When I was invited to join the NEAEP my first
thoughts were: do we need such an organization if we have our AAEP? Are we
trying to duplicate something that already works and provides us with a
wealth of services and information? However it was not difficult to quickly
see that we were not a duplicate but rather an allied group with some clear
uniqueness and strengths. The equine industry of the Northeast is very large
with a significant population of hands on sport horse owners. The NEAEP
wants to provide the means for horse owners of the region to have access to
information and resources so they can be fully engage with all segments of
the equine industry. The NEAEP is also striving to establish a unique bond
with the farriers of the region and this relationship has grown very strong
that we now have four farriers on our board of directors. It will be one of
our priorities for the 2011 year, to solidify the relationship
farrier-vet so that we can continue to learn and work closer together for
the benefit of the horse, the horse owner and our professions. Having a
smaller regional group makes it is easier to foster these relationships for
the benefit of all parties involved in the industry.
It is indeed a great honor to have been asked
to be a member of this group since its inception, and even more to have been
elected to be its third president. I would like to thank the board of
directors of the NEAEP for trusting me with the leadership of this young
organization and a very special thank you to my two predecessors Drs. Kit
Miller and Jose Garcia-Lopez, and to our executive director Mr. Rhicco
Rentas for getting our organization to a great start. The work of Drs.
Miller and Garcia-Lopez, the tireless efforts of Mr. Rentas and the
dedication of our board of directors have set up the ground to make my job a
lot easier. I would also like to thank all our educational partners and our
sponsors for trusting us from the beginning, without you it would have been
impossible to get to where we are now. Last but not least I like to thank
my friend and colleague, Dr. John Dascanio, our treasurer. What a tremendous
job John has done guarding our finances, and as he reported at our first AGM
in Mystic, CT, we now have a reserve that no doubt will grow to solidify and
guarantee the survival of our association for years to come.
After almost three years of existence and two
Invitation to Excellence Symposia, we can proudly say that what appeared to
be a romantic idea three years ago, is now a tangible reality. The NEAEP is
here to stay and with all the members’ support we will grow bigger and
better to serve the horses and support the entire equine industry in this
region. Our association saw many changes and improvements this year that
were evident at the symposium. We added the ultrasound and reproduction
wet-lab. Both of them well attended with great reviews; we also had an
increased number of CE hours and in spite of the several competing high
quality programs such as The World Equestrian Games, The Hambeltonian
Seminar and AAEP in Baltimore there was a 30% increase in our attendance
compared to last year. In accordance with our mission statement, we held
our first successful Horse Owners Seminar, which we hope will grow and
mature with time. The American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians
(AAEVT) hosted their annual meeting in conjunction with our symposium,
breaking all attendance records for their group. So all and all, and in
spite of the economic times our second Symposium was a great success.
I would like to finish by thanking once more
all those that made the NEAEP a reality. We are very proud of what this
organization stands for and what it has been able to accomplish in the three
years of existence. Based on the comments and positive feedback from
symposia attendees, and the loyalty of our educational partners and
sponsors, I can assure you that this will be a vibrant and productive
organization and encourage those of you that have not signed up for
membership yet, to do so. Please start making plans for our third Invitation
to Excellence Symposium in Norfolk, Virginia between September 28th and
October 2nd. Plans are well underway to have if not a better at least the
same high quality educational program that you are now used to from the
NEAEP. I wish you and your families a joyful and safe holiday season.
Sincerely,
Dr. Juan Samper DVM, PhD., Dip. ACT
NEAEP President
Norfolk, Virginia
Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel
September 28th - October 2nd, 2011
