Perfect Partners: Jeremy Janjic and Django of Cacharel

PERFECT PARTNERS

Jeremy Janjic and Django of Cacharel

Rejected by his mother as a new born foal, the stars aligned for Django of Cacharel when he crossed paths with top dressage rider Jeremy Janjic. SONIA CAEIRO ALVAREZ spoke to Jeremy about their extraordinary partnership.

When Jeremy Janjic first met Django of Cacharel, long before their career together began, Jeremy claims it was love at first sight. “A semi had arrived with a horse to be broken by me and the driver asked if I could hold another horse while he unloaded mine. He walked Django off and handed me the lead rope. He was only five months old and like a small black cotton wool ball. I fell in love with him immediately. I asked the driver where he was going and found out it was to Lynn Jenkin from Tashkent Friesians in Dungog. I knew Lynn so I rang her to say how beautiful her new horse was. Lynn sent me other Friesians for training, and three years later, Django.”

Years later and Jeremy’s opinion of Django hasn’t changed: “I still have the same feeling for him that I had from the first moment – how cute he was, how beautiful he was in the eye. I was just in love with him from the get-go,” he says.

The first outing in their decade long partnership was a walk-trot at Alexander Park in 2005. “He was so willing to do anything I asked. From novice to as high as we ever competed, we were both learning along the way. He helped me, and he always knew he was safe,” Jeremy recalls. “It was such an exceptional part of his nature. Over the years I took him over sand dunes for a video clip, into hotel foyers, and even for a film where I had to shoot a gun while riding him. He was so eager to please and loved to show off.”

There’s something special about Django that touches the heart. Take, for example, the time when the pair had just finished the Grand Prix at the Brisbane CDI. “I’d left Django with the groom and turned around to see a strange man holding him, then crying and hugging him. I’d never met Carl Mitchel, Django’s breeder, so at first I didn’t realise that that’s who it was. But that’s the kind of horse Django is. He leaves such a deep impression on everyone.”

On another occasion, the Maitland Mercury contacted Jeremy asking him to be involved in creating an interesting

image to promote the local show: “So, there I was, wearing top hat and tails at 5:30 in the morning with Django on top of a mountain in a thunderstorm. The lightening cracked, he reared up and incredibly the photographer got an amazing shot. The paper rang to tell us how much interest there had been around the image, so we went to the show. There was a grandstand full of kids there to see him. We had so many special moments like that – incredible one offs.”

Django is the only Friesian to have represented Australia at an International CDI. The pair also competed at Equitana, the Melbourne International Three Day Grand Prix, and the Pacific League World Cup Final. “He won the Advanced Freestyle at dressage festivals, the Inter II at Brisbane CDI, as well as numerous placings at state, nationals, and other CDIs,” Jeremy tells me. “We were at the big shows constantly and he was always a crowd favourite. We were really just having a whale of a time.”

Representing Australia at Hastings in New Zealand and winning Horse of the Year was a major highlight for Jeremy. The pair won the Inter II and came third in the Grand Prix with a personal best of over 67 per cent. “We won a red ribbon – that’s a first place in New Zealand – and it doesn’t often happen with a Friesian,” he explains. “When we flew over to compete, I travelled out to the plane in the container with him. It was very late at night, around 10:00pm. I lifted the tarp up a little and the two of us looked out, watching everything that was happening around us. It was one of the many unique and trusting moments we had together.”

After a swag of triumphs at five Equitanas and four World Cup qualifiers, Django was retired in 2016 at the top of his game. “We had travelled so much, and it was time to retire,” Jeremy says. “He owed me absolutely nothing. When we decided to retire him, we cried for two weeks beforehand and afterwards. We were crying at our final outing. He had the most incredible retirement performance. I was so humbled to be there. He was definitely that one in a million horse that they talk about.”

Retiring at Tashkent, Django stood his last public season at stud in 2018 and remains at the Williams River Valley stud outside Dungog in the NSW’s Hunter Valley.

Jeremy recalls his last visit to Django, when he was accompanied by his baby daughter. “Ellie and Django share the same birthday, which is very special. When she turned one, I took her to meet him. I called out his name and he trotted over to me in his two acre paddock. Ellie sat on him and played with his mane and forelock. He stood perfectly still for her – always the grand gentleman.”

Jeremy now owns his own Friesian, Django’s last son, a two-year-old purebred named Harley. “He is almost identical in the eye and temperament,” he tells me. He’s a bit taller though and we’re only just into breaking him in. It’s particularly special for me as I broke in both of his parents.”

Some of Jeremy’s lasting and favourite memories of his partnership with Django are the special moments when the pair competed in freestyles. “He loved them and loved his music from Kung Fu Panda. My ultimate goal is to canter down the centre line with Harley at Equitana to Django’s music. And that,” says Jeremy, “will be amazing.”

FAR LEFT: Perfect partners, Jeremy and Django at the 2012 Brisbane CDI (courtesy Jeremy Janjic and Baroque Magazine). LEFT: Djano's retirement at Equitana Melbourne in 2016 (Image by Julie Wilson).