Max Wilson - B.V.Sc., (Hons) M.A.C.V.Sc
Max was born and raised in the tiny town of Karara near Warwick in Queensland and attended
Karara State School before completing Secondary studies at Scot College in Warwick and then
the Kings School in Sydney.
Max studied Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland and graduated with honours in 1973.
Max worked in Lismore, N.S.W. for six months before commencing work for Reg Pascoe in
Oakey (Oakey Veterinary Hospital). Max worked there for 15 years in general practice and
developed an interest in Equine Medicine, Surgery and Reproduction.
He was accepted for membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Surgeons (M.A.C.V.Sc)
in 1982 for Equine Surgery. In 1985 he commenced a (still incomplete) masters degree on
measurement of the growth of the Equine Embryo and Foetus by ultrasound.
In 1984 he travelled to the University of California at Davis as a Visiting Professor. There he worked under Prof. Hughes for three months and studied equine reproduction, artificial insemination and embryo transfer.
In 1989 he left Oakey Veterinary Hospital and established Max Wilson's Veterinary Services and later Wilson's Veterinary Surgery in Oakey. The practice grew rapidly to a five person mixed practice before it was sold in 1999.
Max retained the equine part of the practice and moved the practice base to his home farm at Southbrook where the practice operates as Wilson's Equine Veterinary Services under the ownership of Equivet (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Max has worked overseas with horses in New Caledonia, Korea, Papua New Guinea and Thailand. He has travelled to England each year since 1996 to work the United Kingdom breeding season with John Newcombe in the Midlands and Jonathan Pycock in Yorkshire. Apart from his interests in reproduction and stud medicine Max likes to work with pleasure horses and has special a intrest chiropractic and alternative medicine.
Max's mother is an Inglis so his roots are firmly in the horse industry. He comes from the era when children rode their horses five miles to school and let them go in the schoolyard. He owns his own racehorses and breeds his own mares. It's pretty safe to assume he loves his horses and loves working with them.
Celia Dodd - B.Sc., (Hons) B.V.Sc
Celia was born in the U.K. and came to Australia at an early age.
She was educated in Brisbane and completed a Science degree at the University of Queensland,
then worked in medicine research.
Celia completed Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland, graduating with honours in 1986.
She worked at Eagle Farm Veterinary Services for five years, a large equine practice servicing
Brisbane, Caboolture and Caloundra areas.
This practice worked exclusively with horses and serviced the major racetracks of Brisbane and the
Sunshine Coast. She was also heavily involved with the pleasure horse industry in the district.
Celia joined this practice in 1992. As well as working with horses, she is actively involved in
equestrian activities with her own horses.
Celia looks after the stud medicine part of the practice (sick foals etc) and our pleasure horse
clients.
Robyn Woodward - M.V.Sc., M.R.C.V.Sc
Robyn joined the practice in time for the 2002 season.
Born in North Queensland, Robyn was a successful show ring competitor in the local
shows and at the Brisbane Royal in hack and equestrian classes. After completing her
Veterinary Science degree, she worked in mixed practice in North Queensland and in
Ipswich before taking up an opportunity to undertake a Masters Research project with
Dr Kerry Dowsett and in which she performed the first successful embryo transfer in Australia.
Since then, Robyn has worked at Scone Veterinary Hospital and on secondment from them, in
Berkshire, England. In these positions, she had reproductive and clinical responsibilities
on Thoroughbred and pleasure horse stud farms and in England, polo duties at
Windsor Great Park and a veterinary stud role at Hampton Court, and the Royal Mews at
Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. Robyn then took up a position at the Orange
Campus of the University of Sydney and most recently as the Horse Course Coordinator at
Roseworthy Campus, the University of Adelaide. These positions involved lecturing, clinical,
research and resident stud veterinary duties. Along with her ongoing passion in sustainable
agriculture, stud medicine, mare and stallion fertility, her latest research project concerned
the use of Insulin Growth Factor I for tendon repair in performance horses.
Eric Klaui - DVM MRCVS
Eric, the Dutchman, graduated from Utrecht University, the Netherlands and has worked in
England for John Newcombe and Jenny East at "Warren House Farm" and lately at Pool House
Veterinary Surgery.
Since 1999, he has been coming to Australia for the breeding season and working at Wilson's
Equine Veterinary Services, developing his skills in equine reproduction. He has a particular
interest in mares with fertility problems and paediatrics, involving conservative and surgical
management of various foal disorders, including angular limb deformities.
In both hemispheres, he is actively involved with stud work and all aspects of artificial
breeding techniques, such as AI (frozen and chilled) and ET. Eric has already had Research
Project results published and has attended numerous Post-Graduate Courses.
