AVMA News

American Association of Equine Practitioners – November 18-22, 2022

Event

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) held its 68th Annual Convention from November 18-22, 2022, in San Antonio.

Program

The convention offered equine practitioners solutions for everyday practice with an added emphasis on the sustainability of the profession. The event drew more than 4,800 attendees, including veterinarians, veterinary students, and exhibitors. The convention also offered a virtual option via on-demand access to recorded educational sessions. The Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture was delivered by Dr. Susan Stover, a professor and director of the J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory at University of California-Davis. Dr. Stover’s lecture was titled, “Skeletal Injuries in Equine Athletes—Pathogenesis and Training Concepts for Injury Prevention.”

Awards

Dr. Schott
Dr. Harold Schott
Distinguished Educator–Academic Award

Dr. Harold Schott (Ohio State ’84), Bath, Michigan. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Schott is a professor of large animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He previously served on the veterinary faculty of Washington State University. He was recognized for his contributions to the field of equine internal medicine and his influence on the training of veterinary students, interns, and residents during his three decades in academia.

Dr. Nathaniel A. White II
Dr. Nathaniel A. White II
Sage Kester Beyond the Call Award

Dr. Nathaniel A. White II (Cornell ’71), Hamilton, Virginia. A professor emeritus of equine surgery at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. White serves as director of the Equine Disease Communication Center in Lexington, Kentucky. He is a diplomate and a past president of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Dr. White is known for his expertise in the areas of ischemia-reperfusion injury, epidemiology of colic, abdominal and orthopedic surgery, and treatment of orthopedic diseases through research. He was honored for his legacy of service toward the betterment of the veterinary profession, horse health, and his local community.

Dr. Richard Mitchell
Dr. Richard Mitchell
Distinguished Life Member

Dr. Richard Mitchell (Oklahoma State ’74), Flat Rock, North Carolina. Dr. Mitchell is a co-founder, co-owner, and a senior partner at Fairfield Equine Associates in Newtown, Connecticut. From 2017-22, he served as president of The Foundation for the Horse, leading the foundation through a strategic rebrand and the successful completion of a three-year comprehensive campaign that will expand its impact on equine welfare worldwide. Dr. Mitchell is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. He was honored for his leadership and service to the AAEP during his 44 years of membership, including service on the board of directors and as a member and past chair of several of its councils and committees.

Dr. McInturff
Dr. Monty McInturff
President’s Award

Dr. Monty McInturff (Auburn ’89), Thompson’s Station, Tennessee. Dr. McInturff is a co-owner and president of Tennessee Equine Hospital in Thompson’s Station. He volunteered as campaign cabinet chair for The Foundation for the Horse’s three-year comprehensive campaign, raising more than $12 million in support. Dr. McInturff is a past member of the AAEP board of directors.

Business

An educational session and four roundtable discussions focused on the work of the AAEP’s Commission on Equine Veterinary Sustainability and its various subcommittees. Several of the AAEP’s councils and committees shared work reports. The Foundation for the Horse announced that its comprehensive fundraising campaign had surpassed its $10 million goal. The foundation awarded $395,000 in scholarships to 20 veterinary students and three graduate research assistants, including the 2022 Coyote Rock Ranch Veterinary Scholarships of $75,000 each to four veterinary students.

Officials

Dr. Rob Franklin
Dr. Rob Franklin
Dr. Katherine Garrett
Dr. Katherine Garrett

Drs. Rob Franklin, Fredericksburg, Texas, president; Katherine Garrett, Lexington, Kentucky, president-elect; Tracy Turner, Stillwater, Minnesota, vice president; Amy Grice, Virginia City, Montana, treasurer; and Emma Read, Columbus, Ohio, immediate past president

A version of this article appears in the June 2023 print issue of JAVMA.