5 minute read
Travel: Sunshine Coast dreaming
B-COMPLETE BY BANANA FEEDS AUSTRALIA- THE GUT HEALTH REVOLUTION
Banana Feeds Australia has developed ‘B-Complete™, Nature’s Elite Equine Supplement’.
100% Australian owned, 100% Australian made, and a family business, Banana Feeds Australia has made waves within the equine supplement market in a truly short time. A 100% natural supplement focused on Equine Gut Health, and indeed a world first has resonated with the masses.
The patent protected product, consists of whole dried green bananas, including the skin, the pulp, the stem and the flower ends, and horse owners across the country are expressing disbelief about the positive results they are seeing.
WHY GREEN BANANAS AND WHY B-COMPLETE™?
Green bananas have long been the subject of intrigue, from use in the Sydney Olympics, to consumption in space, but with correct dosages of B-Complete™ the true benefits become obvious.
EQUINE GUT HEALTH -The health benefits that derive from supplementary feeding of dried green bananas are broad and include:
Green bananas have been shown to have antiulcerogenic properties, an area widely accepted as needing a solution in the equine industry, other than expensive medications.
The insoluble fibre act as prebiotics to favour the nourishment of microflora in the gut (particularly the hindgut) to stabilise the microbiome.
This stability in the gut promotes immune competence allowing horses to counter bacterial, fungal, viral, or parasitic challenges whilst also improving digestion, feed utilisation and temperament. Other reported benefits include: Antimicrobial, Hypoglycemics, and Anti-lithiatic (prevent kidney stones).
GENERAL WELL-BEING Active compounds like dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin all act to calm the animal and promote a sense of well-being, helping to make the animal more relaxed and easier to manage.
ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY Green banana is recognised as antioxidant rich, with a wide spectrum of antioxidant compounds (phenolics, carotenoids, ascorbic acid or Vitamin C, tocopherols or Vitamin E, dopamine, flavonoids, norepinephrine) which are primarily located in the peel. All improve gut health.
“B-Complete is widely used in our stable. It has had a profound impact on the performance of our horses. I consider it a game changer. Our horses are working better, performing better, getting better results - particularly the ones we know are ulcer-prone. Very happy.”
- David Tootell
“Since I have been using B-Complete, our racehorses have better gut digestion, are healthier & maintain their condition easily. Their coats are amazing. We also found it extremely beneficial for highly-strung horses, making them safer and more manageable.”
- Rob Wilkinson
Banana Feeds Australia Pty Ltd: 14 Ponzo Street, Woree, Cairns, QLD, 4868
TRAVEL
Sunshine Coast dreaming
Borders are opening and destination Queensland is tantalisingly close. SONIA CAEIRO ALVAREZ discovers adventure riding in paradise with triple Olympian Alex Watson.
After six months of border closures and upheaval, armchair travel is edging closer to the real deal. As the Sunshine State gradually moves towards opening up to interstate visitors, there’s good reason to make plans to find your true north, at least for a weekend.
Nestled within rich tracts of beach, bush and hinterland, Noosa and its surrounds offer almost perfect weather, clear water, and stunning vistas best savoured with rides along beaches and inland trails.
Triple Olympian and eight-time national champion pentathlete Alex Watson, knows this better than most, having called this stretch of paradise home for the last 17 years. “It’s perfect on many levels,” Alex says. “There’s a diversity of terrain and trails within a short radius. From the beautiful beaches to the hinterland, there’s a wonderful range of experiences and wildlife biodiversity.”
It was these features, coupled with the region’s strong horse-riding culture that convinced Alex and his wife Rebecca that they’d found the perfect location for Equathon, their shared dream for a professional riding operation providing quality horses and experiences for customers in the tourism, recreation and sports sectors. which Alex was most comfortable to face the next chapters in life after his Olympic career, and where he discovered an unexpected nostalgia. “The Sunshine Coast felt a lot like the Sydney northern beaches where I grew up,” he says.
Alex and Rebecca are competition equestrians with decades of experience, and they’re passionate about sharing their love of horses, and the natural beauty of the diverse region with visitors from all over the world. “The year-round pleasant climate means Noosa has a steady visitor capacity throughout the year,” Alex says, “and the Sunshine Coast is well served with a convenient airport of its own, and Brisbane Airport just one and a half hours away. We also benefit from large drive markets from Brisbane and the Gold Coast.”
Equathon maintains a team of five staff, as well as two satellite coaches specialising in general riding and Olympic disciplines. A Queensland
Tourism Awards winner in the Adventure Tourism Operator of the Year category, Equathon is ranked in the top 15 horse riding tours in the world by CNN International.
Located on 120 acres in Verrierdale, just 30 minutes south of Noosa Heads, Equathon is home to 32 horses in open paddocks and offers a wide selection of experiences. It caters to all skill levels with adventure rides along the Noosa Trail Network and Noosa North Shore beaches, accommodation packages, private and group rides, as well as dressage and show jumping instruction. A second property, the 640 acre Edenview at Widgee Mountain, includes horse facilities, luxury safari tent accommodation and commercial catering capacity, and runs Droughtmaster beef cattle.
Like all Australian tourism businesses, lock down was a tough blow for Equathon with all offerings but one-onone coaching shut down. With virtually no revenue, refunds due for cancelled bookings and outgoing expenses, the business took a big financial hit, which was softened slightly by JobKeeper and other government incentives, as well as consulting work with clients seeking suitable horses to purchase. “Before COVID we had decided to scale back the size of our Seven Day Australian Bush and Beach Tours which were very popular with international and domestic clients alike. This was indeed fortunate as we would not have been able to run them during this time anyway,” Alex says.
Since COVID, the couple have made other adjustments. “We have found that two to four day tours concentrating on the riding and experiences out at Edenview have been the most attractive options for domestic guests
