Will puts in the long hours in bid to make name for himself

She announced her engagement to the actor, Henry Cavill, soon to star as Superman in the new film, Man of Steel, who proposed during a trip to Los Angeles.

The news soon spread, not least among the many Whitaker cousins.

“I think it’s fantastic for them. Henry’s a really nice guy, I’ve met him a few times,” said Will.

While Ellen is still enjoying her holiday in Hollywood, cousin Will is getting down to some serious work at his family’s farm at Huddersfield.

After working away from home since the age of 16, Will moved back at the start of the year to set up on his own, building up a string of horses. Will’s father, Ian, is the only non-competing member of the family but is keen to support 21-year-old Will and his younger brothers George, 18, and James, aged 13.

“At some stage I needed to start on my own and I thought I might as well get the job going,” said Will, who never wanted to do anything else but follow in the footsteps of his famous uncles, John and Michael.

“They have always been my idols. I used to watch them at Olympia and dream about riding there – and now I’m competing against them.”

Will has competed since he was eight-years-old and has already had many successes, starting with ponies and working his way up. When he left school he went to America for three months to train at a showjumping yard in Florida. This helped him make the transition from ponies to horses and when he returned he went to work at his uncle Michael’s yard in Nottinghamshire where he stayed for nearly four years.

“They looked after me really well and I learned most of what I know now,” said Will.

He then spent a short time at Shaw Farm Stud in Shropshire, home to Lisa Hales’s world class stallions, Arko 111 and Russel 11.

“It’s nice to be back home full time and working with my brothers.

“Dad helps us a lot, he’s mad keen, just as we all are,” said Will.

His girlfriend, Swedish rider Elisabeth Fredlund, is working with him and has her horses at the farm. Will has a string of six horses so far and is hoping to build on this.

In a career that has already included many achievements, there are two which he says have been highlights. One was winning an individual gold medal and team bronze at the Junior European Championships in 2006 and the other was his first big win at senior level at the World Cup in Belgium at the age of 19.

So far as the future is concerned, his dream is to get to the Olympics. “I don’t know if 2012 will be too soon but I’ll try like hell.

“And if not London, then I’ll be trying for Rio in 2016.”

Will can be contacted at [email protected].