President’s Report
Terry Casey
Chairman SA Equine Veterinary Association Cell: 083 327 0237
April already !
A lot has happened in this year already. Firstly let me “ Thank “ Manfred
Rohwer for the sterling job that he did over the last two years as the outgoing
chairman of Saeva. Manfred arrived with a goal two years ago and virtually
every goal that he set himself wrt. Saeva was achieved. It is going to be a hard
act for me to follow over the next two years.
Let me start with some sad news though. One of the doyens of our
profession, Jim Antrobus, passed away recently in Australia. He was there for
a peritonectomy to be performed when he was diagnosed with an abdominal
mesothelioma early in December 2017. He will be sorely missed in the
profession. A kinder,more considerate person did not exist. We pass on our
condolences to his family.
We are already a third of the way through the year, so as everybody knows
the congress has come and gone. Once again we had a very successful at
Goudini spa in the Western Cape. I have been to many congresses in my
career but each and every Saeva congress has a magic feeling of its own. In
my opinion Saeva has managed to maintain a “happy” mixture of academics
and social interaction. Top class speaker’s always create the right ambiance
but it also the interaction within the group that it is important. The committee
will attempt to maintain this mixture to ensure success of the group and for
success of the congress.
Next years congress planning now falls on the new(present) Chair(wo)man-
elect Dr Angela Rodgers. Angela moves out of the “treasurer “portfolio which
she as held for many years. Now that she is chairman-elect she becomes
congress organizer . I don’t think she would mind if I let it slip that next
years speakers have been lined up. Congress 2019 will have reproduction/
dynamic landing theme and is supposed to take place somewhere in Kzn.
However, please don’t book the third week in February off just yet as we
have decided to hold the congress slightly later in the year and ,also, over
a weekend to limit time away from the practice. But more about that from
Angela a bit later.
To fill the gap created by Angela Rodgers moving into the chairman elect
position Angelo Nichas has moved from from executive secretary of Saeva
to treasurer. Summer Maitland-Stewart becames the executive secretary
for Saeva 2018-2019. That completes the core executive committee of
Saeva except for the outgoing chairman that serves also serves on the core
executive.
Unlike the core executive committee there has not been a lot of change
within the individual Committee’s. Manfred has relinqiuished his position
chair of the racing sub-committee so into this position steps Dr Mark
Dittberner. Mark ,as I am sure everybody knows, works for Bakers McVeigh
in Summerveld. Over the years that I have been involved in Saeva this group
has made the most significant advances of any other group within Saeva.
Ten years ago when I was first chair there was very little to no interaction
between Saeva and the National Horse Racing Authority. Now there is a very
close interaction between Saeva and the Nhra. May this keep going from
strength to strength under your chairmanship , Mark.
The only other group with any change is the procedure and portfolios
committee. This used to be chaired in combination with dr Martin Denkhaus
and Carla Langley. Carla has dropped out leaving Martin in control of this
sub-committee. The Procedures and portfolio subcommittee has a new set of
terms of reference(tor’s) so I think we will be hearing a lot more from Martin
in the next two years.
The other chairmans of each sub-committee are Sport horse committee- dr
Sheelagh Higgerty , Medicine sub-committee- Glynn Catton, Stud health
committee- Martin Schulman, Welfare committee- Caryn Rademeyer, Young
members group- Theunis Griesel, Communications committee-Johnny Cave,
state liaison and disease reporting- Camilla Weyer. I urge each and every
member to check the website at www.saeva.co.za . Each and everyone of
these sub-committee chairs have done a huge amount for work Saeva. The
new look website in itself is an example of all the work being done behind
the scenes.
The elected regional representatives for this year are Gauteng- Meghan
Jennings, Kzn-Bronwyn Keys, Western cape – Mark Walton, Central
Provinces- Gavin Rous, and Mpumalanga –Albertus Coetzee. The regional
represenatives tor’s have changes slightly in that they are going to be much
,more active under Camilla Weyer’s disease reporting committee. Once
again I would urge all members please to assist these regional representatives
when they contact you with regards to disease reporting .
I wish all my new committee a pleasant two years. Let’s have “lots of fun”,
and thanks for all the hard work each and everyone of you do. It does not
go unnoticed
Regards
Terry Casey
• Volume 20 Issue 1 | April 2018 •
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