SAEVA 2017 50th

The South African Equine Veterinary Association, our Saeva has now been in existence for more than fifty years. In the words of one of its founder members Dr. Brain Baker, it was started by a small group of like-minded colleagues “round about the time that Verwoerd was shot”. If we do the sums that make Saeva older than 50 plus years. Saeva started its existence as the Equine Practitioners Group or Epg. In late Dave Mullins  second term as chairman, it changed its name to Saeva.

What we do know more accurately is when its first congress was held . This was at the Rand Easter Show in the year of 1968. So that would make next years Saeva congress its 49th congress. The present executive has decided that the group’s 50-plus years in existence is worth a celebration so it has decided to make next years congress a really special congress.

The theme for next years congress is thus- “50 years, the past, the present and the future(obviously more emphasis will be on the present and the future)”. It will be held a Skukuza rest camp in the Kruger National Park from the Monday the 13th of February 2017 to Thursday the 16 Th. February 2017 . Since it has been decided that this is very special congress we have decided to have multiple guest speakers talking about the theme in their field of interest. All these speakers have become very special friends of the Saeva’s over the years. The guest speakers that have accepted invitations so far to talk are Wayne Mcillwrath (Surgery/researcher) , Joe Pagan (nutrition), Steve O’Grady(podiatry),Bruce Bladon (surgery),Celia Marr(medicine), Roger Smith (surgery/tendons),David Marlin (exercise physiology) Jonathan Pycock (reproduction),Joseph Boening (surgery), Ken Hinchcliffe (medicine/exercise physiology) and James Gilkerson(virologist). It will indeed be a great pleasure to have all these speakers back in the country again. We cannot thank you all enough for giving up your time so selflessly.

As if the main congress was not already enough (and also to help pay the expenses) there will also be several wetlabs that take place around the congress. The first wetlab will take place on the Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th of February 2017 at the University of Pretoria, Faculty of Veterinary Science. This will be a combined Respiratory surgery ,Abdominal surgery, and Cardiology course. The guest speakers for these courses will be Drs Celia Marr, Bruce Bladon, and Joseph Boening. Delegates to this wet lab will be able to “mix and match “ as to which of any two of these courses they would like to attend over these two days.

Another wetlab that is still in the planning stage is a podiatry wetlab to be hosted by Dr. Steve O’Grady. This wet lab is still very much in the planning stage but will probably happen on the weekend of the 18th-19th of February 2017 at venue yet to be decided but probably somewhere in Gauteng.

We are also very pleased to announce another first. For the first time, the Endurance Veterinary Interest group (Evig) has decided to combine its bi-annual congress with Saeva’s main congress. The Evig will be holding a three-day congress from the 11th-13th of February 2017 at Skukuza. The first two days ,i.e the 11th and 12th February will be a Fei-re/instatement course under control of Dr. Henk Basson. The third day will form part of a parallel session of the Saeva congress hosted by Dr. David Marlin. The Monday evening will be the Evig’s “formal” dinner. The Saeva executive would like all evil members to its annual congress. We hope that you all enjoy it and that it signals the start of a fruitful relationship.

Some of you will already  know about some of the details of the congress if you have checked the Saeva website at www.saeva.co.za but with this announcement you will now also be able to register your attendance at the congress. We would like to urge you to register as soon as possible for several reasons. Over the years, the Kruger National Park congresses have always been the most popular they do require Saeva to hold chalets/campsites for our congress delegates. It is always a lottery as too how much accommodation we must hold to have a successful congress. Basically, it is a case of first come first serve with regards to delegate’s accommodation.

Also, we are offering very attractive congress rates for early bird registrations for congress attendees. The earlier you register the better the rate.

Looking forward to seeing you at “Congress 2017”

Terry Casey

Congress Organiser