A celebration of life for Rodney Jenkins, one of the world’s greatest show jumpers, will be held June 1 from 3-5 p.m. in the 1853 Club on the jumper side of the Upperville, Va., showgrounds.
The Red Rider passed away at age 80 last December, leaving memories of a stellar reputation in both the horse show and racing worlds.
He grew up learning to ride by the seat of his pants in Orange, Va., where his father, Enis Jenkins, was a professional horseman. Rodney became a huntsman, then worked for Gene Mische, who went on to be the country’s best known horse show organizer.
Rodney’s talent took him to the top of the sport, with victories everywhere from Madison Square Garden to Devon and all the other great shows. He was most famous for his many wins with Idle Dice, but other honors included being American Grand Prix Association champion and American Horse Shows Association Horseman of the Year.
Rodney Jenkins and Idle Dice.
The horseman also was part of the U,S. Equestrian Team, earning team and individual silver with Czar in the 1987 Pan American Games.
After hanging up his saddle in 1989, Rodney turned to training racehorses. He was successful at that too, until he retired for good in 2024. His best season at the track came in 2006, when his horses won $1.8 million.
He will be most remembered for his ability in the show ring, a standout with the hunters as well as the jumpers. He had a great eye for a fence, and understood what a horse was thinking almost before the horse knew what it was thinking.
Those who wish to donate in his memory may make contributions to the Virginia Thoroughbred Project, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the Upperville Colt and Horse Show.