Second Queen’s title for James Whitaker

Some of Britain’s leading national showjumpers came forward for today’s JCL Insurance Brokers Queen Elizabeth II Cup, with 2018 winner James Whitaker taking the title for a second time.

It’s been a phenomenal few years for the Whitaker family at Hickstead, with British showjumping’s first family picking up many of the major titles at the showground. John Whitaker was on the winning British team at the Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain in 2023 and 2024, his son Robert joined him on the winning team in 2024 and won the King George V Gold Cup in 2023, while cousin Donald took the same Grand Prix title in 2024. Robert was back at the top of the leaderboard in last month’s Al Shira’aa Derby, and now cousin James has won the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Cup thanks to a storming round on Just Call Me Henry, a horse owned by his dad Ian.

The JCL Insurance Brokers Queen Elizabeth II Cup used to be an international class open to women riders only, but in 2008 the rules were changed to allow both men and women to compete. Today’s renewal saw nine of the 29 starters jump clear in the first round, with James Whitaker making the most of his late draw to shave 1.43sec off leader Allana Clutterbuck’s time.

“It’s a great class to win. Some people are lucky enough to win it once, and now I’ve won it twice, so I’m very happy,” said a delighted James.

The rider was quick to give credit to his 10-year-old gelding Just Call Me Henry. “The only way he was going to knock a fence down was if I messed it up, and luckily I didn’t,” James added. “He’s been knocking at the door for a little while, and for the last couple of weeks he’s been jumping great.”

Allana Clutterbuck finished in second place with the 16-year-old Vykinbay, a horse with whom she’s enjoyed a lot of success at county shows and Area Trials. For the second year in a row, she won the Cindy Mead Memorial Trophy for the best rider under-25.

Ireland’s Peter Moloney took the third spot, finishing 1.6sec slower than Allana with the chestnut gelding Nielson.

Sweden's Marcus Westergren has been making his Hickstead debut this week, and he made up for disappointment in Friday's Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain with a win in today's Unex Group Speed Classic. 

It was a last-minute decision to ride the 11-year-old Fellaini de Liebri Z in the class, and it paid off with a brilliant win ahead of Britain's Millie Allen and the in-form Quick Diamant HR. 

The Netherlands’ Sanne Thijssen won the opening international class of the day, the Brilliance Horse Auction Trophy. Forty-eight combinations came forward for the €28,200 class, with 17 horses jumping clear to go through to the jump-off.

For much of the second phase, it looked as though first-to-go Robert Whitaker and his Al Shira’aa Derby winner Gentlemen van het Veldhof would prove unbeatable. Their quick time of 34.95sec saw Robert stop the clock nearly a second faster than his cousin William Whitaker, riding Millfield Quickstep.

But neither Whitaker had reckoned on Sanne Thijssen, who took off almost half a second from Robert’s time to secure victory with the 12-year-old Cupcake Z.

The Agria Royal International Horse Show takes place from 23-27 July. Tickets are available at the gate or online from www.hickstead.co.uk. The action will also be shown live on ClipMyHorse.TV.