THE GIRLS CLUST ERED AROUND Shara’s kitchen bench, eagerly reading the morning news.
‘Look how much coverage we got,’ said Shara. ‘Two articles in one paper.’
KYMPANIA WILD HORSE RACE AXED
ORGANISERS of the Kympania Rodeo have cancelled all future wild horse races following pressure from animal welfare groups.
The decision was prompted by protests at the rodeo and also by the threat of legal action from the RS PCA .
The RS PCA last night confirmed the organisation was opposed to the event. ‘A carnival environment is far removed from any animal’s natural habitat. When you compound this problem with neglect and cruelty, an animal’s life becomes extremely miserable.’
The Conneman brothers, who supply horses for the event, said, ‘The event is not cruel. The horses love every minute of it.’
A rodeo association spokesperson said it followed strict guidelines for animal welfare and it did not wish to breach them in any way.‘The wild horse race is not a traditional rodeo event. It is not a competitive event, but purely for entertainment.’
BRUMBIES SEIZED; CONTRACTOR CHARGED
Police and RS PCA officers seized horses and cattle from stock contractors at the Kympania rodeo, citing animal neglect and cruelty.
Graham and Mark Conneman were charged with breach of duty of care and failing to provide adequate veterinary treatment after brumbies in their care were found sick and dying at a remote property.
Mark Conneman had prior convictions of animal neglect.
‘And don’t forget the magazine article with Luke, Tinks and Rusty,’ said Jess. ‘That will come out next month.’
Barry kicked off his boots in the doorway and joined them. ‘How do you like your new-found fame, girls?’
‘Did you see the paper, Dad?’
‘Better results when you go about things properly, hey?’
‘It’s fantastic,’ said Shara. ‘Did you read these articles?’
‘I did, and I’m proud of you,’ said Barry.
‘I hope they never get the horses back. Lurlene said that a lot of the time courts give them their animals back because they need them to make a living.’
‘Well, we’ll just have to wait and see,’ said Barry. ‘But you have done those horses a really big favour already. I’m sure everything will work out for them.’
‘I hope so,’ said Shara. Again, she couldn’t help thinking of Goldie.
The driveway down to John’s surgery was long, straight and lined on either side with tall white flooded gums. The early morning light shone through them in soft golden streaks. In the small paddocks behind the trees, the bandaged horses and baby calves munched on their feed.
Shara rode Rocko towards the house.
‘Hey,’ said a drowsy voice.
‘Hey.’
In the open doorway was Corey, brown hair everywhere, yawning and tucking in his T-shirt. He jumped off the front verandah and waved her to the stables. ‘Come and see the horses that were seized from the Connemans.’
Shara tied Rocko to a hitching rail. She peered into the first stable and instantly recognised the red taffy mare. ‘Goldie’s mum.’ The mare had the same softness in her eyes that had been in the little colt’s. When Shara stepped near her, however, the softness vanished and her eyes became wily and fearful. She lifted her head and backed away.
‘I’m going to buy her. She’s had a horrible life, poor thing,’ said Corey.
‘She’s very pretty,’ said Shara. ‘What are you going to do with her?’
‘Put her out to stud. Lawson Blake said I could put Biyanga over her.’
‘You might get a silver taffy,’ said Shara. Biyanga was jet black. ‘It would be just like Goldie, only not so naughty.’ She thought of all Goldie’s antics: Mr Hickling’s lychee trees and Mrs Jenkins’s washing.
She felt Corey’s arm slip over her shoulder. ‘You can have her next foal. It can be your birthday pressie.’
She put her hand on his arm and looked up at him. ‘How did you know it was my birthday today?’
‘Jess drilled me. You’ll have to wait a while, though, till she’s healthier and all that sort of thing. And until I suck up to your dad a bit.’
She smiled. ‘He’s a lot cooler than he was a week ago.’ Then she looked at the mare again. It would be so nice to have another little Goldie. A hardy mountain brumby crossed with Biyanga’s bloodlines. ‘Do you mean it?’ she asked. ‘I could really have a foal from her?’
‘Only if you promise not to run off with any other cowboys. I know what a groupie you are.’
She whacked him. ‘I’m so not into cowboys.’
‘Yes you are, you love them,’ he said, picking her up and lifting her in the air. She put her arms around his neck.
‘I’ve got something for you now,’ he said, putting her down and reaching into the pocket of his jeans. He fumbled around for a while and pulled out a small black velvet pouch with a gold tie-string.
‘What is it?’ She untied the string and shook the bag over her palm. ‘My horsey charm!’
‘It was stuck in my shirt. I found it when I was shoving my clothes in the wash.’
