Nick Skelton swept the board at the 2005 British Show Jumping’s Awards Ball on Tuesday, taking home four awards. The Olympic silver medallist scooped British Show Jumping’s top accolade, the 2005 Leading Rider Award as well as being voted Riders’ Rider of the Year by the top 100 riders. Nineteen-year-old Ellen Whitaker was crowned Leading Rider Under 21.
The Awards Ball was hosted by BSJA Chairman Michael Mac at the Birmingham Metropole on 31 January and over 300 guests applauded Skelton as he accepted his prizes.
The five-times World Champion broke his neck in a fall in September 2000 and was told he would never ride again. But a miraculous recovery, inspired by the legendary stallion Arko III, enabled him to return to the saddle by April 2002. He went on to represent Britain in the Athens Olympics in 2004 and has now jumped on no less than 141 British Nations Cup teams and won over £300,000 for Arko’s owners John, Pat and Lisa Hales.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Young icon Ellen Whitaker also captured the BSJA Members’ Personality of the Year Award. Whitaker is currently ranked 5th on the BSJA rankings and is the highest placed woman. Trained by her father Steven, Ellen appeared on five Senior Nations Cup teams in 2005, partnering AK Locarno. In May she earned the BSJA show jumper of the month title and in October became the first foreign rider to receive the AGA Rookie of the Year Award whilst on tour in the USA.
BSJA AWARDS 2005
Joint Winners Leading Nations Cup Horse
Arko III and Portofino 63
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