I dagens nyhetsbrev fra MERCATORNET leste jeg følgende gladnyhet (det er ellers sjelden jeg skriver om hester):
I couldn’t have made up a better story about the winning horse, Prince of Penzance. It was the first time that a female jockey had won The Cup and the first time in 75 years that a horse has won at 100 to 1. Not a bad outcome for Michelle Payne.
Michelle, 30, is the youngest of 11 children, of whom eight are or were jockeys. But her brother Steven could be the most remarkable of the family. He has Down Syndrome and works as a strapper with his sister.
«I think it’s great for other people with Down syndrome — to see how capable they can be in normal life,» Michelle told the media. «Stevie can pretty much do anything, and look after himself when he’s on his own. He can follow the work sheet, he can saddle them up, he can swim them, hose them, and he’s got a great rapport with horses. He’s really enjoyable to have around, and I think it’s important for those sorts of kids to get a go at something, and if they get a go they reward you. …»