What happens in Las Vegas sometimes returns to Las Vegas. Six years after setting an attendance record, the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ annual convention was back at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in early December, and so was the crowd. The organization reported that 7,394 veterinary professionals, students, exhibitors and guests attended the 61st annual convention, just 158 people shy of the record set in 2009. Some 135 hours of continuing education credits were offered over five days. “Dispensing educational content that is current and implementable in everyday practice is the hallmark of a productive meeting,” said AAEP’s executive director, David Foley. Installed as president was Kathleen Anderson, DVM, the owner of Equine Veterinary Care in Fair Hill, Md., who replaced Texas A&M University Professor G. Kent Carter, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM. The other officers are president-elect R. Reynolds Cowles Jr., DVM, of Earlysville, Va.; Vice President Margo Macpherson, DVM, of Gainesville, Fla.; and treasurer Jack Easley, DVM, of Shelbyville, Ky. New directors include Amy Grice, VMD, of Virginia City, Mont., and Dan Keenan, DVM, of Crosswicks, N.J. A number of people were recognized during the President’s Luncheon. Distinguished Educator (Academic Award): Virginia Reef, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVSMR, Dipl. ECVDI, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Educator (Mentor Award): John W. Lee, Jr., DVM, newly retired from Unionville Equine Associates in Oxford, Pa. Distinguished Service Award: Brad Mitchell, AAEP’s director of finance and operations Distinguished Life Member Award: Nat White, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine President’s Award: Kenton Morgan, DVM, of Zoetis Inc. The 2016 convention is set for Dec. 3 to 7 in Orlando, Fla.
