Spending two hours honing her skills every day has gained a 12-year-old Dunedin girl national recognition in a little-known field.
Imogen Leaper has received a Donkey and Mule Society of New Zealand Young Achiever Award, one of just two such awards handed out this year.
Rising at 6.30am every day to spend half-an-hour tending to Jasper (10) and Coco (26), Imogen also spends about one and a-half hours with them every afternoon.
"There’s a lot of everyday care, so I get up really early before school, and feed out in the afternoon," she said.
"Training them and getting them all prepared for a show is a lot of work."
As it was the first year she had shown her donkeys at A&P shows, she said she was surprised to receive the award.
The donkeys were judged on various aspects including presentation and how well they could complete obstacle courses and trot in circles.
While she might be new to exhibiting, she had been looking after donkeys since Jasper arrived almost four years ago, she said.
Her family provided a newer arrival, Coco, with a home last year after Jasper’s old paddock mate died.
"They’re animals, they don’t speak our language so we’ve got to listen to them and what they’re trying to tell us."
The most challenging part of dealing with donkeys was their sometimes difficult temperament.
"They’ve got a mind of their own," she said. "And sometimes they just won’t get out of the paddock, and you’ve just got to put up with that."
Having made such a good start, Imogen hoped to continue showing her donkeys, teaching them new tricks along the way.
Teaching the donkeys to lie down on command was something she especially wanted them to learn.
"I do it because I love it and it’s so rewarding, everything that you do.
"They’ve just got their own sweet personalities and it’s just all worth it."
