Race to sustainability

By Justin Robertson
MAYBERRY Racing is pushing environmental sustainability boundaries.
The Pakenham Upper business that provides farrier services, riding instruction and horse training facilities has just won two titles in this year’s Cardinia Business Awards – Agricultural and Primary Industries and Environmental Sustainability.
Owners Kim and Gayle Mayberry have made their mark, setting up and focusing on key environmental strategies over the past 18 months that involved switching to additional environmental sprays for weed control, fencing off their creek to retain the natural bush environment, the planting of more trees around the creek area and using solar energy and putting power back into the grid which has reduced costs for their business. As for the horses, all shoes are recycled and taken to scrap metal dealer.
In past few years the Mayberrys reviewed their business operations and have implemented a marketing plan, enacted an up skilling and training plan and continued to develop an environmentally friendly business which has paid dividends for the land they live on.
The family-run business has seen training fee sales increase by 50 per cent from last year’s figures and have cut operational costs which have included changing suppliers for energy and power reduction usage by 18 per cent and saved on using a new phone supplier with a 38 per cent reduction.
They are experts in their field. Kim brings the experience in horse training and is a master farrier, while Gayle is the assistant trainer and riding instructor who also has extensive equine competition experience.
The family-run business has purchased 15 young horses over the last three years and has grown to three full time and one casual staff and have received a grant from Melbourne Water to fence in the creek to protect the quality of water and to provide a safer environment for the native animals and plant life living in the creek.
More than 16 months ago they purchased a larger premieres to offer better training facilities to the owners, including an additional 10-horse safe paddocks and are in the process of setting up training barriers. Last year they had their first horse race successfully at Flemington and this year had a runner in the Pakenham Cup.
Mayberry Racing has now set the tone on a sustainable level and is set to continue down that path in the years to come when it includes several water tanks and will keep running its pasture management program which stops the spread of weeds and erosion.