‘This means the world’: Whitaker’sthrilling start to 2023 and Ehning versusvon Eckermann – who won this week

Joe Whitaker landed the biggest win of his career when heading the Al Shira’aa Longines Diamond Tour FEI Jumping World Cup grand prix at the CSI4*-W Al Shira’aa International in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Sunday (15 January). In an 11-strong jump-off, he and Jessica Crane’s 11-year-old Hulahupe JR rocketed home over 1.5sec quicker than runner-up Billy Twomey riding Chat Botte ED.

“This win is up there as number one,” said Joe, who landed his first grand prix with Hulahupe in July last year. “He [Hulahupe] is my best friend. He is an amazing horse, and he has the heart of a lion. He wanted to jump the fences more than I did today. I am lucky to have him.

“I saw Billy Twomey go, and he went around to number two, the wall, but he absolutely put pedal to the metal everywhere else, so if you wanted to win you had to come inside it. It was a really difficult turn, so my mind was purely on that turn and then try to be as fast as I could everywhere else.”

“It’s a big gamble coming here [to the UAE] with the worry of travelling and the size of the fences, but it’s an amazing show. I’m absolutely delighted to be here and to get a result like that means the absolute world to me,” added Joe, pictured in action, below.

Taking third on the podium was Portugal’s Duarte Seabra riding Dourados, with Jessica Burke fourth on the Liam Nicholas-owned Nikey HH. The fifth double clear was produced by Tim Gredley riding Medoc De Toxandria.