Selwyn Times: September 05, 2018

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday September 5 2018 17
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
hurdle: A race against cancer
In January the father and son
combo claimed their first Group
One win together with Enzo’s
Lad at Trentham.
“I should have been on top of
the world after that but I came
home and I was depressed as
anything. I thought I have to
go and see the doctor because
something’s not quite right . . .
the tell-tale signs were there,”
Pitman said.
A blood test following the
doctor’s visit revealed nothing.
However, the consultation led
to the colonoscopy. Pitman says
since learning of his cancer,
he has started recommending
others over the age of 50 do the
same.
“I should have listened to my
body but I’m a male and males
do not listen . . . I should have
gone six or probably even 12
months earlier.”
After his previous major
health scare, which saw him in
hospital for 26 weeks, he says he
is probably living on borrowed
time. But he is determined to
overcome the new obstacle and
has even dramatically changed
his diet, including eating fish five
times a week.
“My options are to take all the
advice, listen to it and obey it, or
just ignore it and burn a casket,”
said Pitman.
“My specialist said that he’s
99 per cent confident that in 12
months’ time, I’ll be okay. I’ve
just got to believe it.”
His journey towards getting
SUPPORT: Pitman cheers
on one of his horses during
the Grand National Steeple,
Riccarton in 2013.
healthy again will mean missing
one of Savvy Coup’s biggest
races to date. Pitman has high
hopes for the horse at the 2000m
Livamole Classic in Hastings on
October 6.
“I won’t be able to get there
because my operation is
scheduled for two days before
that.”
If Savvy Coup can win the
race, Pitman says there’s a
good chance he will take her
FAST FACTS
•New Zealand has one of
the highest rates of per
capita of bowel cancer in
the world
•Each year about 3000
people are diagnosed with
the disease
•It is most common in
people over the age of 50
•1300 people die of it each
year
to Melbourne to race in the
Cox Plate which would set up a
showdown with Winx.
If that is to happen, it will be
a first for Pitman who trained
a total of 67 winners and won
more than $2 million in prizemoney
last season.
A showdown with one of the
greatest horses of all time is
understandably not something
Pitman would want to miss.
However, his health will come
first.“If I can get to Melbourne, I
will. But life will go on without
me. Matthew, Diane (Michael’s
wife) and the staff are doing a
great job . . . we’re trying to make
every post a winning post and
we’re doing a pretty good job of
it,” said Pitman.
•It is estimated that one
in 18 New Zealanders will
develop bowel cancer in
their lifetime
•75 per cent of bowel
cancer is curable if it is
caught early
•Bowel cancer is the second
highest cause of cancerrelated
death in New
Zealand, second to lung
cancer
go anywhere,
reach
everywhere
introducing the new
husqvarna rider collection series
now you can achieve a tidy lawn without clippings while enjoying all the pleasures of
driving a Husqvarna rider. the new rider collection offers great performance, both in
terms of excellent manoeuvrability and problem-free collection with superior capacity.
the powerful Actech auger transports the clippings
without clogging and compacts it to fill the collector optimally.
With the push
of a button you
can switch from
collection to
mulching on the go.
l
rc318t
innovative design offering effectiveness,
efficiency and ease of use. Anti-clog collection
system feeds from the front mounted deck to
the collector.
Husqvarna 12.6kW @
Endurance 3100 rpm
V-twin
new
cutting
width
103cm
uncut
circle
50cm
$13,999
incl. 103cm cutting deck
l
rc320tsawd
tough, versatile rider with innovative anti-clog
collection system, power steering and AWd.
intuitive controls, excellent ergonomics and
huge collection capacity.
Husqvarna 12.6kW @
Endurance 3100 rpm
V-twin
new
cutting
width
112cm
uncut
circle
50cm
$17,399
incl. 112cm cutting deck
the combination of a powerful auger compressing the grass,
and a large-volume collector, is the secret behind the superior
collecting capacity. the rider collection can hold twice the
grass volume of a conventional collecting machine, so you
can mow a larger area before it’s time to empty collector.
1000 days interest free *
*
don’t wait any longer, you could get the husqvarna you want today with no interest for 1000 days.
available instore only until 31/12/18. Minimum spend $3,999 and over. lending criteria, fees, $50 annual
account fee, $55 establishment fee or $35 advance fee. t&c’s apply. see instore for more details.
the large collector
is conveniently
emptied with a
push of this button.
the cutting deck on the rider collect has a special
design with counter-rotating knives that efficiently
cuts the grass and throws the clippings backwards
to the auger. rc318t available with 103cm deck
and rc310tSAWd with 112cm cutting width.
SHANDS HuSqvArna
706 Main South Road | Phone 03 349 8955
www.shandsoutdoorpower.co.nz