Horse health on display at Mane Event

WCVM representatives included large animal residents Drs. Luca Panizzi (far left) and Tal Raz (left) — two of the Fund's three EHRF Fellows for 2007-08. Hayley Lang (far right), the 2007 EHRF undergraduate research student, also attended the event along with Patti Tweed (right), WCVM's development officer.

A team of WCVM representatives and local B.C. equine veterinarians met with hundreds of horse enthusiasts during the Mane Event Equine Education and Trade Fair that took place from October 19 to 21 in Chilliwack, B.C.

Throughout the three-day event, team members talked to visitors about the College’s equine health research and training programs that are supported by the Equine Health Research Fund. WCVM representatives also met with horse owners in the trade show’s demonstration ring where they gave tips on basic equine veterinary care.

Throughout the weekend, local equine veterinarians joined the WCVM team — attracting many of their clients and the region’s horse owners to the EHRF booth. Local volunteers included two EHRF advisory board members — Drs. John Twidale and David Paton — as well as Drs. Theresa Burns, Kirsten Schwichtenberg, Farshad Maloufi, Hermen Geertsema and Eric Martin.

Another hot topic at the College’s EHRF display was the matching gift incentive program that gives WCVM the potential to raise an additional $1 million for equine health research by 2011. The program was initiated by the Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation in August 2006 as a means of encouraging other horse owners and members of the industry to support equine research.

To demonstrate the concept of “Give $1, Invest $2 in Equine Health Research,” any visitor who donated a loonie or more at the show’s WCVM booth could enter a raffle for a custom-embroidered rain sheet. The winner of the raffle was Kelly Bilquist, a horse owner who lives on Gabriola Island, B.C.

In total, horse enthusiasts donated more than $370 during the B.C. show. Since the raffle’s proceeds qualify for the College’s matching gift incentive program, that means nearly $750 will go toward equine health research at WCVM — thanks to the generosity of Mane Event visitors!