January is a good time to just take a few moments to look back on the year that was, and then start (excitedly) planning for the year ahead. 2015 certainly was a busy year as I managed to collect a total of 28 stars whilst vetting across three states of Australia and in three different counties, each on a different continent!
I certainly achieved a great deal of my personal and professional goals last year, but one of the most satisfying things I did was to introduce a group of young vets to the fantastic world of FEI vetting, guide them along the path and watch them thrive and flourish.
When I first started making my way in the world of FEI, vetting the pathway to the top was much less defined than it is now. Thankfully the FEI now have a well-defined structured pathway for young veterinarians to progress along. In order for a veterinarian to work at an FEI sanctioned event they first must become an approved “Permitted Treating Veterinarian”.
This initially involves completing an application form with references from two other veterinarians (one of whom must be an FEI Official Veterinarian). This form is then submitted to the veterinarian’s National Federation who then (if approved) passes the application onto the FEI in Lausanne. Following approval from the FEI the new veterinarian can then access an on-line exam about the FEI veterinary rules and regulations (all 100 pages worth). The exam is multi-choice but quite challenging. On passing the exam a new veterinarian then becomes an FEI “Permitted Treating Veterinarian”.
Once a Permitted Treating Veterinarian has achieved a minimum of five years equine veterinarian post qualification experience, undertaken mentoring and supervision as an assistant to the Veterinary Delegate at a minimum of three events, and has attended a two day FEI Veterinarian Course, they can then apply to become an “Official Veterinarian”. The status of Official Veterinarian allows the vet to undertake any of the following roles;
• National Head FEI Veterinarian (NHV)
• Veterinary Delegate (VD)
• Foreign Veterinary Delegate (FVD)
• Assistant Veterinary Delegate (AVD)
• Endurance Veterinary Treatment Official (EVT)
• Testing Veterinarian
• Holding Box Veterinarian
• Measuring Veterinarian
• Examining Veterinarian (Limb Sensitivity)
At the start of the year two of my interns here at Randwick, and one of my former interns, now of Illawarra Equine Centre, became Treating Vets for the first time and started their FEI journey. Throughout the year they assisted me at all my NSW events and have developed wonderfully in terms of their skills and confidence.
Watchful eyes – Dr James Mizzi watches over Cross Country at Canberra ODE
My last event for the year was the first ever CIC competition to be held at Wallaby Hill. As always the event was run magnificently by Alex Townsend and her fantastic team of staff and volunteers. The veterinary facilities at Wallaby Hill are by far the best I have experienced at an event in Australia.
The vet team is given an entire stable block to use during the event with a wonderful examination area, trot-up strip, three stables (one swabbing box and two treatment boxes) and a lockable storage room for our kit and Medication Control samples. All of which is undercover and out of the wind (I can’t even start to tell you how amazing it is to be out of the wind when you are trying to do medication control!!!).
The vets are very well looked after at Wallaby Hill and it was really nice to have my old intern James Mizzi there as treating vet to experience the hospitality (but I do worry that I have spoiled him and he might be slightly disappointed when his next appointment is not so glamorous…)
Veterinary accommodation at Wallaby Hill
Cross Country was a great day all round. I had given my team their veterinary briefing notes the night before (slightly plagiarised from the Badminton vet notes – but hey, if you are going to copy someone, you might as well copy the best!). I was very impressed to find the next morning that each of them had read their notes thoroughly, as such our pre cross country vet briefing was nice and quick, which allowed us to get out onto the course in good time.
As per the protocol I had experienced from many events around the world, I allocated the newest of my vets the closest sector, with each sector further away being allowed to a more experienced veterinarian. My treating vet was initially based at the stables becoming a roving vet on course as the day progressed. With a super challenging course being set by Mike E-S my vet team were kept quite busy checking fallen, loose and retired horses but thankfully we had no major (or even minor) veterinary issues.
I on the other hardly lifted a finger all day, which felt very strange, but also very fulfilling. I had put together a team of young vets that I trusted and had confidence in, and they returned that trust and confidence 10 fold by doing an absolutely stellar job; such a good job I wasn’t required to do a thing. They showed initiative and skill and managed every situation extremely well. I was very proud of them.
Dr James Mizzi, myself, Dr Jemma Hayman & Dr Christian Byrne (LtoR)
My FEI veterinary journey had come full circle: I was now the “senior” vet sending people out onto cross country just like those vets above me, who have been so influential in my career, had done to me all those many times before. It was a pretty cool feeling.
Now onwards and upwards into 2016!
At the end of December I took great pleasure in opening my new diary and started to plan my eventing schedule. Here’s sneak peek (don’t worry, those spare weekends will soon fill up…)
And of course there is that little dream of mine that I have been chasing for the past 16 years… but more about that later!
Be careful and stay safe out there
Please bring you and your horse home safe and sound
Chris
