding him this year.”
In 2023, the nine-year-old son of Friars Golden Glory won at the Royal Highland and he qualified for Horse of the Year Show.
“He’s only been lightly shown but he’s the easiest, straightest person to have around,” Sara added.
Gracie-May is the daughter of showjumper George Whitaker and former top show rider Michaela Whitaker (nee Wood), who won at HOYS and the RIHS during her career.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“It’s likely Gracie-May will go jumping soon — she’s a Whitaker — but showing is a good grounding beforehand,” added Sara.
Reserve to Gracie-May and Thistledown Silver Bullet was Lilly Ahern and the ever-charming coloured Shetland Lotuspoint Cassius who were second in the M&M first ridden class to Thistledown Vanilla Orchid and Millie Wozencroft.
Cassius, now 17, is a seasoned showman with a win at HOYS and best of breed success at London International to his name.
“Our champion went beautifully and had a great walk on him,” said judge Nicky Kirby-Moore, who assessed the ride alongside conformation judge Cheryl Scott. “It was impeccably mannered and sat in a rhythm, important for a lead rein pony.”
Talking about the reserve pony, Nicky said: “The Shetland went better in the championship than the class winner and we had to judge it as a separate class.”
Enjoy the best of Royal Windsor with Horse & Hound
To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news and the best of the action throughout Royal Windsor Horse Show, with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from £1 a week in the UK.Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper Royal Windsor Horse Show magazine report in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 9 May.
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
Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
