Historical information

Owen 'Doc' Matthews is remembered for his spectacular Grand Prix dressage exhibitions with his horse Aintree Boy, performed to music under spotlights at Melbourne Royal Show from 1965-1975. He also performed at smaller country shows.
Doc Matthews was born in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy in 1923, during the Great Depression. He and his brother Paddy were placed in a foster home and then in a Geelong orphanage before being put to work at a dairy farm. Doc was given an elderly piebald mare to ride, which ignited his passion for horses.
When he was 16, he enlisted in World War 2 but captured by the Japanese and ended up working on the Burma Railway, spending years as a prisoner of war in the notorious Changi Prison.
Doc joined Victoria Police in 1952 and by 1962 was chief horse master and riding instructor in the mounted branch. He drilled teams to perform musical rides and horses and riders were always turned out to perfection.
Doc and Aintree Boy became a partnership after the horse had been used in the mounted branch for four years. Doc decided to try his hand at dressage and as there were few instructors, trained Aintree Boy with nothing to go by but a couple of books and film of a single dressage competition.
Owen 'Doc' Matthews was truly a pioneer of Grand Prix dressage in Australia. ( ref. TOPHORSE )

Significance

Agricultural shows are an important part of cultural life in small country towns and the Orbost Show is an integral part of Orbost 's agricultural history.

Physical description

A square shaped ticket for Orbost Show - Monday, March 10th 1975. It is on white card with blue print.

Inscriptions & markings

Orbost Wonder Horse "Aintree Boy".
Monday, March 10th
1975