By CJ (Kate) Savage BVSc(Hons), MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, WEVA senior vice-president

In April, WEVA hosted its 15th Congress in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, in partnership with China Horse Industry Association (CHIA), the host country’s main equestrian association.

Board members and program co-chairs Chris Riggs, BVSc, PhD, DEO, Dipl. ECVS, MRCVS, and Henry Tremaine, BVetMed, CertES (Soft Tissue), MPhil, Dipl. ECVS, EVDC, FHEA, MRCVS, put together an ambitious program of unparalleled breadth and depth. It included eight wetlabs at the Equuleus Riding School, in Beijing, over the two days preceding the Congress. At these wetlabs, 18 internationally recognized instructors taught fundamental practical veterinary and farriery elements veterinarians in some areas of the world might take for granted. Wetlab topics included dental examinations, diagnostic imaging, lameness examination, equine fracture management, farriery and hoof disease, preparing for a competition, and prepurchase examinations. Additionally, continuing with WEVA tradition, Jean-Marie Denoix, PhD, gave his “live horse” ultrasonography demonstration.

The Congress’ opening ceremony took place in the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square. This building is of immense political and social significance to the Chinese people, and the fact that the opening ceremony took place there gives insight into the Congress’ political importance. WEVA’s mission is to promote horse, mule, and donkey health and welfare through the provision of continuing education of equine veterinarians and, indeed, persons involved in the many equestrian and equid industries globally, especially in less economically developed countries. WEVA hopes that stakeholders will have a heightened awareness of the profound and positive impact that a progressive and flourishing equine veterinary profession can have on the Chinese equine industry, and that the Congress helped advance equine veterinarians’ status in China. At the opening ceremony Riggs and I gave speeches, as did members of the government and Professor Jia Youling (CHIA president and an eminent Chinese veterinarian).

Following the opening, attendees took in three days of lectures in equine industry, equine practice, and advanced veterinary medicine streams. Lectures were simultaneously translated into Chinese (Mandarin) as they were performed in English. More than 70 speakers from around the world presented. Final delegate numbers have not been disclosed to date; however, it was the large halls that held lectures in all three streams were nearly full to capacity all day, every day