Council Chairs |
| Dr. Moira Gunn, Co-Chair, Advisory Council |
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"The well being of the horse is imperative for the well being of the horse industry. Equine Guelph provides the course for meaningful research to benefit the horse, along with communication and education avenues to ensure new findings reach those caring and looking after our horses."
- Dr. Moira Gunn |
At Work: Dr. Moira Gunn has been Equine Guelph’s Advisory Council co-chair since summer 2004. Dr. Gunn, a veterinarian, currently runs a private equine practise specializing in stallion management, embryo transfer and freezing, and reproductive challenges of hard to breed mares. Dr. Gunn has a long history with the famed Armstrong Bros, having worked there since 1988, first as the farm’s veterinarian, farm manager, vice-president and finally, president in 2000 to 2004. Dr. Gunn is heavily involved in the horse industry and is currently a Director of the E.P. Taylor Equine Research Fund. Dr. Gunn’s past involvements include: President of the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario and a Director of Standardbred Canada and the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association.
At Horseplay: At home, Dr. Gunn breeds both standardbreds and thoroughbreds. In her “quiet” time, Dr. Gunn remains extremely active with this past year finding her climbing Kilimanjaro and completing the New York City Marathon.
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| Dr. Elizabeth Stone, Co-Chair, Advisory Council |
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“I believe that a healthy horse means a healthy horse industry. Equine Guelph is truly a unique partnership between academia and the horse industry, and the thrust of this partnership is all about the performance of horse athletes and the people who work with them. Several veterinary schools in Canada and the US have equine research programs, but none emphasize the entire life of the horse, and the many ways that people interact with horses, as we do at Equine Guelph.” – Dr. Elizabeth Stone |
At Work: As Dean of the Ontario Veterinary College, Dr. Stone works to ensure the success and progress of the college and university – a large part of which includes partnering with industry stakeholders. Prior to joining the University of Guelph, Dr. Stone was the Head of the Department of Clinical Sciences at North Carolina State University, and helped establish its equine health program. Dr. Stone is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, with a clinical and research emphasis on urinary tract disease and cancer in dogs and cats.
At Horseplay: Dr. Stone hails from Arizona and has fond memories of spending summers riding bare-back at her aunt and uncle’s ranch in northern California. While attending vet school at the University of California, Davis, she worked for an equine veterinarian specializing in Quarter horses, primarily reining, cutting, and western pleasure horses. Now, Dr. Stone is enjoying learning about the equine industry in Ontario, recently driving (with assistance!) a Standardbred at Grand River Raceway! “I appreciate how warm and welcoming people in the horse industry have been to me here,” comments Dr. Stone.
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Committee Chairs |
| John Walzak, Co-Chair, Education Committee |
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“I like the idea of focused education. One way to improve all segments of the horse industry is to educate all segments of the industry. This results in education for everyone. Equine Guelph’s focused approach to education is a way of creating our future.”
– John Walzak
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At Work: John Walzak was the Chief Operations Officer of the Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA) from 2002 to 2009. Prior to joining OHHA, John was a faculty member at the University of Arizona, lecturing on Racing Law in the Race Track Industry Program. Other past positions include; Director of Operations for the Canadian Pari-mutuel Agency and Research Officer, Race Track Division, Agriculture Canada. John also served as the chair of the Totalisator Standards Committee for the Association of Racing Commissioners International for more than 10 years.
At Horseplay: John grew up a ‘city boy’ in London, Ontario. While attending the University of Western Ontario, John needed a job during school. His sister arranged a job for him working as a parking lot attendant at Western Fair Raceway. John had never been to the horse races before that night. He became a fan of the sport instantly – even from the vantage point of the parking lot! Luckily, it rained on his first night on the job, and he decided that ‘there had to be a better job inside that’s dry!’ John did get that job inside. He began working in the mutuels department, operating the price computer and tote board. He hasn’t looked back since that wet night.
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| Gayle Ecker, Co-Chair, Education Committee |
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“I am honoured to be part of an organization in which the health and well-being of horses is the number one priority. Equine Guelph brings together diverse facets of the equine industry in one venue. In an environment of open dialogue, we discuss challenges facing the equine industry and how we can be of service in addressing these issues through research, performance, education and health care.”
– Gayle Ecker
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At Work: Gayle has been the Senior Manager of Equine Guelph since its inception in 2003, and played an instrumental role in its birth. She has dedicated her energies to advancing the equine industry through education and communications. Gayle created the ‘pyramid of education’ model – an educational approach that provides learning pathways for career development at all levels (youth education > industry skills > Equine Science Certificate > higher education) in the equine industry. In collaboration with the Office of Open learning, Gayle developed the Equine Science Certificate program – an on-line program targeted to the equine industry. She also acts as an instructor in the program.
