Olympia - The London International Horse Show

Robert Whitaker is Master of centenary Olympia

Robert Whitaker is Master of centenary Olympia

Robert Whitaker brought the 100^th anniversary of Olympia, the London International Horse Show, to a rousing climax with victory in the H & M Christmas Masters. 

Seven of the Show’s top combinations went head to head in this battle of mind and power where winner takes all.  After four rounds where some of the fences had reached over 5’6”, four riders were tied with the prize fund at £14,500 so it was down to a jump off.   Robert Smith was second to go with Kalusha and a blistering clear looked like taking the victory but Germany’s Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst had other ideas and with Paparazzi he also posted a clear but some 0.80 of a second faster.  Drawn last to go, Robert used his advantage wisely and shaved off 0.30 of a second on the time to take the handsome cheque and raise the roof on the Grand Hall at Olympia.

Earlier, Robert’s father John Whitaker, the senior member of the dynasty which has dominated the 2007 show, collected his second victory of the week when he won the appropriately named Best of the Best, a new class for British riders. Riding the seven-year-old Asucar in the second speed round, he beat his nephew William on brother Michael’s Carnaval Path.

Mark Armstrong, who has had a great show with his string of young horses, was third on the seven-year-old Lavaletta ll.

Robert’s final victory also clinched the accolade of Leading Rider of the Show and a further cheque for £10,000 making it a fantastic early Christmas for him and his team.

Ends.