2025 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 799
Celebrating the life of Enis Rodney Jenkins.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 19, 2025
WHEREAS, Enis Rodney Jenkins, a distinguished rider and horse trainer who was a legend in the sports of show jumping and thoroughbred steeplechase horse racing, died on December 5, 2024; and
WHEREAS, born in Middleburg and raised in Orange County, Rodney Jenkins was introduced to horse riding at a young age, with a mother who came from a family of riders and a father who was a professional huntsman; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from high school in 1961, Rodney Jenkins began working at Fairfield Farm, a show stable and breeding operation in Lake City, Florida, under Gene Mische, a leading figure in the world of American show jumping; and
WHEREAS, Rodney Jenkins competed in events along the East Coast for three years before returning to his family's farm, Hill Top Stables, in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, Rodney Jenkins achieved his first major international win riding Idle Dice in the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) President's Cup in Washington in 1970, which he won again the following year; and
WHEREAS, Rodney Jenkins rode several prized horses over his illustrious career and amassed more than 70 grand prix victories, including three wins apiece at the American Gold Cup, National Horse Show, and WIHS Show events, giving him the most wins of any show jumper in the history of the sport at the time; and
WHEREAS, upon becoming eligible for the Olympics and Pan American Games following a rule change that permitted professional athletes, Rodney Jenkins claimed silver medals in both the individual and team events at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indiana; he also rode on 10 winning U.S. equestrian teams at the annual Fdration questre Internationale Nations Cup show jumping competition; and
WHEREAS, following his retirement from show jumping in 1989, Rodney Jenkins applied his unparalleled knowledge of horses to excel in a second career as a thoroughbred steeplechase horse trainer; and
WHEREAS, over his career as a trainer, Rodney Jenkins' thoroughbreds would win 941 races for more than $24 million in purse earnings, and his passion for his work kept him involved in the sport until the final months of his life; and
WHEREAS, Rodney Jenkins' many accolades include 1987 Rider of the Year from the American Grandprix Association, 1987 Horseman of the Year from what was formerly the American Horse Shows Association, 2003 Most Outstanding Trainer from the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, and inductions into both the National Horse Show Hall of Fame and Show Jumping Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Rodney Jenkins will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his loving wife, Unjin; his children, Matthew, Ty, Blythe, Robert, Patrick, ShinYeon, and ShinJi, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Enis Rodney Jenkins, whose accomplishments as a show jumper and horse trainer brought great pride to Orange County and were an inspiration to all who knew him; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Enis Rodney Jenkins as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for his memory.