The pandemic brought many things to the world, very few of which were desirable: possibly RNA vaccines and video conferencing software such as Zoom? However, as the last major political figure from the winter of 2020 faces political Armageddon, it is fair to say that the majority of things from that time have gone and are not lamented.
One of the crazes of 2020 was the educational webinar. This led to exaggerated predictions of the demise of traditional veterinary meetings. The webinar will remain part of the education landscape and some, such as the BEVA transatlantic discussion series, are a great addition to continuing professional development (CPD); they would have been practically impossible before the development of video conferencing. Mercifully, predictions of the demise of the veterinary congress have been as accurate as some of the modelling predictions of the COVID pandemic.
Home or away?
Home: the BEVA conference
The largest equine congress in the world is that of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), which will be held in Orlando this year. I will be attending in my role as BEVA president, and this will be my first visit to the AAEP congress. I’m excited to attend such a prestigious meeting, but my experience of other congresses in the USA has shown that there are limitations for the British veterinary profession. The commercial exhibition is amazing but of limited relevance. Very little of the equipment is for sale in the UK although you may see what will become available in a few years. While you may recognise a handful of people, it’s a lonelier experience than a congress closer to home. Finally, jet lag may be a first-world problem, but that doesn’t make it any less of a real problem, particularly on the way home when you’re expected to be at work at 8am on Monday.
Jet lag may be a first-world problem, but that doesn’t make it any less of a real problem, particularly on the way home when you’re expected to be at work at 8am on Monday
The British Equine Veterinary Association Congress is the largest such event outside the USA. This congress has long been the jewel in the crown of BEVA CPD, and the rapid return to pre-pandemic attendance levels confirms just how valued it is. The great advantage of a congress over a simple course is the multiple streams, allowing the delegate to choose which lectures interest them most. Further, the larger budget of a congress permits the attendance of a greater proportion of the world’s leading experts. There are very few events where someone can become as familiar with the very latest findings and opinions on so many diverse conditions than the BEVA Congress.
It is a cliché that you learn as much in the bar afterwards as you do in the lecture theatre. Like most clichés, this is an exaggeration with a grain of truth. The opportunity to socialise with friends and colleagues can be very valuable. The opportunities to circulate knowledge are remarkable, as well as the mental support of talking with people in similar positions and realising how many of life’s challenges you share.
The opportunities to circulate knowledge are remarkable, as well as the mental support of talking with people in similar positions and realising how many of life’s challenges you share
Finally, the commercial exhibition is without compare. No matter what you’re looking for, the chances are that at the BEVA Congress you will be able to see this equipment, touch it and discuss its use with a dedicated sales team and with people experienced in its use.
The snag with the BEVA conference is that it’s at one time so not everyone can go – someone has to stay behind and be on call. It is located in substantial conference centres across the UK, being based in Liverpool this year. While the venue is fantastic, with views over the river Mersey and a proliferation of bars and restaurants in the nearby “rope alleys”, it’s still Liverpool. When you brag to your friends and neighbours that you’ve been to a conference in Liverpool, very few are likely to turn green with envy.
Away: the South African Equine Veterinary Association conference
There are alternatives – overseas conferences. These can be more specialised such as the European College of Veterinary Surgeons Congress, which took place in Valencia, Spain, in early July 2024. Then there are further-flung alternatives. In 2025 the South African Equine Veterinary Association (SAEVA) conference will take place from 20 to 23 February in the Skukuza rest camp in the Kruger Park. This is a five-hour drive, or a one-hour flight, from Johannesburg airport, which is in turn an overnight flight from London Heathrow, although straight down the timeline and therefore with minimal jet lag. The excitement of stepping away from the dull grey cold of the UK in February and stepping out into the South African summer a few hours later is one of the great travel experiences.
The excitement of stepping away from the dull grey cold of the UK in February and stepping out into the South African summer a few hours later is one of the great travel experiences
Compared to BEVA the SAEVA conference is small, with a few hundred delegates, typically only one or sometimes two streams, and usually two international speakers. This year, those speakers are Dr Richard Hepburn from B&W Equine near Bristol, and a certain Dr Bruce Bladon from Newbury in Berkshire. The precise congress schedule has not been settled yet, but it is a reasonable assumption that between them there will be presentations on equine medicine and equine surgery.
The smaller size of the South African congress makes it a less daunting experience than BEVA or AAEP. The South African horse vets are invariably very friendly and welcoming, a direct contrast to their rugby fans. Delegates in Liverpool scatter across the city to multiple bars and restaurants, with a hard-core meet-up later on in Flares nightclub. In the heart of the African bush delegates have two choices: either take part in the provided dinner and drinks, or take your chance with the local (hungry) wildlife.
One of the personal highlights is the annual golf tournament, usually held on the local Skukuza course, followed by the Dave Mullins Memorial cocktail hour. This course is quite beautiful, gathered around a hippo pool which became infamous a few years ago when some golfers had one too many beers and made the ill-advised decision to see if they could retrieve the balls they had lost in the lake. Dave Mullins was a wonderfully energetic practitioner who first invited me to South Africa 15 years ago. He contributed so much to the development of SAEVA before his untimely death from bowel cancer in 2011, and it is fitting that he is commemorated at this congress.
A note on tax benefits
There are other advantages of visiting the SAEVA Congress. South Africa has struggled with its economy for a long time, resulting in an exchange rate that makes it a cheap country to visit – a global rarity for Britons. A quick note on the economics of visiting an overseas congress: if your employer pays, then the expense is fully deductible from tax for them, provided that it is a genuine educational expense. In reality, this means that if you plan to bring your family, they need to travel separately, ideally after the main conference. Payment by the business is easy to arrange if you are a partner or director of an independent practice but may require some negotiation if your employer is a larger corporate. There is no reason why a legitimate congress expense cannot be negotiated as a salary sacrifice deal with an employer, though as we know large corporates can be somewhat inflexible and poorly advised by their accountancy departments.
There is no reason why a legitimate congress expense cannot be negotiated as a salary sacrifice deal with an employer
Final thoughts
Finally, the animals. If, as a veterinary surgeon, you aren’t interested in animals, you have made a poor career choice. And if you are interested in animals, there are few more interesting places than the African bush. The congress will lay on some game drives. There will be official drives going from the Skukuza camp. And if you have a car, or find someone else with a car, you can drive yourself provided you stick to the roads and tracks. There is plenty to see. Elephants, lions, leopards, wild dogs, white and black rhino, giraffe – nearly all the famous African wildlife can be seen within a few minutes’ drive of the Skukuza rest camp. Not to say that it will be, of course. That’s the trouble with wildlife. It’s wild.
There may be no jet lag, but after a few days of getting up at dawn for a game drive, listening to some excellent lectures during the day and then going out for a game drive in the evening followed by dinner and drinks with your new South African friends, the “safari-lag” may prove just as punishing.
