Sunday April 6, 2003

2003 Pan American Games Contenders: Jacqueline Paxton

Jackie Paxton Makes The Move From Young Riders To Open Competition

At 21, Jacqueline Paxton, the 2002 NAYRC double Gold Medallist, is competing in her first year out of Young Riders. She kicked off her competition season as an open rider on the Florida winter circuit in Wellington and Loxahatchee, setting the USET Intermediaire I Championships as her goal, with the Pan Am Games as the carrot. At only her second CDI, the Zada Enterprises LLC WEF Dressage Classic, March 13-16, at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club, Jackie and her mare Sangmelima, her partner for the NAYRC championship medals, topped the first day of competition in the Prix St. Georges Pan Am Selection Trial qualifier, but with 30 entries, the rides continued into the next day and Yvonne Losos de Muniz won the class with 68.550% – however, Jackie’s 67.550% held up to clinch second place.

“It would be great to go to the Pan Ams – that would be so cool. I’m very excited,” Jackie said, noting that she is looking forward to competing at Gladstone for the first time if she qualifies for the Selection Trial. “I think it would be great to go. It would definitely be a big step for me. I think it would be really fun. I know a lot of really great riders go, so I would be really excited if I got to ride with them. I’d be just like, ‘Wow!’”

Jackie is riding two horses in the Pan Am Selection Trial qualifiers – her mare Sangmelima and Le Roc – a gelding she normally keeps at trainer Reinhart Nielson’s barn in Germany. She is quite attached to the mare. “I love her. I really like mares, especially her. She’s very personable and once she likes a person she’s really sweet. She really tries for you, puts her heart into it. At this show I felt like we’re really on and connecting – better than the other shows we’ve done this season, so I was really pleased with the way she went. She’s really listening, so I was really happy with that. That was great.”

The best parts of her test were the tempis, the trot extensions and the extended canter, Jackie said. “Those were definitely my points where I was like, ‘Alright!” She also noted that her last pirouette started a little sticky, but finished nicely, which was another highlight for her. “My pirouettes used to be my weak spot but now I’m getting better, especially with her – she’s really helped me out.” She called the few trot steps at the halt “rider error.”
“I was really happy overall with the test.”