Despite the absence of BEVA Congress this year, due to the restrictions of Covid-19, The Association continued in its tradition of recognising brilliance within the equine veterinary profession and presented two awards, albeit virtually, on Thursday 10 September 2020.
The BEVA Richard Hartley Clinical Award was presented to April L Lawson BSc BVSc MRCVS for the paper Application of an equine composite pain scale and its association with plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations and serum cortisol concentrations in horses with colic by A. L. Lawson, R. R. Opie, K. B. Stevens, E. J. Knowles and T. S. Mair.
The award is given in memory of Richard Hartley, a founder member of BEVA and president from 1974 to 1975. It is awarded for evidence-based papers with direct clinical application and the prize is intended to support travel of the senior author and/or co-authors.
The Peter Rossdale Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) Open Award was presented to Dr Monica Venner DipECEIM for the paper Changing policy to treat foals with Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in the later course of disease decreases antimicrobial usage without increasing mortality rate by D. Arnold-Lehna, M. Venner, L. Berghaus, R. Berghaus and S. Giguère.
This award is given for the paper that best achieves the EVJ’s mission to publish articles which influence and improve clinical practice and/or add significantly to the scientific knowledge that underpins and supports veterinary medicine in relation to the horse. The award is made in recognition of Peter Rossdale’s immense contribution to BEVA and EVJ.
The remaining BEVA awards have been postponed until 2021.