World Equestrian Games eventing team silver medallist Sam Watson will deliver the official opening address at Veterinary Ireland’s Equine Veterinary conference.

The conference will take place on Friday November 9th and 10th at the Celbridge Manor Hotel, Co Kildare. Wetlabs will take place in Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital as part of the conference, which will focus on mare reproduction techniques and spinal and pelvic lameness.

Watson has represented Ireland at three World Equestrian Games and multiple European Championships. He is one of Ireland’s leading event riders and producers of event horses.

Watson’s father John also represented Ireland at World and European Championships. Both Sam and John Watson won championship medals, just 40 years apart.

Watson and his wife Hannah run a farm and yard at Ballybolger Stud, Co Carlow. The stud is popular for event horses and horse racehorses getting some flat work training. Not only does Watson event at the highest level but he has also successfully combined his equestrian experience and interest with his first class honours degree in MSIS (Management Science and Information Systems).

In 2015 Watson established the equestrian data analytics company EquiRatings. Watson will reflect how he combined his love for eventing with innovation in his opening address.

International speakers at the conference include Carolin Gerdes from Germany. Her specialist interests include orthopaedics, diagnostic imaging and poor performance investigations and her presentations will be about back pain, sacro-iliac joint disease and proximal suspensory desmopathy.

Dr Patrick M. McCue DVD, PhD from Colorado State University will speak on ovarian uterine, cervical and oviductal abnormalities. Other experts speaking at the conference include Carolyn Crowe, Claire Hawkes O’Donnell and solicitor Matthew Austin. The conference will also feature a series of presentations by emerging young vets.