Jack Whitaker, indeed the son of Jack Whitaker, wrote his first CSI5* victory on his record last weekend at the age of 19, beating several top riders including the world number one Steve Guerdat. He was asked afterwards what his secret was: "I always want to win," he laughed.
"I noticed already in the run-up to this competition that my horses were very fit and that they had passed the various Corona and Rhino stops well," he says. "When I heard that I was allowed to participate in this CSI5* competition, I was of course very happy. It's not every day you get the chance to compete at this level, especially at my age. You notice that there is just a bit more prestige attached to this competition and that everyone wants to do really well here.
"What is my secret? I always want to win", he laughs. "Of course, like any rider, I have ups and downs. But a winner is someone who doesn't let the downs get them down and just keeps working hard to do better every time. You must always believe in yourself. If you believe that you can win and play a significant role in a (bigger) competition, you are already halfway there. As long as you don't lose the will to win, nothing is ever lost".
Source: Rolex Grand Slam