President Report

NZEVA PRESIDENT REPORT MARCH 2022

Brendon Bell, NZEVA President nzevapresident@gmail.com

At the time of writing, omicron is winding up so there is a bit of uncertainty ahead. This uncertainty is affecting the 2022 Conference as we make plans for it to be held yet wonder if this will actually happen! The NZVA has put forward a plan B in the form of a virtual conference which is not ideal but perhaps is the best we can do. The keynote speakers have been confirmed but we don’t yet know if they will be able to get into the country and don’t yet know if they will have to isolate once they do. We are all looking forward to the Equine Dinner and the chance to catch up with colleagues. This amount of uncertainty is perhaps part of the ‘coronavirus times’ we are in. Let’s just hope, come June, things will all fall into place.

There is also uncertainty surrounding leadership and direction of the NZVA which is affecting the NZEVA. An NZVA Special General Meeting was held in December, and it seems fair to say that the concerns that invoked this meeting have not as yet been resolved. Input from the Member Advisory Group of which as President I am part of has been sought. At a meeting early in March I will put forward pressing issues concerning equine veterinarians and how the NZVA can help with these; please feel free to contact me to let me know what is important to you. For many of us the veterinary shortage is front and centre and seems to have assumed the number one slot of problems we face. It is pleasing to see recently that the government has made some steps towards making it easier to get equine veterinarians into the country.

In recent discussions with many colleagues about the direction of our parent body there is a worrying trend of NZEVA members questioning the value of NZVA membership. We can’t have an NZEVA without an NZVA. Once involved in the politics of the NZEVA it becomes apparent that there is an awful lot of behind the scenes work that is done and needs to be done at a political and advocacy level to achieve improvements for our profession. This work can only be done if we have a strong NZVA. Examples of this are legislative changes like who can/can’t perform equine dentistry, horse welfare parameters at events, and pushing to get more vets through Immigration. Such things are necessary and important and don’t just ‘occur’ without someone pushing for it. Please consider the big picture of the veterinary profession when considering whether to renew your NZVA membership; we are certainly better united than divided.

With this in mind, we have two vacancies coming up for executive members of the NZEVA. Andea Ritmeester and Roisin McQuillan are both stepping down this year. If you would like to be part of the NZEVA and want to contribute or make change then please consider offering to join your executive. In the zoom age geographical positioning in the country is no longer an issue so executive membership is open to any member.

I’d like to extend an invitation for anyone who will be at the Karaka Thoroughbred yearling sales to come along to the NZEVA breakfast meeting on the morning of Sunday 6th March. Paul Fraser is our speaker and will be having an interactive discussion on issues around pre purchase.

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN $150.00!

All you must do is write a clinical report that is published in the EVP, and your contribution may be eligible for one of several prizes of $150.00 that the EVP has available each year.

The EVP Editorial Group wish to promote the sharing of your interesting cases and practice tips with the wider equine veterinary community, so please contribute.

Every case, technique, test and interpretation are different, no matter how experienced we are or how routine the case is, so there is always something for us to learn from each other.

Take photos, dig out your diaries, get keyboard tapping and share your views with colleagues. You could be $150.00 richer for it! Kind regards, Brendon Bell nzevapresident@gmail.com

Please send your clinical reports to the EVP Editor for consideration.

Joe is happy chat with you about any articles or ideas you might have.

Please contact Joe at evp.editor@gmail.com or on 027 437 3651.