At Horseplay: Gayle started riding before she could walk! A dappled grey Shetland pony named Pogo was her first mount. Known as the ‘show junkie’, Gayle spent her youth competing at Arabian shows. A former researcher, Gayle’s expertise is in the area of exercise physiology. She has been the Assistant Chef d’Equippe for the Canadian Endurance Team, traveling around the globe with the team to international events like the Pan-Am and World Endurance Championships. These days, Gayle takes pleasure in riding her two Quarter horses through the wooded trails of her country home.
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Dr. Jeff Thomason, Co-Chair, Research Committee
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“Communication goes in many directions. The primary role of communications at Equine Guelph is gathering and disseminating practical information from researchers to the industry in a timely fashion. It is equally important to receive information back from the industry on its needs, which in turn is communicated to the researchers. It is also a priority for Equine Guelph to communicate ROI (Return on Investment) to industry sponsors and donors.”
– Dr. Jeff Thomason |
At Work: Dr. Thomason is an Anatomy Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Ontario Veterinary College and is internationally-renowned for his research on equine hoof anatomy and mechanics. In addition, Dr. Thomason developed the Functional Equine Anatomy course (with Gayle Ecker) for Equine Guelph’s online educational program, the Equine Science Certificate program.
At Horseplay: Dr. Thomason enjoys working with living horses in his research on hoof biomechanics, but admits he also gets as much pleasure from working with dead ones! “Horse anatomy is quite beautiful when you get to the guts of it,” he says, a joker at heart. Watching the ‘light go on’ at the precise moment when a student understands the workings of the gut or stay apparatus is one of the rewards that keeps him working with the horse – a unique, complex species.
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Susan Raymond, Chair, Communications & Marketing Committee |
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“I believe that we, as caregivers, hold a tremendous responsibility to our horses. The environment that we create for them has a considerable impact on their welfare, health and performance ability, regardless of discipline. I feel extremely fortunate that, through these industry education programs I am able to combine my love of horses with my interest in communication and education as a career.”
– Susan Raymond |
At Work: Susan oversees the communications program and is heavily involved in the education programs of Equine Guelph. Susan is the instructor and course co-creator of the Management of the Equine Environment online course, Equine Science Certificate program. Susan is also the assistant instructor of the Equine Journalism online course, Equine Business Management Certificate program. Formerly, she was involved in air quality research which provided practical recommendations to the horse industry on stable design and management. Susan has completed a PhD, investigating the effects of exposure of horses to mycotoxins.
At Horseplay: Horses are not only part of Susan’s professional life, but are her true passion and take up much of her social life. Susan has had a variety of experiences within the horse industry, from exercising young racehorses to jumping, dressage and trail rides. Most recently, she has had the opportunity to work with endurance horses and has even competed in a number of “ride and ties”. |
| Stephen Woeller, Chair, Development Committee |
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“Equine Guelph is the ‘horse Centre’ at the University of Guelph. Equine Guelph is how we reach the world in terms of equine healthcare, education and research. I believe that Equine Guelph serves as a strong platform for outreach, relationship-building and industry development within the equine community.”
– Stephen Woeller
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At Work: A Guelph graduate, Stephen Woeller has acted as Director of Advancement for the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) for the past two years. He is responsible for managing all of OVC’s fundraising programs including Pet Trust and Equine Guelph. Lately, Stephen has been directing his energy toward OVC’s 150th anniversary in 2012. With this important date on the horizon, his fundraising goal is focused on several redevelopment projects such as the rebuilding of both the Small and Large Animal Hospitals. Prior to joining the OVC Stephen launched his own business, Appropriate Development, in 2001. In addition, he held the position of Director of Development for the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation for seven years.
At Horseplay: Stephen is learning to be a horse person. Since coming to the OVC, he has taken a keen interest in horses and is being mentored by Equine Guelph’s own – Gayle Ecker! He is a keen hiker and enjoys spending time on the Bruce Peninsula with his family.
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| Dr. Moira Gunn, Chair, Finance |
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"The well being of the horse is imperative for the well being of the horse industry. Equine Guelph provides the course for meaningful research to benefit the horse, along with communication and education avenues to ensure new findings reach those caring and looking after our horses."
- Dr. Moira Gunn |
At Work: Dr. Moira Gunn has been Equine Guelph’s Advisory Council co-chair since summer 2004. Dr. Gunn, a veterinarian, currently runs a private equine practise specializing in stallion management, embryo transfer and freezing, and reproductive challenges of hard to breed mares. Dr. Gunn has a long history with the famed Armstrong Bros, having worked there since 1988, first as the farm’s veterinarian, farm manager, vice-president and finally, president in 2000 to 2004. Dr. Gunn is heavily involved in the horse industry and is currently a Director of the E.P. Taylor Equine Research Fund. Dr. Gunn’s past involvements include: President of the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario and a Director of Standardbred Canada and the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association.
At Horseplay: At home, Dr. Gunn breeds both standardbreds and thoroughbreds. In her “quiet” time, Dr. Gunn remains extremely active with this past year finding her climbing Kilimanjaro and completing the New York City Marathon.
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