Inaugural Totally Thoroughbred Horse Show Success T ey had hoped for 60. But 300 showed
up, despite the early morning downpours and threat of more storms. T ree hundred horses participated in the inaugural Totally T or- oughbred Horse Show, hosted by the Maryland Jockey Club and the Adena Springs Retirement Pro- gram on July 14, 2012 at Pimlico Race Course. T ey trailered in from as far away as New Jersey. T e show of- fi ce, quickly overwhelmed, found itself grappling with 800 entries for eight classes. Eight classes were divided into 16 classes, but many still had 40 or 50 riders. “I didn’t expect to see this many people,” said show or- ganizer and founder Geor- ganne Hale. “T e idea was to make people aware that T oroughbreds can have other occupations af- ter the racetrack. I thought we’d have 60 horses, if we were lucky.” When it became clear that the show was grow- ing exponentially, Georganne quickly adapted by adding a ring and a judge and hustling up some extra sponsorship money to cover the prizes, as each class paid through third place.
The Judges Georganne put together an all-star team of
T oroughbred professionals as her judges, with Rodney Jenkins as anchor. Rodney com- manded the American show ring in the 1960s, 70s and through most of the 80s, retir- ing as the most successful rider in the history of U.S. show jump- ing. He rode on ten winning Na- tions Cup teams, placed eighth in the 1974 World Championships, was sixth in the FEI World Cup Final, won fi ve American Gold Cups as well as the grand prix at the National Horse Show, and won the President’s Cup at the Washington International. Rodney was fi - nally able to ride in the Olympics and Pan Am Games after the rule prohibiting professionals 36 | THE EQUIERY | AUGUST 2012
was relaxed. He won team and individual silver. He was an American Grand Prix Association Rider of the Year and the 1987 AHSA Horse- man of the Year. Rodney is a member of the
typey horse,” Rodney told T e Chronicle of the Horse (February 21, 2011). “I didn’t like the big, heavy horses. I like the smaller, keener horses. I don’t like to push and pull all the time.” Obviously, Rodney was the natural to anchor the judging team for MJC’s Totally T orough- bred Show, which he did along with Lenny Hale and Steuart Pittman (to learn more about Steuart, please see “It’s all in the Pedigree” else- where in this issue). Recently retired as the executive director of
T e Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Maryland native Lenny Hale has a long and storied career in the T or- oughbred world. Lenny obtained his track license in 1961
Grand Champion Houston, by 1989 Federico Tesio Stakes (G3) winner Rock Point, out of unraced Anita’s Magic by Woodmagic, ridden by owner Megan Sullivan. From left: MJC’s Phoebe Hayes, judge Rodney Jenkins, judge Steuart Pittman, Adena Springs’ Stacie Clark-Rogers, judge Lenny Hale and MJC’s show manager Georgeanne Hale.
National Show Hunter Hall of Fame as well as the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. After retiring from the show
ring in 1991, Rodney switched his attention to a lifetime passion he shared with his brothers: race horses. As he did with the show hunters and jumpers, Rodney has built a phenomenally successful race career, winning with 19% of his starters and saddling 25 stakes winners. While based at Laurel, he earned leading trainer for Laurel for 2002, and was Leading Trainer of the Year in Maryland in 2004. T is story comes full
(to work as a groom), then his trainer’s license quickly followed (which he has kept current). From 1966–75, he worked as an assistant start- er, starter, paddock judge, patrol judge, and/ or placing judge at Hialeah Park, Calder Race Course, Delaware Park, and Garden State Park. From 1975-83, Hale served as assistant racing secretary or racing secretary at Arlington Park and the New York Racing Association tracks. From 1983-93, Hale was vice president/senior
Judges Lenny Hale, Steuart Pittman and Rodney Jenkins
Reserve Grand Champion Testamonialy, by Maryland Million Classic winner Reputed Testa- mony, out of Don’t Pass Me By by Parfaitement, ridden by owner Kara Evans. Testamonialy is known in the hunter world as The Patriot and has won several top honors at big shows such as the Washington International Horse Show.
circle. Rodney’s father was professional staff for sev- eral Virginia hunts (serv- ing as both whipper-in and huntsman at diff erent times), and of course the family often used horses off the track. Rodney nev- er had a riding lesson; he learned by watching and by doing. By the time he was ten, Rodney was com- peting horses for other people, quickly dominat- ing the circuits in Mary-
land, Virginia and North Carolina. One of Rodney’s most famous partners was the T oroughbred Idle Dice,
( Jockey Club
name Jonlyle, by Hay Hook), and understand- ably he favors the breed. “I’ve always liked a
vice president, racing and properties, for the New York Racing Association, moving back to Maryland in 1993 to become the vice president of racing for the Maryland Jockey Club as well as racing secretary at Colonial Downs. In 1993, he “retired,” became a consultant and ran a broodmare and layup business at his Rockburn Farm in Marshall, VA, before being recruited to run T e Charles Town HBPA. But, like the other Totally T oroughbred
judges, Lenny’s love for “all things T orough- bred” extended beyond the track. He has hunt- ed them, whipping-in for the Green Spring Valley Hounds; he has shown them, and in the process served as the president of the Profes- sional Horsemen’s Association.
The Judging T e Totally T oroughbred Horse Show rules
clearly stated that the USEF rules were to continued...
800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104