30th anniversary 2012: How things have changed 1982–2012

The vets

ACTERA has been fortunate to have the continuous support of two local veterinarians throughout the 30 years of the Brookvale ride. Richard Chapman headed the veterinary team for all of our early rides and helped in several other ways, including training TPR stewards. Over the years, Richard, a very experienced equine practitioner, has also helped many of us to manage our endurance horses through the various problems we encountered. In appreciation of his contribution to the establishment of the Brookvale ride, he was presented in the mid-1980s with a mounted National Capital buckle of the original kind and was later made an honorary life member of ACTERA.

Steve Roberts has been the head vet for the ACTERA rides since the mid-1990s. Steve is also an endurance rider but has taken part in the Brookvale ride only once, having generously chosen to make himself available as a vet instead. He too has been made an honorary life member of ACTERA.

Richard and Steve have been helped by a number of other vets, including two who were also ACTERA members and local riders: Simon Bain and Charlotte Proudfoot.

The topography of the ride base, consisting as it does of creek flats surrounded by hills, has provided some challenges to the vets and ride committees in providing a suitable flat area for horses to trot out and in particular, a suitable area for the best conditioned horse candidates to work out under saddle, but somehow they have always managed.

By Melanie O'Flynn

Acknowledgements | Ride base | The course | The ride date | Riding times, entries and completion rates | The vets | The horses | Equipment | The buckle | Riding rules | Training and social rides | Costs and charges | Technology and communication | Some things have not changed | Photo gallery of past 30 years

Back to 30th anniversary home page