Ellen is a member of the world famous Whitaker dynasty, and is niece to the legendary showjumpers John and Michael Whitaker.
The 34-year-old made her name in showjumping when she was just 18 – coming second in the infamous Hickstead Derby on her dad’s horse, Locarno 62, who was only eight years old himself. It was her uncle John that beat her to first place.
She went on to compete alongside John and Michael at the Europeans in Mannheim (GER) in 2007, where she jumped a triple clear with Locarno 62 to win team bronze, and help Britain qualify for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Since then Ellen has enjoyed an impressive number of personal wins, in a range of top classes, including the puissance at Olympia and Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), the Hickstead speed derby and HOYS Grand Prix.
In this podcast Ellen talks about the best moments in her career, her talented and fiercely competitive family, and the challenges of juggling motherhood with competing at the top of her sport. She also talks about:
· The “surreal experience” of tackling the challenging course at Hickstead, at such a young age.
· How amazing it is to be part of the Whitaker clan – despite being “outnumbered by the boys”
· Being inspired by her uncles, John and Michael: “They are my absolute heroes”
· Her incredible relationship with the stunning stallion Locarno
· The “huge disaster” of missing the Beijing Olympics when Locarno went lame
· The moments in her career that have brought her to tears of joy and frustration
· Dating Hollywood actor and former Superman Henry Cavill, and what he made of her showjumping family!
· Why becoming a mum has made her more motivated than ever
· Her dream of going to the Olympics and coming home with a medal
· The power of the brain and how sports psychology is “massively underrated”
· Why she loves Charles Owen helmets: “They are the safest and the best”
We hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as we loved making it. To find out more about the helmets Ellen loves – visit www.charlesowen.com