Dunstan Horsefeeds and Equifibre sponsor of the Equifibre Junior Rider Series and sponsor of the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider Series

There’s been a coming together of a clutch of well-known New Zealand Horsefeed brands with the amalgamation of Dunstan, Fiber Fresh and Equifibre.

All three have a long-standing association in the sponsorship of equestrian sports.

Paxton Conder is the Marketing Manager across the three brands. It’s fitting she is aligned with them as she’s been competing in ESNZ disciplines for the past 18 years, starting in the Show Hunter ring before moving her focus to Showjumping where she has enjoyed plenty of success.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, all the Dunstan Sales Team are actively involved with horses in some way. The team includes six dedicated Territory Managers across the nation as well as two Equine Nutritionists who are fully dedicated to equestrian sport and involved in everything from Showing to Eventing and everything in between.

The Company’s three Directors – Martin Blampied, David Smith and Campbell Stent all have a keen interest in the Thoroughbred Industry. “Everyone shares a real love of horses,” says Paxton. “It is really special. Even our fantastic girls in the office or our amazing production staff who may not be horsey but they still all have a keen interest in finding out how we went at the weekend.”

Dunstan and Equifibre have previously sponsored the Pro-Am and Junior Rider Series but for the 2019-2020 season decided to split the brands with Dunstan sponsoring the Amateur Rider and Equifibre taking the Junior Rider.

“Sponsoring the series gives us a great opportunity to give back to the sport that supports our brands,” says Paxton. “We are proud to be 100% New Zealand owned and operated and supporting our New Zealand Equestrian Federation is one way we can show this.”

She feels the Junior and Amateur Series reflect the vision of Dunstan. “We are supporting not just the highest achieving athletes but grassroots as well. I think the Junior and Amateur Series are so important in the model as it gives Riders who don’t necessarily have all the horsepower in the world or maybe not the desire to jump at Grand Prix level, the opportunity to have something to strive for each weekend in a competitive and fun environment.”

Like other sponsors, feedback from Riders means the world. “Reading all the amazing testimonials and thank you letters we get from Riders, committees and clients is quite overwhelming,” says Paxton. “As a sponsor, that really means a lot. Whether it is from a Grand Prix winner or a young kid who may have received a Dunstan cap for coming fourth in a local ribbon day – every little bit is a real pick me up for the Team and makes us all so proud to work for this New Zealand Company.”

Paxton says it is key for all involved with the Dunstan brand to give back as much as possible. “Seeing it make someone smile or to be proud to be feeding quality New Zealand products really makes all the difference.”

At HOY this year, Dunstan gave out more than 600 slushies to celebrate the launch of Dunstan Resolve®. “There were kids all over the grounds sipping bright pink slushies out of bright pink cups – it was amazing to see.”

For Paxton, it underlines how much she loves her job. “We are all in this because we love it. There is that saying that if you find a job you love, you never have to work another day in your life. That is something our whole Team can relate to.”

The well-known and respected Dunstan brand was developed in the mid-1980s when the process of extrusion was innovatively introduced into the New Zealand horse feed manufacturing industry. Since then the Dunstan brand has become one of the nation’s leading equine feed brands.

In September 2019 Dunstan bought a third share in Fiber Fresh Limited Partnership which included the Fiber Fresh and Equifibre brands. As a result if this acquisition, the Dunstan Sales and Marketing Team now look after the selling and marketing of the Fiber Fresh and Equifibre brands. “We are now very proud to be able to offer the total equine nutrition solution from these three well established brands,” says Paxton. “We select the best ingredients for every carefully created formula, manufactured with pride at our equine safe manufacture plants in the Waikato.” 

For more information, head to www.dunstan.co.nz .

 

By Diana Dobson

1 May 2020