SYRACUSE, NY – OCTOBER 30, 2009 – The 126th National Horse Show had a full morning of hunter competition, and they awarded special prizes and trophies to the winners. Jennifer Waxman of Chagrin Falls, OH, finished out her last show as a junior rider with plenty of success in the hunters. She rode Red Panda for John Ingram to the championship in the Small Junior 16-17 Hunters and Vida Blue for Elm Rock LLC to the top tricolor in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunters, which was presented by Suzanne Marquard.
Waxman and Red Panda were awarded the “Follow Me” Challenge Trophy, donated by Miss Carrie Lane. Vida Blue and Waxman were presented with the “Canitoe Farm” Challenge Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Sokoloff.

Waxman and Red Panda have been paired for two years, and Waxman thinks they have a special relationship. That was put to the test for the indoor season when Red Panda injured his eye this summer. After three months off from showing, he returned to compete at the PA National Horse Show. Waxman felt that the time off helped him come back to the show ring even better.

“It was kind of good for him because it wasn’t a leg injury or anything, so he really felt good when we brought him back,” she said. “He didn’t start jumping until two weeks before Harrisburg. The first day here he was not quite into it, and yesterday he felt like his old self again.” This week, Red Panda finished third over fences on the first day, second in the under saddle, he won the handy hunter class, and was third in the stake.

She added, “I’m so thankful to Tom Wright, the Ingrams, and Ken and Emily Smith because there are only so many horses like that. I was pleasantly surprised here. He had as many excuses to do whatever he wanted, but he didn’t. He went right in here and clocked right around.”

Vida Blue is a new ride for Waxman, but she has made the most out of her time with the pretty grey mare. They were champions at the PA National Horse Show, the Washington International Horse Show, and here at the National Horse Show. Their ribbons this week included a third in the stake class and the blue ribbon in the over fences and the handy classes.

“Vida is so nice. This weekend, I was really just starting to get to know her,” she pointed out. “I’ve only been showing her, so at Harrisburg and Washington you just warm up in a small schooling area, and you don’t really know a horse that way. This week, showing over three days, she felt like she trusted me more.”

Waxman thanked Vida Blue’s new owners, the DeMartinis, as well as Vida Blue’s new trainers, Andrew Lustig and Susie Humes. This is Waxman’s last show as a junior rider, and she feels “bittersweet” about it. Waxman will miss being a junior, but she looks forward to attending college and focusing on her jumpers.

Exerpt from original article by Jennifer Wood of PMG

Video Clips From 2009 Syracuse NHS:

Jennifer Waxman on Red Panda in Small Junior Hunter Stake (16-17)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5anYcJjK7w

Jennifer Waxman on Vida Blue in Large Junior Hunter Stake (16-17)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRLMO4p2a_I

Vida Blue Awards Ceremony for Large Junior Hunter Championship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSARqZXzlkw