The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) installed a new president and board members at its 70th Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida. The announcements took place during the President’s Luncheon on Dec. 10.
Minnesota Surgery and Sports Medicine Specialist Takes Reins of AAEP
Tracy Turner, DVM, MS, DACVS, DACVSMR, partner in Turner Wilson Equine Consulting in Stillwater, Minnesota, was installed as 2025 AAEP President. Turner retired from private practice in December 2023 after concentrating exclusively on equine sports medicine, lameness, and surgery at his Turner Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery. He established the practice in 2016 following 12 years with Anoka Equine Veterinary Services in Elk River, Minnesota. He joined Anoka Equine after 23 years in academia as an assistant professor at University of Illinois (1981-1983); tenured associate professor at University of Florida (1983-1990); and tenured professor at University of Minnesota (1991-2004). Turner received his veterinary degree from Colorado State University in 1978.
He has consulted for the USDA Horse Protection Program, Fédération Equestre Internationale, the United States Equestrian Federation, and the American Quarter Horse Association. Turner also delivers medical care to working equids and education to students and caretakers in Central America as a volunteer with Equitarian Initiative, co-founded by his wife, Julie Wilson, DVM, DACVIM.
An AAEP member since 1986, Turner previously served on the board of directors from 2017-2019; as chair of the Farrier Liaison Committee; and as member of the Educational Programs and Student Relations committees as well as the Foundation Advisory Council. He was instrumental in creating the AAEP student chapter veterinary podiatry workshops in the early 1990s, and he served as the faculty advisor for the AAEP student chapter at the University of Minnesota for many years.
Beyond the AAEP, Turner has served as president of the Minnesota Horse Council, Minnesota Association of Equine Practitioners, and the American Academy of Thermology, and on the board of directors of the American Academy of Equine Sports Medicine. In addition, he has authored more than 110 refereed manuscripts and 31 book chapters, and he has delivered hundreds of presentations throughout the United States and internationally.
Two Practice Owners Join AAEP Board of Directors
Phoebe Smith, DVM, DACVIM, owner of Riviera Equine Internal Medicine & Consulting in Santa Ynez, California, and Ty Corbiell, DVM, owner of Cor Veterinary Services in Cluny, Alberta, Canada, have joined the board of directors. Their three-year terms expire in 2027.
Smith brings a multifaceted perspective to the board; she has practiced general and specialty medicine and has worked in private practice and academia. Upon receiving her veterinary degree from Auburn University in 1997, Smith completed an internship at Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Los Olivos, California. Following two years in private practice, Smith completed an internal medicine residency at the University of California, Davis, from 2000-2003 while concurrently working as a relief veterinarian with Loomis Basin Large Animal Clinic.
After achieving board certification with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2003, Smith rejoined Alama Pintado as an internal medicine specialist. In 2007, she joined the faculty at The Ohio State University as an assistant professor of equine internal medicine until establishing her current practice in 2010.
Smith is a former chair of the AAEP’s Educational Programs Committee, and she served on the Nominating and Infectious Disease committees as well as the Continuing Education Steering Committee. Beyond the AAEP, Smith served on the ACVIM board of regents from 2019-2022, as chair of the Large Animal Specialty within the Marketing and Communications Committee, and as chair of the ACVIM Annual Forum Program Committee. She currently serves on the Research Advisory Committee of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.
Corbiell received his veterinary degree in 2009 from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at University of Saskatchewan. After completing an internship at Idaho Equine Hospital in Nampa, he returned to Alberta and entered private practice for several years.
In 2013, Corbiell founded Cor Veterinary Services, an equine-exclusive sports medicine-focused practice that has expanded into a multidoctor practice offering both ambulatory and in-clinic services. While managing a busy practice and caring for client horses from across Western Canada and the U.S. that come to Alberta for competitions, Corbiell enjoys mentoring young veterinarians and veterinary students who come through his practice.
Corbiell attended the AAEP Lead leadership workshop in 2021 and currently serves on the Performance Horse and Educational Programs committees. He previously served on the Scientific Review and Editorial Committee. Beyond the AAEP, Corbiell serves on the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association’s Equine Advisory Council and, in 2015, received the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association’s Emerging Leaders Program award at the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Convention.
About AAEP
The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.
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