EVA – Bain Fallon 2024 – What a Week!

This is always a fantastic week, but Bain Fallon 2024 was huge. Radincon were involved from start to finish, and worn out by the end.

Ultrasound Workshop

We started the Saturday before the conference did. The EVA Bain Fallon Ultrasound Workshop was held on Saturday and Sunday, with lectures on the Saturday afternoon at Rydges, then the practical sessions at Scone Equine Hospital’s wonderful new facility on the Sunday.

*The new Scone Equine Hospital. That’s a float full of ultrasounds at the right.*

*Drs Sue Jones, Alex Young, Katie Garrett, Kirsten Neil, Roger Smith, GB Apps specialists Zelda Minn and Tatyana Crandall, and Radincon MD Jon Marriott.*

Nothing beats hands-on practical experience to truly understand what you were looking for and how to find it. To help everyone get all the hands-on training they could want, we provided 12 ultrasound systems across 6 stations. We brought along our GE Versana Active model and our just released Logiq e R9.

*Couldn’t do the setup without our student helpers Maddie and Max.*

*On arrival Dr Sam Nugent gave the attendees a tour of the new facility and amazed many people.*

This workshop was the best on equine ultrasound we have attended and supported, just tremendous. Our appreciation goes out to the incredible team of international and local instructors.

*Here Dr Katie Garrett leads an attentive team at the larynx station.*

*Interested learners at the stifle station with Dr Alex Young instructing.*

*Dr Roger Smith from the UK enlightening the class at the metatarsus station.*

*Dr Penny Dow of Scone Equine instructing at the metacarpus station.*

We had to scramble to get packed up and back to Rydges Resort Lovedale for the Bain Fallon Conference Welcome Reception on the Sunday night. Our team managed not to go too hard on the first night. That couldn’t be said for all attendees, though. 🙂

This year, the ANZCVS ran some of their equine stream at Bain Fallon, in conjunction with the EVA. A great initiative which made it easier for our team, and more importantly made continuing education easier and more convenient for vets, who are certainly busy enough already.

Golf Afternoon

Wednesday afternoon saw a break from intensive learning and a chance to get out on the golf course for a change of pace. We had a fantastic turnout and lots of fun.

*The weather could not have been better with the Hunter laying on a cracker of a winter’s day.*

Enjoying drinks while driving and riding in a golf cart during the Bain Fallon Golf Afternoon — *The Hunter Valley Golf Club is part of the Rydges Resort at Lovedale, so we were staying on site. With everything close together, the group got pretty close together too.*

This year we introduced endurance-based vetting of the competitors. We tested hydration and heart rate, and we required a trot-out to assess lameness and check competitors were fit to continue. Some needed rehydration, so we tubed them.

All took this with good humour and it added to the fun.

Jon Marriott as race organiser was in charge of a cart full of refreshments, looking after nutrition and hydration.

Jon Marriott in charge of a cart full of refreshments

Testing heart rate during Bain Fallon Golf

We even managed to play some golf!

Playing golf during the Bain Fallon Golf

Everyone’s a winner!

We had prizes for everyone at the end of the day, when the conviviality continued at the Radincon stand.

Special congratulations to the following participants:

Bain Fallon Golf Cup winners: Brett Jones and Jon Lumsden — **Winners of the famous Bain Fallon Golf Cup:**
Brett Jones and Jonathan Lumsden.

Winners of the Hunter Valley Hunter Valley flying experience from Phil Unicomb Aviation: Padraig Kelly and Rebecca Puvanendran — **Winners of the Hunter Valley Hunter Valley flying experience from Phil Unicomb Aviation:** Padraig Kelly and Rebecca Puvanendran.

Unfortunately Rebecca had to head back to WA, so Padraig will get two goes in the air. We’re trying to make one of his flights aerobatic – woohoo!

**Winner of Longest Drive**: Padraig Kelly (pictured). **Winner of Nearest the Pin:** Ben Ahern.

**Special Award** to Alex Macpherson of Randlab for having a blowout on course!

Padraig and Ben won amazing EOSR100 cameras, donated by our Canon Australia visitors, Soma Goswami and Brett Douglas.

Congratulations also to all our Endurance Prize Winners:

Lowest Heart Rate: Tom Woods
Best Conditioned: Chris Barris
Best Hydrated: Padraig Kelly
Trot out 1st: Jaco Joubert and Dave Nolan
Trot out 2nd: Mark McGarry and Ben Ahern
Trot out 3rd: Jon Dalton and team

Bain Fallon Equine Nurses Conference

Wednesday and Thursday also saw the Bain Fallon Equine Nurses Conference, a chance for hard-working equine nurses to improve their skills, meet others and join the fun.

We were more than happy to support by providing six ultrasound systems on the Thursday.

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All in all, Bain Fallon 2024 was a jam-packed, full and very worthwhile week.

Lots of hard work, lots of hard play, learning and memories made. We look forward to doing it again next year!