John Whitaker clears 1.95m to win six-bar challenge on 'borrowed' horse

Top British showjumper John Whitaker pictured winning the six-bar challenge in Rome on stallion Green Grass — John Whitaker and Green Grass in the six-bar challenge in Rome

(Image credit: Sport e Salute/Simone Ferraro)

Legendary showjumper John Whitaker was the joint winner of the six-bar challenge at the CSIO Rome Piazza di Siena, clearing 1.95m on a horse he “borrows sometimes”.

John and Paul Barker’s Green Grass, and Emilio Biocchi and Testa Carlo’s Flinton, were the only combinations to leave the fences up in the third round of Friday’s final class (26 May). The riders opted not to battle it out over a fourth round, which would have gone up to 2.05m, and instead agreed to share the win.

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

TOPICS

Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.

John Whitaker clears 1.95m to win on ‘game’ horse ‘he borrows sometimes’

The class asked questions from the start, with the final fence standing at 1.60m in the first round, and the height increased in every round. Only one other rider of 10 made it to the last round, Switzerland’s Alzain Jufer and Kosimo MM, who took the final fence down.

The competition was 13-year-old stallion Green Grass’s first attempt at a six bar.

“He’s normally ridden by Paul, who bred him, I just borrow him sometimes!”, said John.

John was cheered by the Italian crowd, gaining the title ‘Il grande John Whitaker’ – meaning ‘the great John Whitaker’ whenever he entered the Piazza di Siena ring.

“It’s actually very nice, I like it!” he said.

Jodie and Kimosa Van Het Kritahof won the 1.50m feature class on the opening day of competition on Wednesday (24 May), and were also second in the 1.45m with Catoki, beaten by Pedro Veniss and Cadum De Champloue.

You might also be interested in:

‘No room for error’ in final race for Paris 2024 places

‘She remains one of the most beautiful stories of my life’: meet the breeder behind this global superstar mare