From the farm to the paddock

Dave spent 20 years farming sheep and cereal crops in Europe. As he sees it, sheep farming is pasture management by another name. Sheep and horses graze in similar ways, so the knowledge he built over two decades gave him a strong foundation for managing horse paddocks in Australia.

Horses have been part of Dave's life since childhood. When he bought his own horse property six years ago, the paddocks were in poor condition. He set about restoring them himself, learning what worked season by season. It was this experience that sparked the idea of helping other horse owners do the same.

How Prestige began

A few years later, Dave started Prestige Small Acreage Weed Control. He began by helping people he knew, doing the work for free while he refined his approach and demonstrated what he could achieve. Word soon spread, and the business grew faster than he could have imagined.

Today, Dave works with horse owners from Gympie to the Moreton Bay region, looking after paddocks used by everyone from show jumpers and dressage riders to reiners and stockmen.

A paddock-by-paddock approach

Dave believes good weed control starts with understanding the paddock and the horses that graze it. Every property is different, so he takes the time to walk the paddock, explain what he sees and recommend an approach suited to its needs.

He tests every product on his own property before using it on a client's, follows label directions carefully and focuses on controlling weeds before encouraging healthy pasture growth.

He also has an eye for detail. Clients are often surprised by how well he remembers their paddocks, from the weeds present and the condition of the pasture to what was done on previous visits, all without needing to refer to notes. For Dave, that's simply part of taking pride in his work and looking after the people who trust him with their properties.

Why he does it

For Dave, this is about more than running a business. He genuinely enjoys seeing a paddock recover, watching the pasture improve and knowing the horses grazing there have a better environment.

What matters most to him is doing a good job, building lasting relationships and earning the trust of the horse owners he works with. In the end, the real reward is knowing his clients trust him to do right by their land and horses.