The 30th Annual Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture will take place Jan. 23, 2016, at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). This year’s event features farrier Grant Moon and orthopedics specialist Sue Dyson. Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center is sponsoring Moon's lecture.

Farriers and veterinarians are invited to attend the event, which will take place from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Morning lectures will be in Gladys Valley Hall, Room 1020, and the afternoon forging demonstration will be in the Large Animal Clinic’s covered arena. More information about the event, including the schedule and registration information, can be found at the event website.

Over the years, the Heumphreus Lecture has served as an opportunity for farriers and veterinarians to share insights and collaborate on industry best practices. The annual lecture — the first endowed lecture series established at the SVM — honors the memory of Charles Heumphreus, the school’s farrier from 1967 to 1985. The program was initiated to foster the farrier-veterinarian relationship in order to develop a better understanding of equine foot disorders. Each year, the lecture is arranged by clinicians of the UC Davis veterinary hospital. Faculty member Mary Beth Whitcomb is the chair of the 2016 event, assisted by Eric Davis, Karl Jandrey, Claudia Sonder, David Wilson and current hospital farrier Bill Merfy.

“We are fortunate that the prestige of the Heumphreus Lecture is able to attract such notable speakers as Mr. Moon and Dr. Dyson,” said Whitcomb.

Moon will present “Shoeing Made Simple” in his morning lecture and will conduct a forging demonstration in the afternoon. The afternoon session is limited to 40 attendees, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Moon believes that in order to become a proactive farrier or veterinarian, one must have a better understanding of hoof trimming protocols, including hoof mapping, coronary band graphing, and techniques for destressing the hoof capsule so it can function optimally. Moon’s lecture/demonstration will focus on simplifying the vast amount of available products while respecting shoeing fundamentals to benefit the sport horse.

Dyson will present “Thirty Years of the Foot in Equine Veterinary Medicine.” She is the first repeat Heumphreus speaker and will highlight how far the profession has come over the past 30 years in its knowledge of equine foot lameness. She has published more than 220 papers in peer-reviewed journals concerning lameness and diagnostic imaging and has lectured worldwide. In addition to many prominent positions she has held over the years, Dyson is the former president of the British Equine Veterinary Association.

Thanks to the support of individuals and organizations over the years, admission to the Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture remains free of charge. However, to help sustain the level of excellence for which the Heumphreus Lecture has been known for 30 years, the SVM asks that participants consider making a contribution of $50 or more. Donations will help continue to bring exceptional speakers to benefit farriers and veterinarians alike.

Donations can be made:

Online at the SVM Development website;
By check made payable to: UC Regents for the Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture Fund. Mail to: School of Veterinary Medicine, Office of the Dean - Development, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616; or
In person at the event.
Veterinarians may earn up to 6.5 hours of continuing education credit. Complete registration information can be found here.