Robert Whitaker pulls out all the stops to land the four-star Montefalco Grand Prix with Vermento
Monday 27 April 2026
Robert Whitaker pulled a four-star Grand Prix win out of the bag with Caroline and Stephen Blatchford’s Vermento in Montefalco, Italy.
The 1.55m track reduced the original field of 50 to 12 for the jump-off, with Robert claiming a favoured later place in the draw as tenth to go. With just two left to go behind him, Robert knew exactly what he had to do, cutting every conceivable corner and clear the last to secure the win by 2.05 seconds.
The 13-year-old stallion – bred by Robert’s father John Whitaker by his former top ride Argento and out of the Skippy 12 daughter Vicky Van De Grundeval, a former ride of Robert’s – Vermento himself is available at stud this year via frozen semen.
“I think his jump was good and the course suited him with a few tight turns,” said Robert.
Robert also picked up fifth in a 67-strong 4* 1.45m speed with his promising home-bred Strike A Pose, a son of his former top five-star ride Catwalk IV.
Laura Renwick was in the money all week: the Toulon nine-year-old Marseille claimed second in the initial 76-horse 4* 1.45m two-phase 0.32 seconds off the pace.
A new ride for Laura and at their third show together, the 11-year-old Billy Barlow (Cevin Z x Billy Congo), picked up a 4* 1.40m speed second place, 0.42 seconds behind the pace, and went on to take third in the 4* Medium 1.45m two-phase 1.70 seconds off the winning time.
Laura claimed victory in a 2* 1.35m speed with the home-bred eight-year-old NFS Top Gun (Top Dollar IV x Heartbreaker), outpacing 98 rivals by 0.81 seconds. Seven-year-old half-brother NFS Taluga (Taloubet Z x Heartbreaker) jumped into second in the 58-entry 2* 1.35m two-phase the following day by 0.28 seconds adrift of the winning time.
Olli Fletcher jumped the 14-year-old Hello William into a win in the Under 25 1.40m, sharing the win with Switzerland’s Michelle Haab on Grode Deern as the only two clears in the 12-strong class.
Emily Routledge takes a Grand Prix podium place at Spring MET in Spain
Emily Routledge jumped Mister Jones into a feature 3* Grand Prix podium place to finish the third week of Spring Mediterranean Equestrian Tour IV in Oliva Nova, Spain, on a high.
Fifty riders faced Spanish course-designer Elena Boix’s 13-fence, 16-effort 1.50m track for the 3* Grand Prix, but only five mastered every fence on the course to make their way into the jump-off.
Emily has produced this Comme Il Faut x Quinta Real nine-year-old gelding from his British Novice days, and their established partnership shine through as they negotiated the jump-off, slipping into second spot 1.31 seconds behind the winner, Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha on Chevaux Primevera Imperio Egipcio.
Guy Williams galloped into the top spot on BH Gringos Legacy in the world ranking 2* 1.45m two-phase, the 11-year-old Tullibards Bennys Legacy x Colourfield mare stopping the finish beams to win by 0.14 seconds.
Donald Whitaker slotted the 12-year-old Ulania 3 (Uriko x Acord II) into second in the world ranking Gold 1.50m over a 12-fence speed track 0.62 seconds off the pace.
Ben Bick jumped an easy double clear on Rockdale Dwerse Hagen to finish second in the Silver Grand Prix in a six-horse decider, yielded from 39 starters, the Nixon Van’t Meulenhof x Cupido nine-year-old five seconds off the pace. Ben also doubled up with Casanova SIH Z (Colorit x Diamant De Semilly), heading a Six-year-old 1.25m two-phase by almost three seconds and winning the Six-year-old Final by 0.23 seconds in a nine-strong decider. Brits filled the top three with Adrian Speight in second on Gypsy Casalensky (Casall La Silla x Cornet Obolensky) – also topping the Six-year-old Young Horse Trophy on a 12-point lead – with Carron Nicol in third on Commeet Van Het Dingenshof Z.
Conor Moore guided Kaboop CM into victory in the Seven-year-old 1.40m Final. Seven of the original 35 starters contended the jump-off, Conor and the Quabri De L Isle x Carabas VD Wateringhoeve mare impressively winning with more than five seconds to spare. Gregory Hill was double clear for third on Strawberry URS and Harry Wilkins finished second on Millions OS in the Seven-year-old Young Horse Trophy just four points behind the winner with point earned over the Tour.
In the supporting classes, James Smith claimed a winning hattrick; winning two Gold 1.30m classes on Jazmin. He seized the top two places in the first, with the 13-year-old Odermus daughter Jazmin winning and Juno Rose 23 in second, 0.29 seconds separating the two, and the final speed by 2.54 seconds. The eight-year-old Infernal De Cherisa (Lys Platiere x For Pleasure), a new ride on this tour, handed James his third win, the 47-entry Silver 1.30m speed falling to him by 2.13 seconds.
Poppy Deakin headed a 39-horse Bronze 1.35m two-phase by 0.13 seconds aboard the nine-year-old Dominator 2000 Z daughter Doha Z, and Anna Power finished second in a 44-entry Gold 1.40m speed with the Emerald 12-year-old Oxford V/D Witte Driesendijke five seconds behind the winner.
Abbe Burchmore Eames posts a hat-trick at Sentower Park
Abbe Burchmore-Eames scored a hat-trick of one-star wins with Camille Van Twelve Oaks Z at Sentower Park in Belgium.
The pair galloped ahead in the initial 51-strong 1.30m two-phase for a two second win and outpaced 68 rivals in the 1.30m speed 24 hours later, on this occasion just short of three seconds in hand. On the final day, Abbe and the Comme Il Faut 5 x Dieu Merci Van T&L seven-year-old mare hit the turbo button for the top spot in the 50-entry 1* 1.25m speed for a 0.24 second win.
Chloe Winchester eased Exited Z into third in the world ranking 66-entry 2* 1.45m speed and Grand Prix qualifier, the nine-year-old finishing 1.05 seconds behind the winner, Germany’s Marc Bettinger on Fifty Fifty Semilly.
Joe Whitaker lifted the top two places in the initial Seven and Eight-year-old 1.30/1.35m two-phase, winning on the seven-year-old Oorone (Highway TN x Indoctro) and taking second aboard the eight-year-old Rosezella (Locarno 62 x Jarnac), 0.36 seconds separating the two.
Drew Walton headed an early 59-strong Six-year-old 1.20m speed by a little over three second with her newly-crowned British Showjumping Spring champion Horsedeals Prince Changes (Conthargos x Echo Van T Spieveld). They were only 0.22 seconds off winning the final 12-horse jump-off of the Six-year-old 1.25m, settling for second.
Ben Maher is on the podium in Lexington
Ben Maher claimed two podium places with Ginger-Blue at the Major League Show Jumping, Kentucky International at the five-star Lexington meeting in The USA.
The pair finished third in the 42-strong speed 1.02 seconds behind the winner, Brazil’s Eduardo Periera de Menezes on Kontador VDM, and the Plot Blue x Royal Bravour 15-year-old mare also finished third in the 5* two-phase 1.86 seconds off the pace set by Germany’s Richard Vogel on Con Quality.
Image: Al Shira'aa Tour
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