Big Ben was foaled in Belgium in April 1976 before being sold to the Netherlands for $2000 in 1983.  Originally named Winston the 17.3hh gelding was soon renamed Big Ben and was later sold to Ian Millar for $45,000 and soon moved to his new home in Canada.  His move through the showjumping ranks was swift and he was a member of the team that was 4th for Canada at the 1984 Olympics and was in the top ten at the World Cup Final in 1985.  In 1986 he won the Spruce Meadows Derby and was second in the World Cup Final.  Big Ben won the Spruce Meadows Derby again in 1987, the Masters Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows and was the winner of individual and team gold at the Pan Am Games plus finishing 5th in the World Cup Final.  1988 saw Big Ben win the World Cup Final and he was named Canadian National Showjumping Champion plus being a member of the 4th placed Canadian Olympic Team.  In 1989 he won Grand Prix of Stuttgart & Bordeaux in Europe but in April faced British legend in Milton in the World Cup Final.

Milton was born in 1977 and was purchased as a weanling by Caroline Bradley who had ridden his sire Marius to great success.  Sadly Caroline Bradley died at the Suffolk County Horse Show in 1983 and her parents sent Milton to John Whitaker for his showjumping career.  Milton was not permitted to compete at three events at the Bradley's request being the Suffolk County Horse Show, 1988 Seoul Olympics (due to the travelling distance) and Hickstead Derby (John Whitaker's previous champion horse Ryan's Son was killed at that event).  In 1985 he won Grand Prix of Stuttgart & Bordeaux in Europe and the following year won the Calgary Grand Prix and the Royal International at Birmingham while also being a member of the winning Nations Cup team.  In 1987 he won the Grand Prix in New York and Gottenburg and took individual silver and team gold at the Europeam Championships, defeated Big Ben at the Canadian Masters  and was 5th in the World Cup Final.  1988 saw Milton win the Swiss, Dortmund and Royal International Grand Prix events plus the British Masters and he was 8th at the World Cup.

The first round of the 1989 World Cup Final was held on a Wednesday night then Friday night with the final on the Sunday afternoon.  Big Ben won the first nights competition - Milton was first of the pair on course and set a time of 61.75 but then Big Ben came out next and recorded 58.39 and this pair were well clear of the others until Playback ridden by Greg Best later split the pair with 60.98.  On the Friday night the tricky course which included 4 water jumps including a 9 foot wide spread with 5 foot obstacles before and after it resulted in only 5 clear rounds.  After the jump off only Ian Millar & Big Ben and Phillipe Rozier & Oscar Minotiere were left clear.  In a second jump off against the clock both knocked down one rail but again Big Ben's superior speed saw him victorious.  By Sunday Milton was still well off the pace as Big Ben went into the final on zero penalty points while Milton had accrued 10.75.  Milton went clear and moved up the rankings to second as others made mistakes and brought rails down.  Big Ben however went clear again to take out the event and become the first horse to win the World Cup Final 2 years in succession.  Over the three events Big Ben jumped 70 of the 71 fences clear.

After his win in the World Cup Final Big Ben went on to win the Spruce Meadow Derby.  In 1990 his rider Ian Millar was injured and out of competitions for a while as was Big Ben surviving two bouts of colic.  In 1991 he was back in form winning the Masters Grand Prix and Spruce Meadows Derby again plus the CN International.  In 1992 he again won the Spruce Meadows Derby and was part of the Canadian Olympic Team but he was also involved in a truck accident where 2 others horses were killed and one badly injured yet Big Ben survived and was competing and winning only a few months later.  His final year of competition was in 1993 where Big Ben was again Canadian Showjumping Champion and he won a 6th Spruce Meadows Derby.  Big Ben won over 1.5 million during his career.  After a farewell tour in 1994 he was retired to Millar Brooke farm where he was put down due to incurable colic on Dec 11 1999.  In 2005 he was immortalized when a statue was erected in Perth Ontario.  There was a Breyer model released in his likeness.

Milton also went on to further success after the 89 World Cup.  That year he won the Dortmund Grand Prix, Zurich Classic, Individual and team gold at the European Championships.  In 1990 he went one better and took out the final of the World Cup and took out Individual Silver and Team Bronze at the World Equestrian Games.  In 1991 he became the second horse to win the World Cup Final two years in succession plus Grand Prix victories and was fifth in the European Championships. In 1992 he won the Masters in Stockholm and Grand Prix in Paris and in 1993 Grand Prix Zurich and was a fan favourite with the way he would carry himself on entering the ring as if he knew he was there to put on a show for the fans.  He was retired at the Olympia Horse Show in 1994 having won over a million pounds in prizemoney.  Retired to John Whittaker's property he died on 4 July 1999 and was buried there.