Ajani’s First Solo Outing — Dungog Show Adventures
Dungog Show remains one of the few wonderful agricultural shows where you can still enter on the day. After Poppy safely delivered her little colt and was comfortably settled at Scone Equine Hospital for care, we decided we could finally focus on securing more qualifications for the Sydney Royal with our boys, Ajani and Ajax.
Unfortunately, after doing the usual ring-around, we came up short for confident handlers. So instead, we settled on taking the most reliable candidate — Ajani — out for his very first solo trip.
Loading Up
We loaded at 6:30am. Ajani was not entirely convinced about being on the float alone; he called out for his mates and danced around more than usual. Fair enough — he’s never travelled without company before. Once he settled, he travelled beautifully, and we took things slow to make sure his first solo outing was a positive one.
Upon arrival we paid our gate fee (Bas, Ari, and myself) and hunted for parking — tricky, as Dungog Showground is on the side of a hill and not blessed with acres of space. We unloaded and got ourselves organised. Bas was tasked with brushing Ajani while I headed off to sort entries.
By the time I returned, Bas was hand-feeding him and admitting that Ajani had been less than angelic in my absence. We’d also taken longer than expected to get there, so preparations had to be rather quick: a flick with the brush, feet picked and oiled, and then a speedy wardrobe change in the float.
I had a moment of indecision over footwear — my brand-new riding boots (never worn, possibly slippery on grass) versus my well-loved work boots. Vanity won; the riding boots looked far neater. We fitted Ajani’s white halter and headed to the ring, while Bas and Ari found a shady spot under the announcer’s box.
In the Ring
We had chosen the following classes:
LED REGISTERED — NOT IN PROGRAM
348. Led Stallion or Colt
This was the first class of the morning with actual entries, and Ajani was awarded First Place.
We were then called back for Champion & Reserve, where Ajani was awarded Reserve Champion.
Then we waited. And waited. Ajani spent the downtime pushing me about, stepping squarely on my foot more than once, and insisting that every horse in sight was his new best friend. Meanwhile, Ari repeatedly asked when we’d be finished.
Next:
LED HEAVY HORSE
364. Led Stallion or Colt
Ajani again placed First, and was called back and awarded Reserve Champion Heavy Horse.
I was quietly relieved we’d gotten through the ringwork without incident. Ajani is a handful — no more than expected for a young colt who hasn’t worked much recently — but when you’re handling a colt, you have to be extra aware. It’s always “the stallion’s fault,” regardless of what actually happened.
Heading Home
Back at the float, we changed out of show gear. I left Bas and Ari with Ajani while I collected prize money (yes — Dungog is still one of the local shows that offers it!) and passes to get back through the gate. Ari had a birthday party in the afternoon, so once Ajani was home, our day continued.
When I returned, Bas was struggling to console a very over-it Ajani, who was desperate to load. He attempted to march onto the float before we had even fully lowered the tailgate, and pawed the floor right out the gate. Once moving though, he settled and travelled quietly all the way home.
Final Thoughts
All things considered, Ajani handled his first solo adventure incredibly well. Two Reserve Champions and two Firsts at his debut outing alone — not a bad day’s work for a young colt with lots of enthusiasm and opinions.
We’ll call that a successful training mission for the Sydney Royal campaign — and a valuable learning experience for everyone involved (including my foot)!