Eric & his partner Alex Newcombe moved to Australia in 2005 and are looking after the Warwick end of the practice. It is hoped that when they have sorted out their immigrant status, Eric will become a partner in Equivet (Aust)
Susanne Brundell - BVSc
In 2003 we were fortunate to obtain the services of Susanne Brundell. Susanne is a German born but
Australian trained veterinarian who is also a engineer. Susanne graduated in engineering in Germany
before coming to Australia to complete her veterinary science degree. She lives on a property which
she has purchased at Pilton.
In 2005 she married Paul, a talented house designer. Togeather they live on their Pilton property where Susanne has been able to develop her love of horses. She breeds, trains & shows her own Andalusians & competes very successfully in carriage driving. In veterinary science she has a special interest in reproduction, stud medicine & dentistry.
John Newcombe - BVetMed MRCVS
John (John the Pom) runs Wilson's Equine Veterinary Services brother practice at
Brown Hills in the Midlands of England. John and his partner Jenny East run a
similar practice to ours in that the majority of their work is equine stud work.
John first came to us in 1991 and he has come every year since with the exception
of the last two. No doubt he will be back!
When John hasn't been able to come and we have needed additional help, he has sent
others, his partner Jenny East, Rupert Gunstone, Ewa Korbutiak, Thomas Kock,
Eric Klaui and this year Patrick Traill.
In return, this is one of the practices we have gone over to help in the past.
John is the original eccentric Pom, but when it comes to the reproductive tract of
mares he has no equal. We have all learned an enormous amount from him.
He is a good friend to our practice.
Alexandra Newcombe
Alexandra is a Chartered Animal Physiotherapist. This means that she holds a degree in
human physiotherapy and since graduating five years ago has extended her training and
skills into animal physiotherapy, through the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists
in Animal Therapy, United Kingdom.
Alexandra is an experienced horsewoman, being brought up working on and training horses
in her parents breeding centre, and now training her own horses for dressage. Additionally,
she has extensive experience of working with vets in both England and Australia.
Physiotherapy can be of benefit in many conditions including soft tissue trauma (lumps and bumps),
splints, wound healing, suspected neck, back or pelvic pain and poor performance.
Physiotherapeutic techniques vary from "hands on" soft tissue release techniques, manual
joint mobilisation, electrotherapy, exercises and rehabilitative training programmes.
All cases must be referred and authorised by a veterinary surgeon.
Laurie Hughes
Laurie is our horseman and farm manager. He is the one responsible for booking your horse
in on arrival and supervising her care and feeding while at the Breeding Centre.
Laurie has worked in the west with Elders at Cunnamulla and Meandarra and also worked for
12 months at the Edward River Mission in the Gulf. In 1978 he bought his own property at
Moonie which he was forced to sell in 2001 because of ill-health.
His misfortune was our good fortune and he came to work for Wilson's Equine Veterinary
Services in September 2001.
Laurie is the perfect farm manager having run his own property and being a bushman.
Because of his extensive experience (and outgoing personality) he is known to many of you already.
Your horses (and my farm) are in excellent hands while Laurie is on the job.
Laurie is the quintessential family man and is strongly supported by his wife Judy and
their three children. the family have a farm at Rossvale.
Sadly Laurie lost his battle with cancer in late 2005. We all extend to Judy & the children our deepest sympathy. We all miss him; he was a special man.
Mark Frost.
Laurie has been ably replaced by Mark Frost. Mark joined us in 2004 to assist Laurie who was under treatment for his cancers.
He soon proved a invaluable addition to our team & has taken over all of Laurie's duties without a hitch.
Mark is a excellent horseman & a avid camdraft competitor. Mark hails from Millmerran where he & his family had a
cattle property. He now owns a farm at Southbrook.
Lindy Mcloughlin
Lindy is the 'other girl' in the office. She pays our accounts
and analyses and prepares the practice returns. Lindy joined the practice in October 2002
after relocating from Springsure in Central Queensland where she was involved in a family
beef cattle enterprise.
I am sure that if you contact Lindy in the office you will find her approachable,
knowledgeable and helpful. No doubt you will also find her helping with the
horses on occasion.
Sally Wilson
In 1995 when the practice was languishing because of poor management, we were fortunate to have Max's
daughter Sally take over the management of the practice. Sally put in place many of the systems &
counterchecks which we are still using today. Sally stayed with us untill 2001 when she left to take on
a even bigger job with U of Q in Brisbane. By that time she had completely turned around the fortunes of the
practice & we remain permanently in her debt. She remains a major shareholder in Equivet Pty, Ltd.