Michael Whitaker wins € 100,000 puissance bonus - Jumping 2.25 m at Rome
May 30, 2025
Michael Whitaker and Loro Piana Cyber-Space cleared a massive 2.25m to claim the €100,000 bonus in the SNAI Puissance in Rome this evening.
Victory came at the end of a gladiatorial battle in which the 49 year old Briton pitted himself against America’s Richard Spooner in a five-round thriller.
“To win a class like this you need to have a strong heart but it helps too if you are a bit stupid!’ Whitaker said afterward. “I haven’t done a Puissance for a very long time - that was a big fence for an old man!” he said looking back at the colossal wall he had just jumped.
A total of 14 horses and riders went to post, but only Spooner and Whitaker were still in with a chance of taking the bonus money when clear after four rounds had been completed. The Englishman’s horse jumped awkwardly at this fourth attempt however, getting in very close to the wall and then drifting left as he attempted to clear it. Until now, Whitaker had approached the wall very slowly but he decided to change his plan when both himself and the American agreed to risk it one more time over the maximum 2.25m in the fifth and final round. “I decided I’d better get him going forward more, so I used bigger spurs and we got more aggressive” he explained.
Spooner was first to take on the gigantic red wall at 2.25m but his 12 year old gelding Pako decided it was all too much this time and stopped. Typically sympathetic, the stylish 38 year old Californian rider patted the horse gently and, as he had done in each previous round, leaned forward to give him a sugar-lump. “He normally jumps in 1.40m classes but he placed in the Derby at La Baule two weeks ago - occasionally he does 1.50m classes at home in the US. He is more used to speed competitions than big fences, but he is very brave. He tried really hard for me today so the least I could do was to feed him with something nice to say ‘thank you’! he explained.
When Whitaker came into the ring for the last time the tension was palpable. The tall, handsome chestnut Cyber-Space is no stranger to Puissance competitions having won at both Birmingham and Windsor this year, and clearing 2.20m at the Birmingham fixture. However it was Michael’s 19 year old nephew, William, who rode him on those two occasions. Michael admitted this evening that he wondered if he might be crazy to take on such a huge challenge at this stage in his own career. “I was a bit nervous going out there I can tell you” he said.
The competition proper offered a relatively modest €30,000 in prizemoney to be divided between the entire cast of starters - the bonus only available to any rider who could leave the 2.25m monster-wall in place - so there was €100,000 riding on this final attempt. But the temperamental gelding made it look easy as he arrived on the perfect stride and soared gracefully over.
The crowd rose to their feet and roared with delight at the courageous performance, knowing they had seen a special moment in show jumping history. Both Michael and his brother John are immensely popular with the Rome spectators who cheered as if this evening’s winner was one of their own.
Asked afterwards what was in his mind riding down to the wall for the final time he said, “well obviously neither you nor you horse can see over the top of it, so you just have to be completely concentrated and be positive and stay calm. If you go down there half-hearted you could get yourself into terrible trouble. You have to believe you can do it, and then your horse will believe it too” he said. “And of course, I was also thinking about the money!” he said with big grin.
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