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John Whitaker: ‘Equine America Unick Du Francport is getting his air miles in!’

*Opinion*
John Whitaker John Whitaker

    • John Whitaker, who has been one of the world’s leading showjumpers for more than four decades, on jet-setting horses, new rules and father-and-son moments

    I’ve had a long, quiet winter in terms of big shows. Equine America Unick Du Francport was injured in September – nothing serious, just a niggle that needed to get sorted. I managed to do the London International in December, but I only had one horse, Sharid, for it.

    So I started up again with Unick this year, competing at a few small shows in January and February, and his first big show was the five-star in Hong Kong. His second was in Mexico for the Longines Global Champions Tour, so he’s getting in his air miles – 23,000 to be precise – already this year!

    Flying horses around the world is an everyday occurrence nowadays and they normally travel from Liege in Belgium. It’s a great hub that’s really well organised and they have all the facilities to look after the horses in transit.

    I leapt at the invitation to compete in Hong Kong and while Unick travelled via Belgium, I enjoyed a direct flight from Heathrow on the same flight as the Shetland ponies competing in the show’s Shetland Pony Grand National!

    I last competed in Hong Kong several years ago with Argento and for some reason the show dwindled away, but it made a welcome return this year. It has a very British feel, the prize money was excellent and, although there weren’t as many spectators as last time, there was a great atmosphere. I hope the show carries on because it has a lot of positives.

    I’m representing Rome Gladiators in this year’s Global Champions League so it was on behalf of my new team that we then travelled to Mexico. So it was an unexpectedly long-haul start to the season but Unick is feeling fit and well once again, so we’re looking forward to the summer.

    Another rule change to navigate

    I don’t like complaining, but British Showjumping has implemented a new rule regarding the use of draw reins in the warm-up arena that varies from that issued by the FEI.

    I got caught out while competing at a local show centre with Unick, where I was jumping him just to get him going after his lay-off.

    While I was warming up, a steward told me I wasn’t allowed to use draw reins in any area where there’s a jump. So I could go outside to a different area where there were no jumps and use the draw reins, but I couldn’t use them where there were jumps. It was the first I knew about the new rule.

    I tend not to use draw reins, but they serve a purpose in the right hands and we all have our own systems when it comes to warming up our horses. They help Unick because he’s scared of other horses and tends to throw his head back.

    Not being allowed to use them at national shows means having to completely change the system we have with him so it would be a lot easier if national shows were allowed to stick with those set by the FEI. We’re all aiming towards the same goal, so why complicate things?

    “Great viewing”

    I’m just back from Basel where I was watching my son Robert and Vermento competing in the World Cup Final.

    I know exactly how Willie Mullins must have felt on Saturday, watching his son Patrick win the Grand National – I’m always immensely proud seeing my children compete. It wasn’t Rob’s week but he rode well and Vermento jumped superbly.

    The competition was wide open to the very end, which made for great viewing, and Ben Maher rode brilliantly to finish second to Julien Epaillard. It was a great result.

    ● What do you make of the new rules on using draw reins? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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