Holly Martin: King Country’s youngest businesswoman?

THIRTEEN-year-old Holly Martin from remote Waikawau may be the King Country’s youngest social entrepreneur with her enterprise, Te Marama Horse treks.

Holly has been a teenager for just a few months – her birthday is in December – but she has begun running the treks on family farm, Te Marama Station.

King Country News reporter Sigrid Christiansen experienced Holly’s guided tour first hand. She rode six-year-old paint horse Nova, while her daughter, Saskia, aged 9, was put on Omelette, a caramel and white mare in her mid-to-late 20s. The two animals provided a calm, confidence-boosting experience.

Those two horses, plus Holly’s mount, 23-year-old barrel racer Diesel, were fitted with colourful Western tack, decorated with tooled leather, studs and jewels.

The group travelled along the edge of the steep west coast hills, looking north towards Kāwhia and south to Taranaki, as the Te Marama Station sheep in a neighbouring paddock spiralled down towards the black sand beach.

It was an example of the sort of route Holly’s treks will follow.

At the moment, the money raised through treks will be used for charitable giving, although it may later earn pocket money for Holly if things change in the future.

“We're giving the money to Hawkes Bay and other people who need it,” she said.

The business appeals well to local interests, and is well-timed.

“We're also doing it because we live in the King Country and there's heaps of people who own horses, and horse ride.

“There haven’t been lots of horse treks for the past couple of years, so we've decided, why not do it? Because why not have fun?”

Te Marama Horse Treks also partly came about because Holly needed a part-time job, but there was just one problem:

“I didn’t really know what to do.”

There are no obvious jobs for youngsters, no cafes or fast food joints, in the tiny west coast community. And the student is also away at school much of the time.

There were few local paid horse treks available.

“Mum and I decided together,” she said. “She’s been really supportive.”

Te Marama Station made a suitable location for hosting the treks.

"It's isolated. It's not in town. You don't get heaps of big trucks or large traffic to spook the horses. It's perfect to go horse riding on.”

Sonya said the family was still ironing out some of the business details, but the structure was “all there.”

Guests could bring their own horses, or ride one of the seven that live on Te Marama Station.

The business is already operational with a recent trek successful in raising money for the Hawke’s Bay.

“The first day we got 12 [people] and then two people from down the road [also] came on the second day.

“We raised about $1500 for Hawke’s Bay and everyone enjoyed themselves. We had friends come down, help out and everything like that.”

And the highlight?

“We have a foal down there with its mum and another horse. Everyone was just taking pictures.”

Sonya said she felt proud of Holly and her idea.  

“I am so proud she developed this concept, and we were able to assist her in making it a reality. She is very confident, kind and loving with a great sense of humour. We are proud of Holly.”

It is easy to see where the youngster gets her sense of adventure. Sonya worked in the horse trekking industry in her 20s, in the Algarve in Portugal.

And what does the future hold?

When Holly grows up, she would like to be a researcher, specialising in brain disorders such as epilepsy. She also hopes to travel to either France or Korea, where she can explore her other love – ballet.

So how can trekking hopefuls contact the Martins?

“People can email temaramacustomdesign@gmail.com or see the Te Marama Trek Facebook page,” Sonya said.

Why the seemingly unrelated email address? Sonya makes wooden platters, and it made sense for the two-family initiatives to share one point of contact, she said.