‘Ohhhh, my horsey,’ she said. ‘It’s meant to be Rocko.’ She kissed it and then reached up and kissed him, so happy to have it back. ‘Thank you.’
‘Keep tipping, there’s another one in there too.’
Shara opened the tie-strings wide and peered in. ‘Oh wow.’ She poked a finger in and fished out another tiny horse charm; gold with a silver mane. ‘It’s a little taffy!’ She put a hand to Corey’s face. ‘Did they surrender Sampson?’
‘Nah. Graham will just transfer his papers to Mandy. She’s always wanted him.’
Shara pulled a face.
‘At least he’ll be better looked after with her,’ said Corey with a shrug. ‘She cares a lot more about her horses than her dad does.’
The sound of tyres on gravel rumbled behind them and Shara looked out of the stable block. Lawson’s truck rolled down the driveway with three people in the front. ‘Jessy and Luke!’ she said happily.
‘Thank God, they can take this woeful white mare back to where she came from. She’s upsetting all the other horses. I don’t know what it is about her.’
‘Chelpie’s a wild white water demon,’ said Shara. ‘That’s what Jess reckons.’ She skipped out to the driveway. Two velvety muzzles poked out of the truck’s side windows. She jumped up and gave them a rub. ‘Hey, little cuties!’
Jess stuck her head out the window. ‘Happy birthday, best bestie!’
‘Thanks! I thought you were grounded!’
‘I’ve been officially pardoned. What did you get?’
Shara jumped off the side of the truck. ‘Look what Corey gave me!’
Lawson Blake got out, slammed the door and walked to the back of the truck to begin winching down the tailgate.
John Duggin came out of the surgery, his phone clamped to the side of his head. ‘Yep. Yep. Whereabouts? How many? Uh-huh. Jesus. Hmmm, maybe. Okay then, Lurlene.’ He hung up and shook his head with disapproval.
‘The Connemans have another mob of wildies somewhere down in New South Wales,’ he said. ‘They haven’t paid the brumby runner and now there are six horses headed for the slaughterhouse.’
‘Where in New South Wales?’ asked Lawson.
‘On the tablelands, not far over the border,’ John said. ‘A place called Mathew’s Flat.’
Shara noticed Jess glance anxiously at Luke.
Luke looked as though he’d just been punched.
‘They’re looking for someone with a spare truck, some good-quality yards and a kind heart.’
‘Well, that cuts Lawson out,’ mumbled Jess.
Luke and Lawson exchanged glances. Something ran through the exchange that Shara couldn’t quite pick up on, but she could tell that this was about more than just the brumbies. Jess suddenly looked intensely worried too. Shara decided to shut up and keep out of it.
‘Might be time to go back, Luke,’ said Lawson, in a voice that was uncharacteristically gentle.
Luke’s jaw was set tight. He nodded. ‘You coming too?’
‘Yeah, mate,’ said Lawson. He switched his attention back to John. ‘Tell Lurlene we’ll drop these horses out at Blakely Downs and then head straight to New South Wales. I’ll ring her up and get the details in a couple of days.’
Chelpie was loaded in a matter of minutes and Jess hung off the side of the truck door hugging Luke through the window as it rolled back out the driveway. She jumped off at the letterbox and stood watching the truck disappear up the road.
‘What was that all about?’ Shara asked her when she came back down the driveway.
‘Luke’s father lives down there in Mathew’s Flat. He hasn’t seen him since he was four years old. It’s where his mother died.’
‘How did she die?’ asked Shara. Luke was always so closed and mysterious.
Jess shook her head. ‘I don’t know. He doesn’t talk about it. He never talks about his past.’
‘Oh.’
‘I’m going to walk home,’ said Jess. She looked miserable again, as she always was when Luke went away.
Shara was beginning to know how she felt. She looked at her watch. Her parents were taking her back to Canningdale straight after lunch. ‘Just one minute while I say goodbye to Corey and I’ll double you home,’ she said to Jess.
The goodbye kiss took longer than Shara anticipated – she just couldn’t let go of Corey. Just one minute turned into about another ten, until Jess started coughing exaggeratedly outside the door of the stable.
Corey slung his arm over Shara’s shoulder. ‘I’ll come down on a weekend and visit you. Me and Jess and Luke, we’ll all come down.’
He gave her a leg-up onto Rocko and walked beside her as she rode out of the building.
Jess vaulted up behind her and as Shara leaned down to give Corey one last kiss, Jess kicked Rocko in the flanks. ‘That’s enough, let’s get going before you both make me puke.’
‘You can talk!’ said Shara indignantly, as Rocko broke into a trot. ‘Bye!’ she called back to Corey.
He stood in the big open doorway of the old wooden stables and smiled his gorgeous smile, a smile she knew she’d dream about constantly until she saw him again.