With bloodlines as refined as their leaping strategies, the two are properly acquainted with the calls for of top-tier competitors. Joe, who was chosen as the travelling reserve for the British showjumping crew at the Paris 2024 Olympics, follows in the footsteps of his late father, Tim, who competed at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Meanwhile, Jack, with a quantity of competitors medals already underneath his belt, comes from one of the sport’s most celebrated households, along with his current performances proving he’s each inch the inheritor to that formidable Whitaker legacy.
Do they really feel the stress of residing up to their names, of the unrelenting competitors from different riders? ‘You’ve acquired someone coming behind you all the time,’ says Joe. ‘Every other rider wants to go up on the ranking. Also, we rely on owners and investors, and if we’re not performing, it’s like an F1 crew – they are going to change the driver.’
That mentioned, Joe admits his encounters with royalty have felt extra daunting. ‘When you ride in [to the ring], you always have a little look at the royal box to see if there’s anyone sat there that afternoon – it just makes the show that bit more special,’ he says. ‘We met them last time…’ says Jack. ‘… at the reception in the castle,’ Joe cuts in, ending Whitaker’s sentence. ‘I get more nervous about meeting them than competing.’
