British showjumper Ellen Whitaker’s high horse Equine America Spacecake has been bought to Saudi Arabia after connections acquired a proposal that meant “we couldn’t afford to maintain her”, Ellen informed H&H.
Since teaming up in 2021, Ellen and the mare, owned by Tilly and Andrew Shaw, competed on the highest stage, together with representing Nice Britain on the Nations Cup Last in Barcelona final yr and ending fourth and better of the Brits within the Longines International Champions Tour grand prix of London. They have been additionally shortlisted for the 2022 World Showjumping Championships in Herning, Denmark.
However the 10-year-old gray had began attracting loads of consideration from potential patrons and, stated Ellen, “the presents have been getting larger and greater till it simply grew to become inconceivable to show down”.
Equine America Spacecake has been bought to the Saudi Equestrian Federation for one of many nation’s main riders, Khaled Almobty.
“They have been searching for an excellent horse so I hope she’ll go on and do properly,” stated Ellen. “It’s an enormous disgrace, the entire workforce have been in bits, it was very unhappy.
“It’s all the time tough to let horses go – good horses even worse – so once you discover one as particular as she was… she was distinctive. She was in all probability the very best horse I’ve ever had, in that we have been very properly suited and we grew a lot collectively in a brief time period throughout final yr.”
“So it’s a pity to not reap the rewards of that this yr, however on the similar time I’m extraordinarily happy with how she stepped as much as the highest sport and proved herself in the best way she did,” stated Ellen, who took the reins on the Stakkatol daughter from Belgium rider Jeroen Appelen.
“The London GCT was good, I’m so proud of that, then Barcelona was the final Nations Cup she did and he or she in all probability jumped that one the very best, so she was nonetheless bettering. I’m tremendous happy with her.”
Ellen Whitaker: ‘Time was working out’
“I began to attempt to search for choices to maintain her, I used to be searching for any individual to maybe purchase her for me to maintain, however time was working out,” stated Ellen Whitaker, a European workforce bronze medallist and a part of the well-known showjumping dynasty.
“The worth of horses has simply gone via the roof previously few years and I don’t know if it’s due to the Olympics developing, however individuals are determined for horses in the mean time. I obtained 100 cellphone requires that horse. So I knew [the sale] was coming as a result of the presents have been attending to the purpose the place we couldn’t afford to maintain her.
“Once I work with my homeowners, I attempt to be as honest and as affordable as doable. So when my proprietor asks me if that was worth to promote the horse at, I can’t say no as a result of it’s! All of us should make a dwelling out of what we’re doing as properly. I’m a single mom of two youngsters, I’ve to supply for them, so enterprise is vastly essential to me and that is all I do – that is my sport, my enterprise, my profession. So it was enterprise deal for me too, nevertheless it’s nonetheless devastating to should lose Equine America Spacecake.”
Ellen nonetheless has the proficient 10-year-old Equine America Ivanhoe GPH and the thrilling nine-year-old J Celebrity in her string in addition to some youthful horses, however is eager for “extra assist, extra homeowners” to assist keep her place as a frequent Nice Britain workforce rider and one of many nation’s most profitable riders.
“It’s getting tougher than ever to maintain our high horses and I’m desperately searching for as a lot assist as I can get,” she stated.
“I’ve labored with incredible homeowners over a few years. Tilly Shaw and her father Andrew have been huge supporters and we’ve had a good time thus far. However the actuality now’s that to tackle the very best riders on the high of the game, you want as many good horses as you will get your arms on and a really robust workforce to have the ability to try this, and the value these days means you want a complete workforce of householders or at the very least ones keen to spend some huge cash. I’m all the time searching for the following high horse!”
You might also have an interest to learn…
Credit score: Jamie Agnew Pictures
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Eleanor Jones
Credit score: Future
Horse & Hound journal, out each Thursday, is filled with all the newest information and reviews, in addition to interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and coaching recommendation. Discover how one can take pleasure in the journal delivered to your door each week, plus choices to improve your subscription to entry our on-line service that brings you breaking information and reviews in addition to different advantages.