WA Equestrian Community Loses Valued Volunteer

We are deeply saddened to hear that a much loved and respected member of the WA Equestrian Community - Isobel Jenkins - passed away suddenly on April 28. Known to many as "Aunty Isobel" she will be sadly missed.

The Jenkins, a military family, David in the army and Isobel a nurse, came to WA from Kenya. They became lifelong friends with Major David and Dee Boxall, parents of eventer Mark Boxall who is living and competing in the UK, and Alice who was a showhorse judge and husband Jan Sherriff who they knew from their time in Kenya. All involved with horses in Kenya, they were drawn together again in WA by their love of horses. Through that friendship, they became involved with the Side Saddle Association, spearheaded by the Sheriffs, the Boxalls, Peta Tanner, Sandy Hughes and Marion Hercock where Vera Sulc first met them.

Vera and Sharon Jenkins became friends and housemates and were out competing almost every weekend, with David and Isobel acting as support crew, grooms, fetching and carrying and providing sustenance for the two eager competitors. Sharon’s interest turned to dressage and in 1985 when WA hosted the National Dressage Championships Isobel was on the organising committee, led by Bruce Mills, Liz Owens' father, and aided by Leah Goodwin, Sue Thomas’ mother. They created an amazing event!

Over the years the close circle of friends grew to include Beverley Leonard, Dianne Colley, Charis Neuman and many more. For many years it wasn’t dressage if Beverley (left), Isobel (middle) and Pauline Dunham (right) weren’t huddled over a pile of dressage sheets, firing up the calculators and having a few laughs at competitions all over the metro area. Working with the then DWA chair Liz Boyle, Isobel and Beverley organised both State and Indoor Championships. The logistics with Liz living in Geraldton (with no internet), faxing paperwork back and forth was always interesting, but with good humour and a really positive attitude it resulted in excellent competitions. It would be surprising if any diehard dressage enthusiast did not at some time have the pleasure of hearing her Irish lilt and humour as the scores went up.

Her dedication to Dressage resulted in a much deserved win as EWA Volunteer of the Year amongst many.

Isobel had such a sharp mind. She would sit with a dressage sheet and add it completely in her head, faster than anyone else could with a calculator. Proudly Irish, she supported her Irish Rugby team and loved doing the crosswords in the English newspapers without the help of Google, just a dictionary. She loved nothing more than a good chat, ‘putting the world to rights’ over a glass of nice red wine.

For those that would like to farewell Isobel her funeral service will be held at Bowra & O'Dea in Midland on Friday 5 May at 10.00am. Our condolences to Mark and family.

The Irish Prayer
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.