Month's earnings going to charity

Horse Trekking Company owner David Black with his horse Mojo at the Ben Lomond Station. Mr Black...
Horse Trekking Company owner David Black with his horse Mojo at the Ben Lomond Station. Mr Black will give all his proceeds from November to the Breast Cancer Foundation. Photo by Olivia Caldwell.
There are not many who would give away a month's income, but for David Black of the Horse Trekking Company, near Queenstown, breast cancer is more than worthy of the donation.

From the beginning of this month until December, the Englishman will give all proceeds from local riders to the Breast Cancer Foundation in the hope of raising $10,000 for the charity.

Mr Black said when his sister died of breast cancer three years ago after a three-year battle with the disease, he decided he would always give what he could.

"Anything for charity. I'll never say no to charity."

He said his sister was always giving to charity and kept "giving and giving and giving".

So he is taking a leaf out of her book.

"I would love to raise as much as I can for this, and I'll do it again next year and the next."

The biggest thing for women was awareness and the real need to get regular check-ups, he said.

"It's not just about the money, it is about prevention.

"Prevention is better than the cure."

Mr Black bought the company in March and moved to the area only three weeks ago, after travelling in South America.

He first discovered an interest in horses in South Africa on safari, and then again at a horse farm in Golden Bay, Nelson, earlier this year.

At the time he owned and had shares in healthcare centres (gymnasiums) at home in England, and so the timing was not quite right to buy the Horse Trekking Company.

The offer popped up again and because of the recession in the UK, he bought the company and had not looked back.

"When the recession came, the first thing that was affected was the leisure market - it always is," he saidSince taking over the company, Mr Black had doubled the number of horses on the farm to 18 and he was still hiring horse trainers.

He said the November donation was not about publicity for his new company, he just wanted to raise money to fight what he knew personally as a devastating disease.

Riders could choose from treks that lasted from one to six hours and said he was happy to accommodate and tailor packages.

"It is a win-win for the local riders and for charity."

 

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