Django in his stable in New Zealand ©Jeremy Janjic/EA

By Media Release

Australian Dressage rider Jeremy Janjic is giving us his behind-the-scene insight of his trip to Hastings, New-Zealand in March 2015 with his horse Django de Cacharel to represent Australia in the Horse of the Year Show (CDI3*) ...

"Firstly I would like to thank everyone involved in getting us to New Zealand. Django was lucky enough to have a popular fan base which helped us raise approximately $7, 500 to get us there. It is so much appreciated and we could not have done it without everyone. It has always been my dream to represent Australia and it was fantastic to ride with Australia badge on Django’s saddlecloth and to even hear an ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi’ in the crowd.

Hastings CDI (Horse of the Year Show) was truly amazing with over 2, 500 horses. There were competitions held over six days including 3 Star Eventing, CDI Dressage and five show jumping rings. Django is a fairly quiet horse who is used to competing at big competitions such as Equitana but even he was a bit taken back by the scale of the event. Things were also made more difficult with Cyclone Pam heading our way and unleashing rain and wind on the ground. The arrival of the cyclone meant the showgrounds were closed down with 250 horses directed to a different venue and the first day of the competition cancelled.

Once we had the go ahead to compete at the show, we sprung into action. I am very lucky to have Kathryn Crofts who basically organised a majority of the trip with Kevin Hastings (the organiser of the show), IRT (who flew Django to New Zealand and home) and Ana & Victoria Rattray of Cheleken Stud (who hosted us in Auckland before and after the competition). Between them everything was organised and we were on way.

We flew with IRT, they were great in looking after Django and myself. I was lucky enough to fly with Django to Auckland. IRT were very professional and it showed that they have done it many times. Django recovered very well from the flight.

Kevin Hastings was very enthusiastic to have Django and myself entering Hastings CDI. We had done many interviews with journalists before we had even left and the publicity was building for our arrival. It worked because after my events, people would be lining up to have photos with Django and had even travelled over four hours just to see him compete. It was really touching when some of the people were telling me they had tears in their eyes after watching Django compete in his tests.

Kevin had organised us to be picked up from the airport and stay at Ana & Victoria Rattray’s establishment called Cheleken Stud. They were amazing show jumpers with Victoria competing at the Horse of the Show herself. They looked after us very well and transported Django to and from Hastings as well as going beyond duty to pick us up from the airport at 3.15am in the morning and making sure we had everything we needed. 

As we arrived into Hastings, the grounds were put into lockdown as Cyclone Pam was meant to hit there that evening. With many horses there in yards under trees as well as in stables, the organisers spun into action sending 250 horses on route to the racetrack and all horses on the grounds were moved into stables. On our stables, we had a team of organisers, putting in extra roof screws and making sure everything was secure. The committee did a great job in making sure all horses were safe. Monday saw the first day of competition cancelled with driving rain and boggy mud.

Once the show got underway on Tuesday, it was very wet but started to dry out each day. They even had a helicopter drying out the arenas so they could be competed on!

Jeremy and Django ©Jeremy Janjic/EA

On Thursday, we started in the Intermediate II. Django was fantastic in it and the weather was still really cool. Django absolutely loves the cold weather and I was delighted when Django won this class on a personal best of 67.737%. The next day was the Grand Prix in which we finished 3rd with another personal best of 66.560% despite a couple of small mistakes.

The next day I warmed for the Grand Prix Special. Django felt a little tight from being locked in for so long that I worked him a bit too long and had not a lot of energy left for the test as the sun started to beam down on him in the hottest part of the day. That has been the hardest thing of the show – with so many horses, there was not a lot of places to exercise or stretch them because of the limited grass from cyclone Pam. There was one person who had fenced their side of the fence and was selling 30 minutes of grazing on the grass. However, that is the sport we are in and once again, the organisers did an amazing job in managing the grounds to make them rideable for the competition. The organisers also did a wonderful job organising everyone and their horses on the grounds.

Our freestyle was on the last day and we got another personal best score over 68% but unfortunately had a few mistakes in the tempis. The freestyle was the hottest day and the sun was exceptionally strong in the middle of the day when Django was on. Nevertheless he still had energy, I was very happy scoring over 68% and placing 4th in the class which had some beautiful horses in it. I was also very happy because the canter pirouettes and lateral work had greatly improved from our previous competitions. Django was also 4th overall in the FEI Big Tour Horse of the Year title.

The crowds were fantastic. Every time I competed, the crowds would surround the arena – Django became a bit of a star posing for photos and meeting people after each class. On the last day, he had a line-up of people wanting to have a photo with him!

He travelled really well on the flight home and settled back in his paddock and stable here.

I have since moved to a new property in Lochinvar (in the Hunter Valley) which is set up to continue running Janjic Performance Horses – training horses and students.

Our next competition was meant to be Sydney CDI but unfortunately I required urgent surgery for my right hand after an accident. Whilst I will be back to 100% very soon, the surgery was too close to Sydney CDI to have Django properly prepared. Our next competitions will hopefully be the Melbourne CDI held in conjunction with Melbourne Three Day Event in June and then Brisbane CDI in July.

A big thank you to Lynn and Richard Jenkins for allowing me to take Django to New Zealand and compete. They are truly amazing owners and through all their efforts, they have now been rewarded with owning a stallion which has represented his country on international shores. Thank you also to my wonderful sponsors. 

Thank you to Django’s fans who supported him. Django and I have had a blast going and competing. We love what we do means people enjoy watching dressage, I am blessed to have Django in my life and it makes me happy that I can share that with people. Thank you also to Kevin Hansen and the wonderful organisers of the Horse of the Year Show (Hastings CDI) who took care of us so well."

Jeremy and Django

**We wish a speedy recovery to Jeremy after his recent surgery and we look forward to seeing them both very soon in the arena  !

Source: Equestrian Australia