The Whitaker family of showjumpers has been the backbone of the sport for nearly half a century.
The famous sporting dynasty stems from the late Donald Whitaker, a Yorkshire farmer, and his wife Enid Whitaker, a keen horsewoman, and it is through their four sons, John, Michael, Ian and Steven, that the legendary Whitaker showjumping name was made.
Here is a complete Who’s Who of the famous Whitaker family.
The Whitaker family Who’s Who
Family of John Whitaker, married to Clare Whitaker
John Whitaker (born 1955) is the oldest of the four brothers and has been at the top of the sport for five decades, winning 21 championship medals, including with the mighty Milton. He and wife Clare have three children, Louise, Robert and Joanne Whitaker, all of whom compete internationally.
John and Clare’s eldest daughter Louise (born 1980) is now a highly respected producer of young horses, married to Ian Turner with two children, Harvey and Sienna.
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John and Clare’s son Robert (born 1983) regularly competes at five-star level showjumping and is a British team rider and Hickstead Derby winner. He and wife Kate have two young daughters, Evie and Millie, both of whom are keen young riders.
Joanne Whitaker
The youngest of John and Clare’s children, Joanne (born 1987) is also a hugely talented rider, producing many top horses in their early years.
The Whitaker family tree
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Family of Steven Whitaker, married to Carole Whitaker
Steven Whitaker (born 1957) also competed in showjumping to international level and now runs an equestrian business with son Joe. He and Carole have four children, Ellen, Joe, Thomas and Donald Whitaker, all of whom are international showjumpers.
Steven and Carole’s eldest daughter Ellen Whitaker (born 1986) is a very successful international rider and has made her name winning some of the world’s biggest grands prix. She has two sons, Harry and Frankie, with her former partner Antonio Marinas Soto.
Steven and Carole’s second child Joe (born 1988) has also jumped on British teams, as well as riding as a National Hunt jockey. He is married to Fiona and they have four children, Sophia, Stevie Joe, Emily and Bonnie.
Thomas Whitaker
The third of Steven and Carole’s children, Tom Whitaker (born 1990) runs his own business, Tom Whitaker Equestrian, buying, selling and producing horses as well as competing internationally and teaching.
The youngest of Steven and Carole’s four children, Donald Whitaker (born 1992) is named after his grandfather, the late patriarch of the Whitaker clan, and he is making a real name for himself on the international circuit, currently based in Germany with girlfriend German team rider Nicola Pohl.
The Whitaker family celebrate Michael and Melissa’s wedding
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Family of Michael Whitaker, married to Melissa Whitaker
Michael Whitaker (born 1960) is the third son of Enid and Donald, following in the footsteps of his oldest brother John to become one of the greatest showjumpers in the world, winning 15 championship medals and the Hickstead Derby four times. He and Melissa have three children, Jack, Molly and Katy.
Jack Whitaker (born 2001) is one of the brightest young stars in showjumping, having won individual gold at the pony European Championships and he is representing the Whitaker family showjumping dynasty as a regular competitor on the five-star circuit.
Family of Ian Whitaker, married to Alison Whitaker
Although he’s a knowledgeable horseman, Ian is the only brother who followed the farming route rather than becoming a professional showjumper. He and his wife Alison have nevertheless passed on the jumping genes as all three of their sons, William, George and James, are involved in the sport.
The oldest son of Ian and Alison, William (born 1989) is another member of the Whitaker family to represent Great Britain on showjumping teams, as well as jumping to victory in grands prix and he has won the Hickstead Derby. He is married to Elisabeth Whitaker and they have three children, Isabella, Oliver and Evelyn.
William’s younger brother George (born 1992) is another successful showjumper from the family competing at both national and international level. He is married to fellow showjumper Michaela Whitaker and the couple run Dallamires Stables together. Their young daughter Gracie May is achieving great success in the show ring.
James Whitaker
The youngest son of Ian and Alison, Jim (born 1997) is a regular winner on the national circuit and Queen’s Cup victor, producing some top class horses from his base in Yorkshire. He married Isabella in 2024.
Then we mustn’t forget international rider Joe Clayton, who is a second cousin of the Whitakers and was based with Michael Whitaker in his early days.
It’s quite some family – no wonder the Whitakers have become showjumping royalty!
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
