The Michigan State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine is pleased to congratulate our alumnus and adjunct professor James A. Rooker, DVM, for receiving the first Rooker Award for Excellence in Equine Practice. The award, which was named on behalf of Rooker, was presented to him at the Annual Michigan Veterinary Conference in Lansing, Michigan, January 27, 2012.

The Rooker Award for Excellence in Equine Practice, established in 2012, will be awarded annually by the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the Michigan Equine Practitioners Association, to an outstanding Michigan equine practitioner that has devoted his or her career to the advancement of equine veterinary medicine and the training of future generations of equine practitioners and professionals.

Rooker, a 1954 graduate of the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine continues to have a highly successful career as a veterinary practitioner caring for Michigan’s horses and their owners. He is an adjunct professor at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine and also owns and operates the Rooker Veterinary Hospital in Davidson, Mich. Rooker is a role model and mentor for many high school, undergraduate, and veterinary students, as well as veterinary practitioners.

In 1954, soon after he graduated from MSU, Rooker and his wife, Jeanne, purchased their choice from the MSU broodmare band and began a highly successful Arabian horse breeding program. In addition to their achievements in competitions, the Rookers are strong contributors to the development of the Arabian breed and the Michigan and national Arabian horse industry