United States Eventing Association

Speaker Spotlight #5: Dr. Chris Newton and Dr. Scott Hopper, Dr. Catherine Kohn and Dr. Robert Stevenson, Christina Gray, Deborah Stanitski and Jennie Hegeman

With the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention just over week away, we're highlighting some of the achievements of our valued speakers.

Equine Rehab Post Injury & Equine Stem Cell with Dr. Chris Newton and Dr. Scott Hopper of Rood and Riddle

Dr. Hopper is a 1993 graduate of the University Wisconsin – Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. Following veterinary school Dr. Hopper completed an internship at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. The internship was followed by an equine surgical residency at Washington State University where he also obtained his Masters degree in Veterinary Science. Dr. Hopper became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1999. After a year of clinical instructorship Dr. Hopper returned to Rood & Riddle in June of 1998 where he is currently a surgeon, partner and head of the Rood & Riddle Stem Cell Lab.

Chris Newton, DVM is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a partner at internationally known Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, a full service equine hospital and ambulatory practice in Lexington, Kentucky. Following graduation from veterinary school in 1997, Dr. Newton began practicing in North Carolina, but returned home to his native Lexington in 2000 when he joined Rood & Riddle. He is a general practitioner with primary interests in equine sports medicine, physical therapy, alternative medicine and reproduction.

As a sport horse practitioner, Dr. Newton has served as the team veterinarian for the North American Junior Young Rider Cham­pionship for 10 years, the treating veterinarian for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event for 12 years, and served as Rood & Riddle’s veterinary coordinator during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Dr. Newton is also an avid equestrian who graduated from Pony Club and competes regularly in Eventing.

Cardio Pulmonary Research with Dr. Catherine Kohn and Dr. Robert Stevenson

Dr. Catherine Kohnis a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, where, following retirement, she continues to work on a part time basis. She is Board Certified in Large Animal Internal Medicine, and her areas of interest in equine medicine are intensive care, renal diseases, calcium metabolism, and exercise physiology, particularly thermoregulation and fluid balance during exercise. She has a long time interest in three-day eventing, and is proud to have served for many years as the Veterinary Delegate at Radnor, Fair Hill, and the Rolex Kentucky three-day events. She was the President of the Veterinary Commission for several disciplines at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Dr Kohn is the co-chairperson (with Dr Mark Hart) of the USEA Cardiopulmonary Research Group.

Dr. Rob Stevensonwas born and raised in Fredericton, and attended the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, where his education was interrupted by a four-year hiatus to train and compete full-time in the equestrian sport of Eventing. He represented Canada at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and returned to school in 1993.

While attending medical school at Dalhousie University an interest in cardiovascular medicine developed through research with Drs. David Murphy and Drew Armour. He completed a residency in Family Medicine in the Dalhousie program and during that period rotated through Saint John Regional Hospital, becoming fascinated with Cardiac Rehabilitation and General Cardiology. He continued his residency training with Internal Medicine and went on to the Dalhousie Cardiology training program in 2005. Areas of special interest that he pursued included cardiac rehabilitation, therapeutic hypothermia post cardiac arrest, and heart-healthy cafeterias. He co-authored an article on this subject in Canadian Medical Association Journal titled “Frying Up Hospital Cafeteria Food.” (Freedhoff and Stevenson, 2008.) His clinical duties will include the usual aspects of clinical cardiology with a special interest in the Cardiac Rehabilitation programs at the SJRH and across the province with Cardiac Rehab New Brunswick.

Outside of the hospital his time is spent with his wife Suzanne and their child Grace, while continuing to participate in eventing, training, coaching, and hosting competitions on their farm in Lower Jemseg.

Competitors’ and Organizers’ Open Forum with Christina Gray and Shannon Lilley

Christina and Shannon will moderate discussion of topics such as: the financial reality of organizing an event, event cancellations and refunds, how organizers and competitors can work together to keep costs under control, and organizers assisting in the education of new officials.

Christina Gray currently assists in running 20+ horse trials a year throughout the United States. The shows ranging from Pony Club Intro level to the CCI3* level. Christina spent 3 years as the Director of Competition at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and was assistant to the Discipline Director for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Gray grew up as a competitor in California and has competed through the Preliminary level and groomed for various riders at Fair Hill and Rolex Kentucky and NAJYRC teams. Gray has a Bachelor’s Degree in Financial Services Management and has served as an Area Treasurer and on the USEA Admin and Finance Committee.

EMSA Board Meeting Committee with Deborah Stanitski

Debbie is a 60 year-old pediatric orthopaedic surgeon who retired from surgery due to a closed equestrian-related head injury. A former eventer, she now competes in regular as well as paraequestrian dressage. She owns a retired homebred thoroughbred, a leased thoroughbed and competes on her 15.2H Holsteiner x QH mare. She is concerned about all preventable safety hazards and became President of the former AMEA/SRF (American Medical Equestrian Association/Safe Riders Foundation) in 2006. The name was changed to the EMSA (Equestrian Medical Safety Association) in order to be more inclusive. The EMSA newsletter subsequently went paperless and the EMSA is about to launch a greatly revised new website (www.emsaonline.net) intended to be more 21st century including a forum for members, blogs, chatrooms, social media, forms, a library and ultimately an assistance map for the USA. The EMSA aims to be the "go to" safety source and encourages involvement, membership and all worthwhile articles both lay and scientific.

Understanding Equine Equipment Design to Maximize Performance with Jennie Hegeman

Jennie Hegeman designs equine equipment in the northwest corner of Oregon. Integrating sports textiles and impact technology, she creates physiologically and ergonomically sound gear that advances the performance, comfort, and health of the horse. Each piece is custom made for a specific discipline. Currently contracted by Toklat Originals, she is responsible for the creation and reengineering of a number of brands including T3 Classic III, Real X Gear, Fleeceworks, Jen X and Matrix … the official saddle pad of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team.

Horse crazy from birth, the moment she first put her feet in the irons, atop a grey mare at the base of a Philippine volcano, at the age of ten, she knew horses would be her business. Her background as a trainer, an Equine Bio-kinetic Rehabilitation Specialist for Mountain Horse Medical and Surgical Center in Park City, Utah, and as an Equine Rehabilitation Specialist treating Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans affected with PTSD, left Hegeman with the desire to do more. After hosting a syndicated radio talk show (Horse Talk) on NPR, she moved into design. Since then, her work has earned raves at events such as the 2010 WEG, the 2012 WEC and every 4* in the northern hemisphere since 2011.

Currently residing in Carver, Oregon, Hegeman makes the most of her days while wrangling her husband, her son, two alpacas, three dogs, 500 head of water buffalo and nine horses, one horse being her best friend ... Matrix.