She ain’t heavy, she’s my handler
AN estimated 3300 construction jobs are expected to flow from the $ 6 billion new Balla Balla iron ore mine, rail and port project in Western Australia. Australian BBI Group and the China State Construction Engineering Corporation signed an agreement following Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s bilateral talks with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday. The project includes an iron ore mine capable of producing between six and 10 million tonnes a year, 162km of railway and a purpose- built export facility. There also will be 900 permanent jobs after the project becomes operational. A SKYDIVER died after his parachute collided with another competitor’s and became entangled at a national championship event east of Perth. Organisers said it was a freak accident. Rob Libeau, from the Australian Parachute Federation, said the jump was not particularly challenging for the 36- year- old Victorian man, who had done more than 500 skydives, and was at a safe height. Two skydivers in a fourperson formation team became entangled. One survived by jettisoning his main parachute and using his reserve at the Australian Skydiving Championships near York on Thursday. EVEN when she’s standing on a stool, little Sophie Janssen still doesn’t meet the height of her horse Kingston.
But what the six- year- old lacks in height she makes up for with heart when she takes on the country’s best heavy horse handlers as the youngest competitor in her category at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show.
Sophie spent the first three weeks of her life in hospital after she was born premature, and her mother Rebecca said doctors did not expect her daughter to reach too many milestones.
“She works the horses and doesn’t shy away,” Ms Janssen said. “From someone who was just 2.2kg born, to be able to do the stuff she does at her age is impressive.”
Weighing just 24kg, Sophie not only handles horses weighing more than 650kg, she also has to manoeuvre them around obstacles.
“It’s a holiday to come to the show,” her mother said. “She can’t remember a year we haven’t been.”