Equine team

Senior Clinical Director

Stephen qualified from Glasgow University in 1999. He worked for four years in mixed practice in Durham before moving to Alnorthumbria to concentrate on equine work in the Ponteland and Morpeth area. Stephen obtained the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Certificate in Equine Practice in 2010 and became an Advanced Practitioner in 2012. He is particularly interested in breeding including AI, also dentistry, lameness and equine emergency management. He has completed the racecourse casualty management course and the Safer Horse Rescue course in conjunction with the emergency services. He enjoys providing veterinary cover at Newcastle racecourse, point to points and other local events. He is a Riding Establishments Inspector for the local authorities. Outside work Stephen’s hobbies include cycling, running, swimming and triathlons.

Equine Clinical Director

Edward qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 2001 and worked in mixed practice with an equine bias in East Sussex for five years. After a year working and travelling in Australia and South America he joined Alnorthumbria Vets in 2007. Edward attained the certificate in Equine Practice in 2009, he became a partner in 2012 and Equine Clinical director in 2015. He is especially interested in equine dentistry, lameness investigations, wound management and surgery. He is on the veterinary panel for both Newcastle and Kelso Racecourses and also works at local point-to-points and events. Edward grew up on a Herefordshire farm where he enjoyed hunting and working with home-bred point-to-pointers.

Senior Veterinary Surgeon

Lesley graduated from The Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies in 1986 and has worked at Alnorthumbria ever since. In 1992 she completed her RCVS Certificate in Equine Practice. Lesley joined BEVA Council in 1998 and was elected as President in 2005. Her work during her time on BEVA council was recognised by presentation of The BEVA Equine Welfare Award by HRH the Princess Royal in 2006. Lesley is currently Honorary Vice President of The National Equine Welfare. Lesley is senior veterinary surgeon for Newcastle Racecourse and also carries out local point-to-point duties. Lesley was an equine vet at the Olympics at Greenwich Park in 2012 and at Rio in 2016. In 2014 Lesley became an official veterinarian for FEI competitions. Outside of work Lesley enjoys hunting and skiing when time allows.

Veterinary Surgeon

Philippa studied at Nottingham University and graduated in 2017. Her first job was in North Yorkshire in a mixed practice, treating all creatures ‘great and small’, taking on the majority of the practices horse work. Philippa moved back to Northumberland where she’s from, joining Alnorthumbria Veterinary Group in August 2019 to focus on small animal and equine practice. She enjoys a variety of work but is particularly interested in equine medicine, competitions and small animal surgery. In her spare time she is usually walking dogs or going on a cycling adventure.

Veterinary Surgeon

Max joined Alnorthumbria in September 2016 after spending a year in Tipperary, Ireland working as an intern in a large equine referral hospital which specialised in racehorses and performance horses. Max graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2015 and now works as a mixed vet concentrating on farm and equine work. His main interests include lameness, surgery and anaesthesia. Max is also an FEI treating veterinarian and enjoys working at local FEI events throughout the summer. Originally from the area he spends the majority of his time on the Northumberland coast or away in his campervan where tries to kitesurf, surf and ski whenever he can.

Veterinary Surgeon

Kate joined Alnorthumbria in 2014. She grew up around horses and evented whilst at school. Kate graduated from Glasgow University Veterinary School in 2004 and completed an equine internship in an equine hospital in West Sussex where she was responsible for care of the inpatients, scintigraphy and performed most of the in-house frozen AI. Kate also developed a keen interest in equine anaesthesia during this time. Kate then moved home to Scotland where she worked in equine practice for the following nine years caring for a varied case load from eventers and race horses to hairy ponies. Kate completed the RCVS certificate in Equine Practice and has also spent some holiday time working with equines abroad. Kate has broad experience in equine practice but has particular interests in dentistry, equine anaesthesia and equine reproduction. Kate is looking forward to getting out and about and making the most of the beautiful Northumberland scenery with her bouncy Hungarian Vizsla, Inca who keeps her very busy during her free time.

Veterinary Surgeon

Ewan has lived in Northumberland all his life, growing up competing and hunting horses. He graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2018 and started work at Alnorthumbria in July 2018, doing solely equine work. Ewan enjoys all aspects of equine veterinary medicine, with interests in lameness, pain management, emergencies and wounds. He is also an FEI treating veterinarian. Outside of work Ewan spends most of his time outdoors on his horse, or trying to tire out his young Spaniel, Nyla.

Equine Veterinary Nurse

In 1996 Sarah gained her Small Animal Veterinary Nurse qualification. In 2010 Sarah went back to college to work towards the Equine Nurse qualification at Myerscough College, qualifying in 2012. Since then she has studied to qualify as an AMTRA SQP. Sarah is a car follower of the Percy hounds and is frequently seen at local point to point and race meetings. She also assists the Equine Vets at Newcastle Races on race days. Sarah also volunteers at local BE Events helping either with the dressage stewarding or jump judge.

Equine Veterinary Nurse

Joined the team in August 2015 as an animal care assistant and was a groom in a hunt/event yard for six years after studying an HND in Equine Performance. Meagan qualified from Myerscough Colleg as an equine veterinary nurse in 2018. Her special areas of interest in practice are emergency and intensive care. In her spare time she goes hunting with the Percy Hunt with her horse, Ferris. She also has two bouncy Jack Russell Terriers that like to keep her on her toes, Junior and Nelly.

Animal Care Assistant

Dawn joined the practice in 2014 after being a groom all her life working in hunting, eventing and point to point yards. Dawn especially loved her time working and hunting with the Percy Hunt. In her spare time Dawn enjoys walking her Labradors Nala and Phoebe going to the gym and a visit or two to the pub with her friends.

Animal Care Assistant

Libby joined the team in December 2018, following completion of her level 2 and 3 apprenticeship in equine at a local competition yard. She plans to start her nurse training in 2019. In her spare time she enjoys competing and hunting her horse and walking her dog in the countryside.

Animal Care Assistant

Mariana arrived from Brazil in the beginning of 2019 and joined our practice in September of that year. She has ridden since she was three years old, horses are definitely her passion. Back in Brazil she still has Patrick, her 22 year old show jumping pony, whom she has owned since he was three. Mariana completed her Business degree in 2013 and spent four years studying veterinary medicine at the University of Sao Paulo, which has given her a great background of knowledge for her job and is looking forward to starting her Veterinary nurse training in 2020.

She has groomed for the Brazilian Eventing team joining them on Pan-American Games of 2015 and WEG of 2018, and also had the opportunity to work in the Rio Olympics 2016 as an FEI Eventing Steward.

Animal Care Assistant

Evie has been around and riding horses since the age of six, having worked on dressage yards such as Eilbergs and Hawtins Stud. She's recently completed an FdSc Equine Performance and a BSc Equine Management degrees at Hartpury University (2016-2019) taking a particular interest in biomechanics, and played on a university polocrosse team whilst there. In her spare time she enjoys travelling, socialising and swimming.

Stable Hand

Ellie has had horses all her life and has been successful winning many competitions such as Championships and Bramham International Horse Trials. She has been on all the pony club teams and now mainly focus’s on show jumping on her mental 18 year old mare Tardy. Ellie completed her level 2 Equine Management Apprenticeship on a dressage and event yard. She has lots of pets dogs, cats, lizard, snake, hedgehog, fish and horses but she loves her chickens, who think they are dogs, Ellie often wake’s up to find them walking round her bedroom after coming through the cat flap! She love’s spending time with her friends socialising or going on hacks.