Inspirational equine vets take award honours

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has announced its 2018 award winners, to be presented on 13 July.

Professor Peter Clegg will be presented with the Queen’s Medal, the college’s highest honour, which recognises a distinguished career in the veterinary profession.

He is head of the Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease at the University of Liverpool.

His nominator, Mandy Peffers, said Professor Clegg manages to combine a clinical career with a recognised specialism in equine surgery, along with a successful academic research career.

Professor Derek Knottenbelt and Dr Ebony Escalona are the recipients of the RCVS’ inspiration awards.

Dr Escalona has been recognised for her work as veterinary advisor at the charity Brooke. This includes her involvement in the Learn Appeal project, which provides basic veterinary, farriery and husbandry knowledge to rural communities.

Professor Knottenbelt, emeritus professor in equine internal medicine at the University of Liverpool and director of referral service

Equine Medical Solutions, has been recognised for inspiring generations of veterinarians.

The two recipients of the RCVS’ international awards are Dr Alemayehu Hailemariam, an Ethiopian vet who does much of the Brooke’s clinical and educational fieldwork, and Rachel Wright who founded the Tree of Life for Animals animal hospital in Rajasthan, India, in 2005.