Despite sweltering heat and and the tough nature of cattle yards, Jodie Wild was working horses right up until the day she went into hospital to have her first baby.
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Twelve days after she was due, Cody Wild, was born at 11.04pm on January 5 at Katherine Hospital.
New parents Jodie Wild and Brett Wild, who run Katherine Cattle Yards and Wild Contracting, said they were “over the moon” to finally meet their first daughter.
“It was a long twelve days while we were waiting for her to come,” Mrs Wild said.
“She took her time coming into this world.”
“But maybe that was a good thing,” the couple said.
The Katherine residents of 10 years said their contracting business was very busy over the Christmas period.
“We had twelve workers working over Christmas, a very busy time, so it is lucky Cody didn’t come on time. We still had all the horses and cattle to process,” Mrs Wild said.
Despite her husband’s protests, Mrs Wild was drenching and fly tagging horses right up until she went into hospital to be voluntarily induced.
“When you have your own business you just have to,” Mrs Wild said.
“Brett persisted I stay at home but I am too head strong, he is probably going to have a head strong daughter too.”
Mr Wild said there was nothing he could say to encourage his wife to rest.
“She rang one morning saying she would be late for work because she had a bit of a cold, I said she should definitely rest for the day. Her response was, ‘I think I will hop on the mower and sweat it out’,” Mr Wild said.
“You just can’t stop her.”
The new born’s arrival had been the most anticipated event of the past year for the contracting business.
“Her extended Territory family have been waiting a long time to meet Cody and they are very excited,” Mrs Wild said.
“She is going to grow up in the yards among the horses and cows, most likely spending a lot of time on the tractor feeding cows with dad,” she said.
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