30 Apr 2024
Oliver Newman describes why this conference has earned such an established reputation among its delegates.
Oliver Newman
Job Title
Delegates at Equine SkiPD 2024.
After several years of hearing endlessly about how amazing Equine SkiPD is from my employer, I decided it was about time I booked a place on the trip to experience the conference for myself.
Walking through Heathrow Airport without knowing any of the course attendees, I couldn’t help myself from playing a game of “spot the equine vet”. Upon arrival at the gate, I had a sinking feeling that I may have booked on the wrong conference.
Disconcertingly, I noticed a large group all wearing matching polo tops with “Visually Impaired Vets Annual Ski Trip” on the back. I suspected that I may be one of the younger attendees on the conference, but I wasn’t expecting this. Fortunately, I soon realised that this was a chance encounter with a group of army veterans, and that a similar sized group of equine veterinarians were gathering around the corner.
After finding the right crowd, a warm and friendly welcome was awaiting me from many of the seasoned SkiPDers. Bubbling with anticipation, the group were in fine spirits ready to board our flight to Venice. If the rumours were to be believed, I had a sneaky suspicion these would not be the only “fine spirits” I would encounter over the next week.
A short flight and smooth coach transfer later, we arrived safely at our hotel in Cortina d’Ampezzo, centrally located in the beautiful Italian Dolomites. We quickly settled into our rooms, then gathered for an evening meal. Naturally, this was followed by a trip to a local sports bar where the night blurred swiftly and jovially into the morning. Painfully early the following morning, we commenced our CPD programme over breakfast. The conference was structured tactically to accommodate a full day on the slopes. This meant early starts for morning lectures, and brisk walks in ski-boots back to the hotel in the afternoon after catching the last chair lift of the day.
A broad spectrum of topics was discussed through the week, with talks aimed at ambulatory practitioners. The calibre of formal CPD on offer was fantastic, but I was even more impressed by the relaxed, informal atmosphere of the sessions. This resulted in open and honest discussions from speakers and delegates alike.
It was these real-world discussions and open insightful reflections, which I felt elevated this CPD a step above a “typical” conference.
Beyond the formal CPD, further opportunities to discuss interesting cases and general life as an equine vet were to be found on every chair lift. It is amazing how comfortably discussions can flow between colleagues, when the formal restrains of a consult room or lecture theatre are exchanged for the freedom of the mountain air.
Away from “continually professionally developing”, there was, of course, some brilliant skiing. Although we weren’t blessed with deep powder, we experienced some of the best piste skiing you could wish for.
Stunning scenery bathed in unblemished blue skies was the norm for the week, which made the glass (or two) of rosé consumed over lunch, taste that little bit sweeter.
A particular highlight for a group of horse lovers was the horse-drawn ski lift, which transported skiers from the base of one slope to the beginning of a nearby chair in some style.
Massive thanks must go out to the sponsors of this year’s conference, BOVA UK, IMV Imaging and Equine Blades Direct. The conference organisers, Henry Tremaine and Catherine Mayes, deserve huge credit for the tremendous work they put in to ensure the ongoing success and popularity of SkiPD.
Now that I have attended my first SkiPD event, I fully understand the fantastic reputation this conference has established over the years. If after reading this, you are interested in finding out what all the fuss is about for yourself, booking enquiries for next year’s conference can be emailed to [email protected]. Trust me, you will not regret it.
