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Five Minutes With... Frank Green

Published on Thursday, August 25, 2011 in Five Minutes With Horsezone
Frank and Jack (Macks Smokin Jackaroo) getting ready to perform at the Horse Breeds Expo

Frank and Tia Jewel Rey (by TR Dual Rey) on their way to winning the $50,000 Toowoomba Open Cutting Futurity

(photo: www.sdpbuffaloranch.com)
Lucy the Border Collie
Performing at the Horse Breeds Expo on Jack, with offsider Mick riding Monty the Wagyu cross bullock
Monty
Ima Cool Dude

Anyone who has watched the legendary Frank Green in action, cannot deny his amazing affinity with and talent for training animals.

If it can be done on the back of a horse, Frank has done it and done it extremely well - from showjumping and hacking to western pleasure, reining, rodeo and cutting - this extremely talented horseman has been at the top of the equine game for most of his life.

Nowdays Frank is based in Taroom and not only excels in the competitive arena, mainly Cutting, but also in the field of entertainment! 

Frank and his wonderful performing menagerie - Monty the Bullock, Jimmy the Bull, Lucy the Border Collie, Bluey the Stock Horse and (my favourite) Jack the Quarter Horse - have been thrilling audiences around Australia in recent years. The crowds can't get enough of their fabulous shows.

Frank and the team recently attended Ekka where they performed an Electric Horseman Show nightly, various acts throughout the day with Monty, Jimmy and Lucy, plus daily shows with all animals at the popular Horse Breeds Expo.

I was very impressed with their shows at Ekka and after spending a bit of time with Frank and his lovely partner Kim McTaggart, decided to find out more about the man behind the legend!

Frank, how did you first become involved with horses?

My dad (pictured left) competed in rodeos, showjumped and trained racehorses.  In fact he still holds the water jump record at Brisbane Show - 28' 1"!  It was a solid wall with a huge lake of water.  Horses are in my blood and I started riding at a young age, helping with the racehorses, showjumping and rodeoing.

 

You've competed in so many different horse sports - what would be your favourite events?

Bareback and cutting.

 

You really excelled in the rodeo arena - what were your main achievements in that field?

I competed in everything except bull riding across all the Australian Rodeo Associations and won 32 titles in total, everything from All Round Cowboy to titles in individual events from bareback, broncs, calf roping, steer wrestling and team roping.  I had so many saddles I kept fenders off most of them (which detailed the title and year won) and sold them on - what can you do with 32 saddles?

 

Since your rodeo days, amongst other horse sports, you've been doing extremely well in the cutting pen - what's your most recent achievement?

Last month I rode a very good mare I'd been training, Tia Jewel Rey (owned by David and Shelly Heath), to win the second biggest cutting futurity in Australia - the $50,000 Open Futurity at Toowoomba, which was great.  Read more about that win here.

 

What attributes do you think make a great horse?

Good mind, athletic ability and trainable temperament.

 

How did you first become involved with doing shows with your animals?

I have always been friends with rodeo clown and entertainer, Rusty Frame and first had an opportunity to perform a comedy act at the Tamworth Cutting Futurity in 2004.  This is where Roxy (Frank's female alter ego) did her first show. The NCHA asked us to do a spur of the moment thing with BJ, my turn back horse, as everyone knew I could cut a cow on him without a bridle and they wanted a demo. So we decided to step it up a bit, no one really knew what was going to happen or who was going to appear, the announcer Glen Morgan, who I have known for many years, thought it would be fun for an old stocky to ride him, but Kim thought we would surprise him with Roxy, and yes he was stumped for words for a bit! The show was well received and it just went from there, a couple of mates (Richard Webb, Richard Prew, Dominic Williams and Mark Buttsworth) joined in at Toowoomba and created an amazingly funny show, after that Brett Townsend travelled with me for four years doing shows.

 

What are some of the major entertainment projects you've worked on and biggest highlights from these?

Training horses and riders for the movie 'Australia' and other movies like 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Sinbad'... Highlights include teaching actors like Hugh Jackman to ride and seeing them do so well and also working with great horses like Caress and Amy (Mares used for Nicole Kidman on 'Australia').  The Opening Ceremony of Major Camping Show at the Convention Centre in Brisbane and The NCHA Futurity Show are also memorable.

 

Tell us a little more about the animals in your show?

There's the horses, Jack (Macks Smokin Jackaroo), who is a jet black cutting-bred Australian Quarter Horse stallion I started as a long two year old. He's ten now. He's always had a really trainable temperament and loves to perform.  Jack was in the Ben Hur Stage Production in Sydney and has been in several movies including 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Sinbad'.  Bluey is a grey gelding that was destined for the doggers when we rescued him from a sale yard - he was incredibly nervous and I've brought him along slowly, he's going very well now and performs in the Electric Light Show with Jack, as well as in other shows.  Monty is a six year old 1000kg Wagyu cross bullock who started life as a pet in a feed lot and then came to me from the Heritage Centre in Warwick - he has a very gentle nature.  Jimmy the Brahman bull is a four year old and we got him from a stud at Biloela, he is naturally quiet and loves attention. Then there's Lucy, a five year old Border Collie who is a regular in all our shows and has a little doll, Therese, for a rider.  Lucy can barrel race and do just about anything. She loves being around people and is a crowd favourite.

(The newest addition to Frank's band of merry critters is an 'equine' with a difference, Ima Cool Dude, who has dubious breeding and unusual conformation -  to say the least.  He wasn't very impressed the first time a stock whip was cracked off his back at Ekka and loves to shy at trucks and scare girls, however, Frank is confident Ima Cool Dude will prove to be a valuable asset to the show...)

 

What do you enjoy most about performing with your animals?

I enjoy spending time with the animals and performing with them.  I also really enjoy passing on horsemanship knowledge and entertaining people.  I'm more than happy to show people how I teach the animals to perform  - there are no secrets.  If I can get one smile or feel that I've passed on useful information to spectators then I'm happy and the show's been a success.  

 

What do you love most about doing shows at Ekka?

The reaction of the people to the animals.

 

Is there a top training tip that you would like to pass on?

Patience!

 

How do you relax?

I love nothing more than spending time playing with my dogs or water buffalo - I'm training him to do some shows in the future!  Some fellows like to go to the pub in their spare time - me, I like to spend quality time with the animals.

(Frank has 16 dogs, 5 horses, 2 bullocks, 1 bull, 10 ducks, 5 sheep and 1 water buffalo!)

 

What are your plans for the future?

Hopefully to spend more time on the road with the animals, doing shows and entertaining people everywhere!

 

When you're on the road - what couldn't you leave home without?

Kim! (good answer!)

 

Thanks so much for your time Frank and I can't wait to catch more of your shows again soon!

 

If you're interested in having Frank, Jack, Monty, Lucy and Co perform at an event, contact Frank and Kim at rosewood.ranch@bigpond.com or call 0419 384 065.

Story: Jo Johnson/Horsezone

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