On the 19th of September 2000 a sports-mad 15 year old boy with his heart set on becoming a veterinarian discovers that there are vets at the Olympic Games. A few hours later that young boy watches on television Andrew Hoy, Phillip Dutton, Stuart Tinney and Matt Ryan win Gold for Australia in the team eventing competition.
A dream was born…
988 days later that boy sits down in the third row of the lower lecture theatre of the University of Queensland School of Veterinary Science to listen to a talk that maps out the path he must take…
A further 2516 days pass until he drives through the gates at Sydney International Equestrian Centre for the first time as a veterinarian on the morning of cross country day…
A total of 5799 days after it all began, the dream becomes a reality.
Few people are fortunate enough to be able to follow through on a childhood dream and make it a reality. And when I say ‘fortunate’ I choose my words carefully in a deliberate attempt not to use the word ‘lucky’, as if to allude to some aspect of chance playing a role in the outcome. The reason I do this is because I truly believe that people make their own ‘luck’. I believe that ‘luck’ is preparation + opportunity. I have been preparing for a very long time…
By the time this goes to print I will almost certainly be sitting on a Qantas flight bound for Rio, but before I talk more about my #RoadToRio I will update you on what’s been happening since last we spoke – it’s been a hectic six months.
I feel it would be remiss of me to not mention the personal pain and sorrow I felt with the passing of Olivia and Caitlyn, a feeling that was felt throughout the wider equine veterinary community. Sometimes I see myself as a little bit of an outsider within the eventing community, as I’m “just the vet”, but through the heart-ache and sadness of the tragic loss of these two gorgeous girls I felt the true spirit of the eventing community embrace me, as it did for everyone, pulling us closer together in a time of need.
It made me reflect on the very privileged position I hold within this community; I'm the guy who gets to see each and everyone one of you come through those finishing flags at the end of cross country. Mostly it’s with a big smile on your face, sometimes it’s not – but that’s the sport we all love. I then get to listen to the beating heart of the magnificent horse that has carried you safely home. The heart of an equine athlete is a biological wonder, capable of pumping in excess of 300L of blood per minute, and there is hardly an event horse in New South Wales, if not the entire east coast, whose heart I haven’t listened to. And I of course have met each of the riders attached to those wonderful horse, even if ever-so briefly. It’s a pretty special position to hold.
In May I spend two weeks in Newmarket in the UK training at Rossdales Equine Hospital in the use of equine MRI. The training was fantastic and extremely valuable, but as an added bonus it ever so conveniently coincided with Badminton and Saumur horse trials. Badminton as always was an amazing experience, I again was able to catch up with and work alongside our British based Aussie team veterinarian Dr Graham Potts. Unfortunately this year’s Badminton wasn’t the best for our Aussie riders, however it was fantastic to see Jung win the Rolex Grand Slam. But above all else I just love hanging out with “Pottsie” – his years of team vetting experience simply ooze from every corner of his body; it’s impossible not to learn something from him each and every day.
Two weeks later I found myself in the beautiful French town of Saumur extremely excited to be helping Tim Boland, my client from back home, in his attempt to qualify for Rio. Sadly my excitement quickly turned to devastation as both of Tim’s horses didn’t make it around cross country. It’s a bloody long way from Sydney to Saumur to not get to cool-down a horse, but that’s life – and the harsh reality of the sport of eventing. But all was not lost, neither Tim nor his horses were injured, I had a great time exploring the beautiful French country side, I hung out with Pottsie again for the weekend and got to meet Chris Burton’s “Santa” (Santano II) who will hopefully do us all proud in Rio!
Not long after returning to Australia I was again on a flight, this time down to Werribee for the Melbourne 3DE supporting several of my clients, with my main role being with Team Wallaby Hill. Sometimes the measure of success is the colour of ribbon a rider is taking home, other times it’s not the colour of the ribbon, but simply completion that is the success. Melbourne 2016 for me was all about helping achieve completion, as only one year prior Wallaby Hill’s Alex Townsend had experienced a horrific accident on cross country - injuries from which most people wouldn’t return to riding, let along top level eventing. To return to the place of the accident just one year later showed an amazing amount of courage, determination and steely resolution. Standing at the end of cross country waiting for Alex to return in the 3* was the most anxious I have ever been at an event. Her super-mare “Pie” brought her home safe and sound, and never had I been so relieved and excited to see one of my clients crossing the finish with 20+ time penalties. To complete was to win!
And that leads me onto probably the biggest change in the last six months – I’m finished at REC. I joined the team at Randwick Equine Centre on the 6th of January 2014 to undertake a residency training program in the new specialist field of equine veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation, and on the evening of the 15th of July 2016 I drove out of Randwick for the very last time. My time at REC hasn’t always been the smoothest path, but I am extremely grateful for being given the opportunity to work alongside some of the best equine veterinarians Australia has ever produced.
It was a privilege and an honour to be a part of the REC team - a time in my life I won’t forget and I am proud of what I have achieved. My last day was a humbling experience as many of my clients made huge efforts to find me to say goodbye. There are dozens of clients, and many many more horses that I am very sad to leave and will truly miss not seeing them again – but as the saying goes “all good things must come to an end”.
But as another saying goes “when one door closes, another door opens”
I now embark on the next stage of my life and career…
The next few weeks will certainly be amazingly exciting and very hectic – I have four weeks in Rio for the Olympics, then two weeks back in the UK for Blair Castle and Burghley Horse Trials, before returning to Rio for the Paralympic Games, and then finally back to Sydney at the end of September.
So stay tuned for a “vet’s perspective” of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janerio
Until then,
Be careful out there- please bring you and your horse home safe and sound.
And remember…
Dreams do come true!
