Finalists announced for the 'Petplan Equine Vet of the Year Award'
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Petplan Equine, one of the UK’s leading equine insurance providers, is pleased to announce the three finalists for the inaugural Petplan Equine Vet of the Year Award.
They are:
- Mark Lingard of Moy Farm Vet Centre, near Preston, Lancashire;
- Andrew Dobson of The Barn Equine and Large Animal Vet Clinic in Essex
- Mark Murrell of Platt & Murrell also from Essex.
The winner of this new and prestigious people’s award will be announced at the glittering 20th annual Animal Health Trust (AHT) Equestrian Awards ceremony to be held at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on the evening of Thursday 6th November 2008.
Owners and riders were asked nominate their local equine vet for the award if they felt that they were deserving of the recognition that this accolade would bring. A short list was drawn up from the nominations received and an independent panel has selected the finalists from whom the winner will be announced and receive his or her award at the AHT Equestrian Awards.
Mark Lingard was nominated for rescuing a horse that fell down a cattle grid, landing on its owner in the process. He showed true dedication and commitment, nursing the horse back to health on a daily basis as well as demonstrating superb veterinary care in a crisis.
His grateful client Rebecca Anstiss explained how Mark’s dedication and care helped to nurse the badly injured animal back to full fitness. “Mark tended and dressed Tiffany’s legs and underside nearly every day for six weeks and then came to check her progress weekly and bi-weekly during the many months of box rest that followed. Tiffany recovered and went on to be my fabulous jumping pony. Mark is my miracle vet!”
Andrew Dobson was nominated by a number of his grateful clients, who described him as: “A true professional with a very caring approach; an exceptionally good vet - always putting the horse first, Andy works way beyond the call of duty; I cannot recommend Andy highly enough and would like to see him given recognition for being a dependable, down-to-earth vet.”
Mark Murrell was nominated primarily for the way in which he dealt with an outbreak of the serious equine disease ‘strangles’ at a local livery yard. According to one of his clients who had two horses stabled at the yard: “Mark showed the utmost dedication. As well as caring for the horses he was also there for a lot of worried horse owners. If it wasn’t for his well thought out actions and his thorough testing, professionalism and skill we could still have been contaminated now. I feel I am doing the best I can by both my horses through having Mark Murrell as my vet.”
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements made by horses, riders, owners and trainers throughout the equestrian world. This milestone coincides with Petplan Equine’s 20th anniversary and, since 1994 when the Petplan Equine Charitable Trust was founded, it has raised over £5 million, almost £500,000 of which has been donated to the AHT to fund research and development.
Jo Whittaker of Petplan Equine says: “It has been a privilege to be involved with the AHT Awards over the years. We are particularly excited to be able to recognise the amazing hard work and commitment of people within the equine veterinary profession and those who provide outstanding service to horse owners. We received some very strong nominations and selecting just three was not easy although, in the case of the finalists it was clear that each consistently went beyond the call of duty.”
Horse welfare is paramount at Petplan Equine and as a leading insurance provider Petplan Equine is committed to promoting responsible horse ownership, through its charitable contributions, wide range of policies and publications such as the Horse Handbook. This award has been created to give the equine community the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the vet who has made the most outstanding contribution to the care of horses.
