Meet our Equine Team
Dr. Jess Watson
Clinical Director
BVM&S PGDip(VCP) MRCVSJoined 2021
Jess qualified from Edinburgh University, after which she then went on to complete a year's internship at the Royal Veterinary College before going on to do equine ambulatory work in Somerset. Jess then took a job at Sparsholt College lecturing in Equine Veterinary Nursing and Equine Science. After a couple of years lecturing, Jess has decided she would much rather be out on the road doing what she loves best - being a vet! In 2022, Jess was promoted to Clinical Director of the Equine department. During her time at Hampden Equine, she has also qualified as an Official Veterinarian (OV) enabling her to complete export papers and is our nominated JMB measurer for the practice. She is also currently undertaking a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice, focusing on Equine Practice. In her free time, Jess enjoys various country pursuits including dog walking and clay pigeon shooting.Dr. Peter Fennelly
Senior Veterinary Surgeon
MVB MRCVSJoined 1987
Peter has been an equine vet for over 40 years since qualifying from Dublin. Peter comes from a long line of equine vets, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather. Since joining the Practice he has been the appointed vet for many thoroughbred studs and has therefore built up a wealth of experience in stud medicine, and is also an OV. Peter covers the southern part of our Practice, providing a fully equipped mobile clinic facility for clients. In his spare time, Peter enjoys snowboarding and runs with his dog.Dr. Ed Brett
Senior Veterinary Surgeon
MVB MRCVSJoined 1999
Ed graduated from University College Dublin, after which he spent 2 years in a mixed practice in Devon before joining our Practice 1999. As well as supporting the north ambulatory team practice, he is our resident veterinary surgeon at our Barrettstown Equine Clinic, where he is responsible for the care of inpatients and for much of the diagnostic work - including x-ray and ultrasound scanning, for treatments such as shockwave and laser therapy, and anaesthetics during surgical procedures. Ed is also the primary vet for many racing yards and has a bank of knowledge about performance horses, along with being an OV vet. In his spare time, Ed enjoys skiing and mountain bike riding.Dr. Laura McGillycuddy
Veterinary Surgeon
BVetMed BSc CertAVP MRCVSJoined 2014
Laura graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2005 and worked in mixed and equine practice in Essex for 7 years before moving to Buckinghamshire. Her main interests are care of elderly horses, equine medicine and dentistry. She obtained her Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice in 2015. Laura is a mentor for the student equine veterinary nurses and also the Surrey University veterinary students that spend a large portion of their final year training with us. Outside of work she is busy with her 2 boys, a naughty flat coated retriever and her peloton.Dr. Joanne Brant
Veterinary Surgeon
MA VetMB CertAVP MRCVSJoined 2017
Jo graduated from Cambridge University and went on to work in mixed small and equine practice in Bedfordshire. Jo decided that she wanted to specialise in equine veterinary practice and joined us in March 2017. She is very passionate about horse welfare, and has spent time volunteering for the charity SPANA, helping provide veterinary care in Morocco for the working horses and donkeys. Whilst being at Hampden Jo has completed her post graduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Cert AVP) as well as her OV qualification. Outside of working hours, her hobbies include snowboarding, badminton, and dog walks with her Cockapoo ‘Hugo’ who some of you may have seen travelling around with Jo on visits.Dr. Abbie Norman
Veterinary Surgeon
BSc (Hons) BVSc CertAVP PgCertVPS MRCVSJoined 2020
Abbie qualified from Liverpool Vet School and has achieved a bachelor of science in Zoology from University of Nottingham in 2012. Abbie then went onto an 18 month rotating internship at Donnington Grove Referral Hospital and then spent time at an ambulatory practice in Cambridgeshire before joining Hampden Equine in August 2020. In 2021 Abbie travelled to New Zealand on a sabbatical to further her knowledge in stud work and equine practice. On top of all of this, Abbie has completed her post graduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Cert AVP), her Official Veterinarian (OV) qualification for exports and is a registered permitted treating FEI vet. Abbie’s interest is equine medicine but enjoys all aspects of ambulatory work. In her spare time Abbie will be found walking her Labrador Lance.Dr. Jack Hawkins
Veterinary Surgeon
BVMedSci (Hons) BVM BVS MRCVSJoined 2021
Jack qualified from Nottingham University and joined us in 2021 and has developed strong client bonds in this time. His main interests in the veterinary world are general ambulatory work and lameness. Outside of work Jack is a keen follower of horseracing and bloodstock, enjoys walking, camping, and spending time out and about with his border collie.Dr. Charlotte Thompson
Veterinary Surgeon
BVetMed MRCVSJoined 2022
Charlotte graduated from the Royal Veterinary College. Whilst at university she worked at the London International Horse Show alongside the FEI Vets and completed extra training alongside master Farriers to then be awarded the Equine Veterinary Student Award. Charlotte’s interests are general ambulatory work and sports medicine. Outside of work Charlotte loves being in the fresh air, enjoying dog walks, water sports, camping and riding.
Dr. Katie Robinson
Senior Veterinary Surgeon
BVSc Cert AVP(EP) MRCVSJoined 2000
Katie has worked at our Practice since graduating from Bristol University in 2000. Katie completed her post graduate Certificate of Advanced Veterinary Practice (Cert AVP (EP)) in July 2012 and is recognised by the RCVS as an Advanced Practitioner, as well as being an OV. In her spare time, she competes in triathlons and iron mans – her greatest achievement to date is representing GBR in the World Triathlon Championships. Katie has taken on a new role as Business Development Director for Vet Partners and is currently dividing her time between working in this new role and seeing her patients.
Dr. Linnea Hesse
Veterinary Surgeon
BVMSci MRCVSLinnea joined to 2024. She graduated from the University of Surrey in 2019 and has been working for a first opinion practice in Berkshire before moving to Hertfordshire and joining Equicall. Outside of work she enjoys agility with her dog Pippa, cooking and studying for her Certificate in Advanced Equine Practice at the University of Liverpool.
Caz Langman
Equine Clinic Manager and Veterinary Nursing Technician
Joined 2009
In 2012 Caz completed her BTEC of Advanced Diploma in Equine Nursing Technician. At work her particular interests are working alongside the vets during poor performance lameness investigations. Outside of work she enjoys hunting and team chasing her own horses and spending time with her 2 children.Steph Birch
Deputy Clinic Manager and Veterinary Nursing Technician
Joined 2013
Steph joined us in December 2013 having previously worked with Event horses and on a Thoroughbred stud.She is mostly based at the clinic and has a keen interest in sports horse performance/ lameness.
In her spare time Steph likes visiting new places with friends and family, running and long walks in the countryside.
Lauren Wilson
Equine Registered Veterinary Nurse
Joined 2019
Lauren joined us in May 2019 and graduated as an Equine Registered Veterinary Nurse from VetPartners Nursing School. Lauren has a keen interest for lameness investigations and anaesthetic surgeries. She is also running nursing clinics on the road visiting our patients at their yards. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her dog Milly, going for long walks in the country and playing Polocrosse with her horse, Molly
Ruby Sloman
Student Equine RVN
Joined 2022
Ruby joined us in January 2022 and is well on the way to becoming a qualified Equine Veterinary Nurse, studying at VetPartners Nursing School at Liphook Equine Hospital. At work Ruby has a keen interest in lameness investigations and wound care. In her spare time she enjoys exploring the countryside with her dog Gunner and show jumping her horse Summer.
Lisa Penman
Veterinary Nursing Technician
Joined 2007
Lisa has been apart for the team for many years and has seen the veterinary world develop and progress over this time. Whilst at work Lisa is a go to for many including sorting out technical issues with equipment. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her 2 children and Sprocker Spaniel called Baxter.Amy Smart
Equine Senior Administrator
Joined 2021
Amy joined Hampden Equine in 2021 after a short stint in the small animal department, and having been a client of Hampden Equine all her horse owning life. Amy has been promoted to Senior Administrator. Alongside the day to day running of the office Amy also works with the practice sustainability team to drive change and improvements. In her spare time she likes to spend time with Harvey, who is a beautiful palomino gelding that she bred and Alfie who is also a beautiful palomino that joined the family in 2022 Outside of her horsey life Amy spends as much time as possible with her family and friends.
Clair Stone
Secretary
Joined 2009
Clair joined the practice in 2009 to supposedly help out temporarily and has been here ever since! Although Clair no longer has horses of her own she still keeps her hand in with friends and has been known to take part in carriage driving trials and been support crew for the annual Man V Horse marathon in Wales. She has a small pedigree herd of Dexter Cattle which she shows as well as a small flock of Kerry Hill sheep. During the winter she works her Hungarian Vizsla, Deia.Sam Nash
Secretary
Joined 2005
Sam started working in the Equine team in 2005, having worked in the Farm department a few years previously. Since having her daughter in 2011, Sam now job shares with Philly and can be found in the office on Mondays and Tuesdays. In her spare time, she loves gardening and walking her dogs and taking her daughter Lucy and her pony 'Snappie' to Pony Club and local competitionsPhilippa Lodge
Secretary
Joined 2012
Philly works three days a week.
She has ridden for most of her life and on leaving school worked for various top international riders. She ran a small livery yard for many years and was a free -lance riding instructor .Philly still has two horses on her yard that have been part of their family for twenty years and are now in their twilight years but both are still ridden.
In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, riding, walking and generally having fun.
Dr. Babette Van Bree
Out of Hours Veterinary Surgeon
DVM MRCVSBabette qualified from Belgium in 2018 and then went to the States to complete an equine internship. She came back to Belgium to work for a period before coming to the UK to work with Equicall.
Our Visiting Professionals:
Bryan O’Meara
MVB MVM Cert ES (Orth) Dipl. ECVS MRCVS, RCVS and European Specialist in Equine SurgeryvSpecialising in equine surgery, Bryan travels to practices across the country to work with vets on lameness and surgically treatable disease cases. His interests include upper airway and keyhole surgery and operating on standing horses.
Ollie Crowe
Specialist Surgeon
BVSc CertES(Orth) DipECVS MRCVSOllie qualified from Liverpool Vet School in 1997. He worked in Newmarket for 2 years before undertaking a 3-year advanced surgical training programme at The Royal Veterinary College in London. After a brief stint in Lambourn, Ollie moved to Gloucestershire and helped to develop The B&W Equine Hospital. After 20 years there, he has moved up into the Cotswolds to join the team at Bourton Vale Equine Clinic. His main interests are in surgery and poor performance. He has published studies into treatments for suspensory disease, coffin joint arthroscopy and kissing spines. He has extensive experience of all types of surgery, particularly minimally invasive surgery and fracture repair. Ollie holds the RCVS Certificate in Equine Surgery and is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is recognised as a European and RCVS specialist in Equine Surgery. He regularly speaks at national and international conferences and has lectured and operated in several European countries, USA and Iran!
Outside work, Ollie is kept busy trying to convince his wife and daughter not to buy any more horses, and operating an extensive taxi roster for both of his teenage children. Just occasionally he gets to enjoy cycling and open water swimming.
Timothy Barnett
RCVS Recognised Specialist in Equine Surgery European Veterinary Specialist in Equine Surgery RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry (Equine)
BSc(Hons), BVM&S, MSc, CertAVP, DipECVS, DipEVDC-Eq, MRCVSTim has a particular interest in soft tissue surgery, and sees many of the referred upper airway cases and oversees the practices overground endoscopy service. He has presented and published a number of award winning research studies in the fields of upper airway surgery and diagnostics, and is currently involved in a number of multi-centre research projects in this field.
During his surgical training Tim also developed his skills in equine dental surgery and sees many of the referral dental cases and sinus cases in the hospital. He is able to offer a complete specialist-level service in dental surgery, and regularly lectures and teaches on dental and sinus courses in the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and the USA.
Chez de Oliveira
ANZCVS Residency Trained Equine Ophthalmology Clinician
Chez graduated from the St George’s University Veterinary School in Grenada in 2011 after completing her clinical years at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh.
After a year in mixed practice she completed an Equine Internship at a busy Equine Referral Hospital in Berkshire and stayed working there as an Equine Ambulatory and Hospital Assistant.
Chez soon realised that her passion is in Ophthalmology and she joined the Optivet team full time in June 2017 - she has just completed a 3 year Residency Program in Veterinary Ophthalmology.
With a lot of experience gained in Equine Ophthalmology Chez hopes to continue to expand this service offering advice and support to Equine clients and surrounding Equine Veterinary Practices
Bruce Bladon
BVM&S, Cert EP, DESTS, Dipl ECVS, FRCVS, RCVS & European Specialist in Equine Surgery
Bruce graduated from Edinburgh University in 1988. He joined O’Gorman Slater and Main (as it was then) in 1992. From 1995 to 1998 he undertook a Residency in Equine Surgery at Bristol University and then re-joined Donnington Grove Veterinary Group as principle equine surgeon. Bruce’s interest is equine surgery, including arthroscopy, fracture repair, colic and airway surgery. He was equine surgeon for the Rio Olympic Games. He was awarded a fellowship of the RCVS in 2016 for meritous contributions to clinical practice. He also involves himself in imaging including MRI, scintigraphy and radiology.