Health & Medicine Committee

Bruce Bladon is the current President of BEVA. He graduated from Edinburgh University in 1988. After seven years in practice he joined Bristol University as Resident in Equine Surgery. He was awarded the Certificate of Equine Practice in 1992, the Diploma of Equine Soft Tissue Surgery in 1999 and Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2001 and Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2016. Since 1998 he has worked at Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery and is a recognised Specialist in Equine Surgery. He has lectured extensively, including to the British, South African, Australian, New Zealand, Dutch, Hungarian, German, French, Italian and Israeli Equine Veterinary Associations, international meetings in Brazil, Canada, Spain and to the European and American Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons. Bruce’s key interests are surgery, especially fracture repair and colic surgery. He is also involved with advanced imaging, particularly MRI. Bruce Bladon was Emergency Services Team Leader at the Rio 2016 Olympics and 2023 Asian Games. Bruce is an eco warrior and drives a zero emissions vehicle. He is a (low level) rugby union referee. He can’t really run under 5 min per km pace anymore and can’t remotely keep up with his son (or wife). He does manage to squeeze in the occasional ski trip, but otherwise is not allowed out, and spends his time either in an operating theatre or looking at black and white images

James graduated from Edinburgh in 2001. After four years in mixed practice, he transitioned into equine stud practice and now leads the team at Equine Reproductive Services (UK). In 2010 he gained the RCVS Certificate in Stud Medicine and became an honorary lecturer at the University of Liverpool, teaching and examining CertAVP candidates. James continues to perform and publish practice-based research and collaborates widely. He is an Advanced Practitioner in Equine Stud Medicine, a BEVA council member and trustee of the International Equine Reproduction Trust. In 2022, he was awarded an RCVS Fellowship for meritorious contributions to clinical practice.

Roly joined World Horse Welfare as Chief Executive in January 2008. He qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Cambridge University in 1992 and having spent a short time with the Blue Cross, he joined the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, which included a posting as the Veterinary Officer at the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in London. After the army, he went to work for World Horse Welfare until 2003, when he left to take up the post of Development Director at the Perse School in Cambridge. He returned to World Horse Welfare in 2008. Since then Roly has played an active role on the steering group of the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare and established the Equine Disease Coalition, of which he is Chair.

Nicky graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2007 and joined The Royal Army Veterinary Corps. She served for 10 years: Firstly, with Military Working Dogs preparing them and their handlers for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Later she served as the veterinary officer for The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. After leaving the military Nicky worked in ambulatory equine practices for 2 years before moving to the charity sector. She now works as the Veterinary Director for The Horse Trust charity providing both the onsite veterinary provision for 150 residents, she provides internal and external training in many areas of equine care as well as providing part of the RVC final year rotations. Nicky is the Chairperson for the Board of directors for the British Animal Rescue and Trauma Association (BARTA).

Qualified from Bristol University in 2005 and having discovered a previously unsuspected interest in equine medicine during final year, went out to gain hands on equine experience through spending a month working as a new graduate vet in a SPANA clinic in Morocco. This was followed with 7 years in mixed practice, including first opinion equine ambulatory work and a further period of volunteering for a working equid charity in Egypt. Joined the Donkey Sanctuary in 2012, gaining the CERT AVP in Equine Medicine and eventually becoming the lead vet for medicine. After completing the MSc in One Health in 2023 and cementing a passion for all things One Health both nationally and internationally, started a new position mixing clinical vet work with an advisory role to the Donkey Sanctuary international team. Strong interest in all things welfare, medicine and education, with an enthusiasm for exploring and promoting ways to improve sustainability in veterinary practice.