By KATH GANNAWAY
Tributes and tears for gutsy little girl…
SOPHIE Rose Stephens-Exton made a big impact in just nine years.
More than 600 people gathered at the Yarra Valley Racing Centre on Friday to farewell the little girl who died when she was thrown from a dune buggy on her father’s Yarra Glen property on 6 September.
But it wasn’t the number of people who came to say goodbye to Sophie, it was the heartfelt and heartbroken tributes from family and friends that told of how, in so many ways, Sophie was special and unique.
The ripple-effect of her life, from her struggle to survive as a premmie born at 24 weeks, to her passion for horse-riding, and limitless and conditional love for friends and family, was beautiful and inspiring.
Wearing a splash of pink, the universal colour of little girls, people from all sections of the community – from football, police, the pony club, classmates, teachers and parents from Birmingham Primary School – came in support of Sophie’s family and paid their respects with a guard of honour.
Celebrant Alex Faulkner spoke first of Sophie’s specialness saying she was kind-natures, polite, caring and loving, had an infectious smile, was fun-loving and adventurous, full of life.
“Sophie never did anything by halves. She had a very cheeky sense of humour,” he said.
They were attributes that were repeated over and over throughout the service.
Her father, Rick Stevens, said she had the best of both worlds with his family, and with Tanya, her mother’s family.
He recalled how she started riding at just two years old and spoke of her wonderful sense of humour.
In a recorded tributeTanya said she had been her world for nine years.
“Every single thing you attempted you gave 100 per cent,” she said.
“For such a young girl, you have taught me so much.”
School friends Jess and Taylor and Tia from the Yarra Glen Pony Club spoke bravely, through tears, of their friend.
“You were our best friend for all these years and it’s not going to be a happy place without you.
“We will love you forever and the class will too,” Jess and Taylor said.
Tia spoke of Sophie’s “gutsy determination” saying she had a big heart and loved competing.
Recalling some of her technical qualities, Tia said she had what in horseriding terms ponyclubbers call “stickability”.
“What it means is her bum stuck like glue to the saddle,” she said.
There were stories of family holidays, riding on tubes behind the boat, sleepovers and Nan and Grandpa’s, eating lollies in bed (without mum knowing!), chocolate-making with her cousins, time spent at the footy.
And the ultimate tribute… “I can’t believe you can even laugh under water,” from Baiden.
