Thanks to Dr. Steve O'Grady for checking in on Friday and providing some new information for farriers and veterinarians (and anyone else) attending the American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention in San Antonio December 3-6.Here are some updates from Dr. O'Grady and from Hoofcare & Lameness Journal:
1. On-site registration will offer a one-day registration fee for $175 to anyone who wants to attend, for instance, Monday or Tuesday, and not the entire convention. This fee includes lunch and the trade show as well as all lectures and table topics.
1a. This just in from AAEP trade show manager Debbie Miles: "If someone wants to attend just the trade show, it is $25.00 a day. This will not allow them to work (in a) booth or attend any scientific sessions, just allows them to visit the trade show."
2. Farriers who register should identify themselves as farriers so a tally can be kept. Farriers are welcome (and encouraged) to attend any and all lectures offered at the convention in addition to the farrier-specific program on Tuesday morning.
3. Hoofcare & Lameness is publishing a "Survival Guide" to the convention specifically for those interested in the hoof programs. It will list all events, lectures, table topics, etc. with relevance to working with hooves. (Did you know there is a special program on endocrine problems, i.e. Cushings syndrome and the relation to obesity?) With a little luck, this will be posted on hoofcare.com for you to download by Thursday of this week.
4. Dr. Tracy Turner has replaced Dr. Andy Parks at one of the table topics discussions, according to Dr. O'Grady.
5. Hotel rooms are still available; the online rates for Homewood Suites and the Omni are both around $130 and both are near the convention center. All the "official" hotels (Marriott, Menger, etc.) are sold out as is the new LaQuinta. There are some very inexpensive hotels on the outskirts of San Antonio if you have a car.
6. Hoofcare & Lameness will have hourly special guests at our booth (#354), including Dr. Chris Pollitt, California farrier John Suttle, Bob Pethick, Michael Wildenstein, etc. We will provide bar stools and a table to lean on, plus maybe some napkins to draw on so you will feel right at home. We will also have free copies of the Animal Health Foundation's DVD, featuring Chris Pollitt and Katy Watts. We will also have a museum display (sorry, not for sale) of plastination anatomy models (a la the "Body Worlds" museum exhibit) from Dr Christophe Von Horst of Germany.
7. Southwest still has some cheap flights to San Antonio!
8. The trade show is huge (over 300 companies) and includes many companies (Delta, Mustad, HoofJack, HorseScience, Vettec, etc.) that you would normally see at a farrier convention. And some that you wouldn't see there, but whose products or services are interesting. The American Farrier's Association will have a booth, with president Dave Ferguson in charge, according to Mike Nolan, AFA executive director, and Jack Millman, the AFA's new marketing committee chairman.
Please contact Hoofcare & Lameness if we can help you make plans!
