Meet the team
Dr. C.J. (Kate) Savage
BVSc (Hons), MS, PhD, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Head of Equine Clinical Services
Kate completed both her veterinary degree and PhD at the University of Melbourne. She then did a residency in internal medicine in Virginia, USA. She became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Diplomate ACVIM i.e. a Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine).
She was a registrar at Michigan State University before becoming a faculty member at the world-renowned Colorado State University Equine Hospital. Kate then started a private internal medicine referral practice in Virginia, USA, at which she was responsible for many performance horses. Kate has just been in Hong Kong as a treating veterinarian for the Good Luck Beijing Games as a preparation for the Olympic Games in 2008. Kate is on the 2008 Olympic veterinary treatment team.
She has lectured in the USA and Australia, including the Postgraduate Foundation. She has authored numerous articles, abstracts, book chapters and proceedings on equine internal medicine. She is the editor of the textbook in equine internal medicine, Equine Medicine Secrets.
Dr. A. Chris Whitton
BVSc, PhD,FACVSc
Senior Registrar/Senior Lecturer in Equine Medicine and Surgery
Chris coordinates the equine scintigraphy service and works as a specialist equine surgeon in the hospital. Chris trained as a specialist at the University of Sydney and completed his PhD before moving to work with Dr Sue Dyson at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, England, a world leader in lameness investigation and imaging. He ran his own referral practice and scintigraphy unit at the Newcastle Equine Centre. Chris began working at the Equine Centre in November 2004.
Chris has lectured and published extensively on lameness matters. His current research interests are in diagnostic imaging and orthopaedics.
Dr. C.M. (Cate) Steel
(nee Colbourne) BVSc FACVSc
Senior Registrar
Cate graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1987, and then trained as a specialist at Murdoch University and Michigan State University, USA. Cate became a Fellow of the ACVSc in Equine Surgery in 1997 (i.e. specialist in equine surgery). She has been the official veterinarian at many race meetings and endurance rides in WA.
Cate then spent 3 years as a senior veterinarian at the Singapore Turf Club before heading to the USA for 18 months to work as an equine surgeon at UC Davis and Michigan State University. Her current research includes the molecular basis of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
Dr. Sally Church
BVSc (Hons) FACVSc (Equine Medicine)
Senior Lecturer in Equine Medicine and Surgery
Sally commenced as an equine clinical registrar at the Equine Centre in 1987. She had previously been employed by the Rural Veterinary Centre at Camden (University of Sydney); the University of Liverpool, UK; and the University of Queensland. Sally has her fellowships in Equine Medicine, and in 1996, was promoted to senior lecturer. She is a world class teacher, and has run the veterinary senior student lecture format for many years.
Dr. Tias Muurlink
BVSc (Hons) MACVSc
Registrar
Tias commenced at the Equine Centre in July 2005, as a registrar in equine surgery. Tias' current role involves the provision of equine clinical services. His special interests lie in equine surgery and he hopes to sit his fellowships in 2008. Previously Tias worked in a private equine practice for about 17 years and was the founding partner and principal in West Warwick Veterinary Services, a mixed (but predominantly equine) practice in Queensland.
Liz Walmsley
Equine Surgery Resident
Following graduation from the University of Liverpool (UK) in 2005, Liz commenced a twelve month internship in equine surgery, at Scone Veterinary Hospital, Scone, NSW. This appointment was extended for a further six months prior to Liz’s appointment as resident in equine surgery, supervised by Dr’s Cate Steel and Chris Whitton at the University of Melbourne. Liz is currently undertaking training to sit for the Fellowship examination in Equine Surgery in 2011. Areas of current research include laryngeal reinnervation and identification of muscle injury in performance horses.
Laura Fennell
Equine Surgery Resident
Upon graduation from the University of Sydney in 2003, Laura commenced an eighteen month internship programme with the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital (GVEH) in Shepparton, Victoria. She then went to Scotland in search of sleep and worked as an equine veterinarian with the Clyde Veterinary Group, based around the Clyde Valley and Scottish lowlands. Laura then returned to GVEH to take up an appointment as the resident veterinarian at Lynrose Stud north of Shepparton. In this role she assisted with the reproduction program undertaking semen collection and freezing, artificial insemination and embryo transfer.
Laura is now with the team at the Equine Centre, employed as an equine medicine resident training under the supervision of Dr Kate Savage and Dr Sally Church to be an equine medicine specialist. Laura hopes to sit for these exams in 2010. Laura is currently researching a blood test for detecting heart disease in horses. She has a particular interest in cardiology, respiratory disease and foal medicine.
Gareth Trope
Equine Surgery Resident
Following graduation from the University of Sydney in 1998, Gareth completed a twelve month internship at the University of Sydney in 1999. Following this he moved to Townsville to work in an equine/small animal practice for eighteen months. After his time in Townsville, Gareth spent the next two years travelling through Europe and working as a locum veterinarian in equine practices throughout England. Thereafter Gareth worked for Hird and Partners Veterinary Practice in West Yorkshire, England as an equine veterinarian for the next three and a half years in a clinic-based role where he gained experience in lameness evaluations, orthopaedic and soft tissue surgeries.
During his time in West Yorkshire, Gareth enrolled in continuing education and in 2006 completed the RCVS Certificate in Equine Surgery (Orthopaedics). Gareth is now with the team at the Equine Centre, as a resident in equine surgery training under the supervision of Dr Chris Whitton and Dr Cate Steel to be an equine surgery specialist. Gareth will sit the membership examinations for equine surgery in 2008 and hopes to sit the fellowship exams (which will allow Gareth to become a specialist in equine surgery when all other prerequisites regarding research and publications are met) in 2011. He is currently researching fetlock pathology in thoroughbred racehorses for his Master of Veterinary Science degree. He has a particular interest in orthopaedic surgery, lameness investigation and diagnostic imaging.