We sat down and chatted to Joe Gardiner from Laughing Stock Productions, and here’s how it went…
- How did the Laughing Stock Productions come about?
Being on stage and performing with horses is a huge passion of mine, so once I moved back to Australia after being on tour with Cavalia, I began offering entertainment to local ag shows and rodeos with my animals!
- Have you been to EQUITANA before and what can attendees expect from your presence?
This will be my first year performing at EQUITANA. I am super keen to put on an entertaining, and funny performance with my animals. I love to add an artistic and comedic element into horse performances!
- One thing you’re known for is Trick Riding. How did you get into this?
I began the basics of trick riding at the Australia Outback Spectacular. From there, I moved onto Cavalia, where I was surrounded by some of the worlds best trick riders and cossack coaches! It has been my main passion with horses ever since.
- You’re a well travelled performer – where and what are some of the productions you have performed in?
I performed in the Australian Outback Spectacular on the Gold Coast before touring with Cavalia in Beijing and Shanghai. I then moved to Odysseo, and performed in Winnipeg and Montreal, Canada. From there, I did a show in France for a well known French company called Horse-Series. Since moving back to Australia in 2020, I have performed all over Australia, from North West Queensland to South Australia, and everywhere in between!
- What are your top 3 philosophies and approach to horse training?
My top 3 philosophies to training are:
- 1. Be forgiving,
- 2. Cowboy up,
- 3. Most importantly, have fun! (For the horse also!)
- How did you approach the training process to build trust and cooperation with a new or potentially difficult partner?
Horses are not difficult. People are difficult. Horses are actually very simple. They want to be loved, protected and cared for. Building the correct relationship with any horse will make the training easy! Put your ego aside.
- Have you had a favourite horse? Can you tell us about your most memorable partnership with a horse throughout your career?
I’ve ridden more horses than I can remember, but my favourite was always a horse who I used to ride at Cavalia. He was actually an Australian horse, originally bought from the Gold Coast before he went on tour. His name was Neo and he was the strongest, bravest and most talented warmblood I have ever sat on. I just wish I had bought him first!
- What’s the quirkiest habit or personality trait of one of your horses that never fails to make you smile?
One of the horses in my team is trained to lay down. The problem is, he wont get back up! He has so much personality and it cracks me up every time!
- Can you recall a particularly challenging competition or event and the lessons you learned from it?
The biggest challenge in my career was going from trick riding on slow horses, to trick riding on galloping horses. I had a moment when I thought ‘maybe this isn’t the career for me’. But I pushed through and realised that fast horses make for easy trick riding.
- If your horses could talk, what would they say about you as a trainer? I ask myself this question every day! I hope they would say that I am a friend. 11. Tell us about a time when something hasn’t gone to plan in front of a live audience?
There are too many to remember just one! This happens all the time in live performance. The only thing is, it is our job to laugh it off and make it look intentional! Improvising on the fly is a huge skill, but as the saying goes, ‘never work with children or animals’.
- What’s your go-to treat guilty pleasure snack or treat after a long day training or competing?
Salt and vinegar chips. They are the best, and I don’t care what anyone else says!
12. What’s on your horse related bucket list?
I cant wait to teach my future kids how to trick ride and have them perform with me one day!
- What does the future hold for the Laughing Stock Productions?
I hope that we can entertain as many people as possible, and spread the love of the horse all around Australia. I have an awesome team of people around me and that makes all the difference!brief bio of my career/background, achievements and training philosophies
