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Margo and Max

A couple of days after I arrived at Cygnet Bay I was sitting outside Ash’s house checking my email when this bull came charging towards me. It was supposed to be locked in the paddock next to me but had somehow managed to get over to the rope shed across the way. It came tearing up a ridge, past some old tyres, plowing straight through a fence and across the roads with me in its sights until it got distracted by some grass just before it reached me. In the split second it took him to break through the fence I was up on the table holding the only thing I could find to use in self defence – a paint roller!

When I told Ash about it he just laughed and said: “That’s skitzo”.

Turns out this bull has never much liked being cooped up. As a calf he used to escape from the tennis court were he lived with another cow on a daily basis getting up to all sorts of mischief.

But there was always one person who could get through to him – Margo. She is our mother of sorts here on the farm. Her and her husband Dave has worked here on and off for 4 years and have lived an extraordinary life sailing ships to Indonesia, racing Sydney to Hobart Yacht races and all sorts.

Margo is the person who always gives you a hug after a long day at work or invites you in for a coffee if you are wandering past. Her country hospitality is unwavering.

Margo basically hand-reared Max from about 2 weeks old. She whistles and he comes running to greet her. She has taught him all number of tricks – how to play tug-of-war, how to swim in the ocean, even how to pee in a bucked. He just adores her.

She made the local paper once for riding him along the beach. Because of the crazy cyclones they get up here she wants him to be able to swim in the event of a tsunami.

Check out the video of Margo and Max: