David Freeman graduated from the Veterinary College of Ireland, Dublin, in 1972 and then worked in private practice in Ireland for 10 months. He did an equine internship at New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania in 1974 to 1975 and this was followed by a residency in large animal surgery at New Bolton Center from 1975 to 1977. He was awarded a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1985.

From 1981 to 1994, he was an equine surgeon at New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania. He became a board certified surgeon in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1989. He joined the faculty at the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994 and became Head of Equine Medicine and Surgery in 1998. In 2004, he joined the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, as Professor of Equine Surgery and Associate Chief of Staff, and subsequently as Service Chief in Large Animal Surgery.

He was also interim Department Chair in Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Florida from 2009 to 2012. He gave the Sir Frederick Hobday Memorial Lecture by invitation from the British Equine Veterinary Association in 2004 and he was recognized by the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, “in recognition of outstanding contributions to the development of equine surgery worldwide” In 2011.

He is currently the Martha and Arthur Appleton Endowed Professor in Equine Studies, and Director of the Island Whirl Equine Colic Research Laboratory, University of Florida. David has developed 4 widely used surgical procedures in horses and has described improvements and modifications in others. His main area of clinical interest is improving survival after colic surgery.

Debbie graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1996 and worked as a veterinary surgeon in mixed and equine practice in the UK for 4 years prior to completing an equine surgical residency at the University of Liverpool in 2003. Debbie gained the RCVS Certificate in Equine Surgery (soft tissue) in 2003 and the ECVS Diploma in Equine Surgery in 2004. She then completed a PhD between 2003-2006 investigating the Epidemiology of Colic at the University of Liverpool. Debbie was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Equine Soft Tissue Surgery at the University of Liverpool in 2006 and was subsequently was appointed as Professor of Equine Surgery and Head of Equine Surgery at Liverpool in 2013. She divides her time between equine clinical work and teaching at the University’s Equine Hospital and research within the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Heath.

Debbie is a European and Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Specialist in Equine Surgery and was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2017. Her clinical interests include all aspects of equine emergency care, surgery of the abdomen, head, neck, urogenital tract and skin, laser and laparoscopic surgery and imaging of the head. She has a particular interest in colic surgery and is the lead investigator on an international Randomised Controlled Trial (CHARIOT lidocaine project) and the international colic audit (INCISE project). Debbie is an active researcher and holds a number of grants investigating various aspects of equine health and welfare, including research into vector-borne diseases of horses and understanding horse owner decision-making about equine health.

Debbie has published over 65 papers, has presented her research at multiple international conferences and she has given talks on equine colic and equine surgery worldwide. She has written multiple book chapters and is the author of ‘Equine emergencies for veterinary surgeons’. Debbie was Head of the veterinary emergency clinic at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and is a treating vet at international 3 day events. She is a horse owner and rider and is also a regular contributor to veterinary related articles in the UK and international equine press.

Kira graduated from veterinary school at the University of California, Davis, USA in 2002 and went on to perform a Large Animal Internship at the Texas A&M University, USA followed by a Large Animal Surgery Residency (surgical specialisation) at University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center.  She became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2006. Following her residency she became faculty at the University of Georgia, USA and started the emergency and critical care service there while pursuing a fellowship to become a specialist in emergency and critical care. She became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2011. She has remained at the University of Georgia continuing to develop the emergency and critical care program as a professor and administrator.  Kira has published a variety of research and review articles in peer-reviewed veterinary journals and lectures regularly at national and international courses/conferences on emergency and surgery topics.

Louise Southwood, BVSc, MS, PhD, BSc (Vet), is an associate professor of emergency medicine and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square. Her research areas include equine colic, duodenitis-proximal jejunitis, and equine gastrointestinal disease.