Year: 2016
Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC) proudly serves as the official veterinarians of the world-renowned Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL. Adjacent to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in the heart of Wellington, PBEC’s state-of-the-art facilities and world-class team of 28 veterinarians are there for every equestrian’s needs throughout the WEF and AGDF circuits. PBEC is proud to work for its multi-discipline clientele with the aid of the most advanced technologies and medical treatments available.
Official Horse Show Veterinarian
“Wellington is a fabulous place, and I have watched the growth of WEF as well as AGDF over the years, and it has been exponential,” said Dr. Scott Swerdlin, President of Palm Beach Equine Clinic. “For us to be part of that growth, and part of the explosion of the sport horse industry here in Wellington is a real honor. We want to give back to the community, as well as contribute to all of the great things that Mark Bellissimo has done for the horse show world.”
“I love to see the good horses return, and every year it seems like better and better horses are competing from all over the world,” Swerdlin added. “The quality of horses and the quality of competition always continues to improve. To watch these fabulous horse and rider combinations in all of these different disciplines is such a treat.”
Global Satellite Services
With top horses and riders from around the world spending their winters in Wellington, PBEC is proud to have veterinarians on the team that represent many different countries. PBEC currently employs veterinarians from Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia. It is a privilege for the team at PBEC to work together with many of the best veterinarians from all over the world as they travel to Wellington with their clients.
All-Inclusive Equine Hospital
Palm Beach Equine Clinic features its full-service surgical center and intensive care hospital located only minutes from the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center show grounds. Board certified surgeons, primary care veterinarians and hospital technicians are scheduled for emergency on call assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to treat, monitor and care for critical cases. With exceptional veterinarians and a staff of highly trained hospital technicians, PBEC’s surgical suite and staff are prepared to handle all kinds of emergencies, day and night.
The Palm Beach Equine Clinic facility houses the most advanced imaging technologies available, including a standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Scintigraphy (Bone Scan), Ultrasonography, Digital Radiography and Endoscopy. PBEC is unique in that a Board Certified Radiologist is on site to interpret images and assist with diagnosis for rapid results. PBEC’s on-site, full-service laboratory equipped with hematology, chemistry, and microbiology equipment provides veterinarians with the ability to quickly evaluate blood tests for critical cases.
The newest addition this year for PBEC is the Annex Veterinary Office located on the show grounds at the Winter Equestrian Festival. The wooden barn located at the beginning of the north grounds entrance is now an office space, pharmacy for supplies and medication pick up, and examination areas.
For more information on the facility or in case of an emergency, please call (561) 793-1599 to contact an on-call veterinarian.
A leader in sport horse medicine, Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC) is a mainstay in the equestrian-centric Village of Wellington in South Florida. Known as the ‘Winter Equestrian Capital of the World,’ Wellington welcomes equestrians from around the globe to compete. Palm Beach Equine Clinic is the Official Veterinarians of events such as the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). PBEC is dedicated to providing exceptional care to the horses and equally committed to strengthening relationships within the local community.
PBEC President Dr. Scott Swerdlin strongly encourages his veterinarians to share their expertise and get involved in philanthropic community relations in Wellington. Many of the veterinarians generously donate their time and energy to many different projects throughout the community each year.
Official Veterinarians of Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center
One local organization that PBEC annually supports in various ways is Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center (VTRC). Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit corporation that provides therapeutic horseback riding to those with disabilities and hippotherapy in Palm Beach County since 1982. Dr. Swerdlin sits on Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center’s Board of Directors and also serves on the organization’s Executive Committee.
“Vinceremos is an exceptional organization,” Swerdlin stated. “There is nothing that you can possibly do that will make you feel better than spending time at Vinceremos and being involved in that organization. It is horse oriented, but what they are doing is providing solutions for children who are disabled. The way they light up and how excited they are to be on those horses is amazing to see. All of a sudden, that disadvantage disappears. You see it in their faces, you see it in their smiles. And, you see it in every aspect of their well-being. To see the improvement in the health and the capabilities of these children is amazing.”
Team Effort
All of the doctors at PBEC have been involved with Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in some way, but two women who have gone above and beyond for the program are Dr. Janet Greenfield-Davis and Dr. Jordan Lewis.
“Janet just had her second child and Jordan just had her first child, and they both put a lot of time and energy into helping other children,” Dr. Swerdlin noted. “What I try to do is coach a philosophy, and that philosophy is how fortunate we all are to be here in this community taking care of these kinds of horses and clients, and that we owe something back. We need to appreciate what we are doing and try to give back to the community.”
For Dr. Greenfield-Davis, donating her time and expertise at Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center is fun and rewarding work. She serves as the primary veterinarian to VTRC, treating the horses on an as-needed basis and helping with pre-purchase exams and evaluations of donated horses. As Official Veterinarians, Palm Beach Equine Clinic offers the talents and knowledge of all its doctors, who are called upon when needed.
“It is a spectacular program,” said Dr. Greenfield Davis. “I have been working with Vinceremos for the last four years, and I have learned so much. What they provide is a huge benefit for those kids. Even the kids who volunteer that are shy or have communication problems, they, too, just blossom there.
“I think it is important for us to give back to the community,” Dr. Greenfield-Davis added. “We are a rather large fixture in the community. We are one of biggest equine hospitals in the area and for us to help and contribute to their program is important for all of us.”
She continued, “Everybody at the clinic has been there at one point or another; everybody chips in. The clinic foots the bill for all of the horses there and all of the official veterinarians and surgeons donate their time and services. It is fun, too. They invite us to their horse shows and events, and we all have a good time.”
Additional Charity Involvement in Wellington
In addition to PBEC’s contributions with VTRC, the clinic donates to JustWorld International, an organization of equestrians funding and sustaining education, nutrition, and health programs for children in Cambodia, Guatemala, and Honduras. PBEC has supported JustWorld International since its inception.
Other charitable work includes donations to the Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments® (GCC), which is hosted each year during the Winter Equestrian Festival. The pro-am team competition has distributed more than $7.5 million to over 150 nonprofits in Palm Beach County over the last six years. Founded in 2010 by Equestrian Sport Productions CEO Mark Bellissimo and his daughter Paige, the Great Charity Challenge has seen the equestrian community take charitable giving to a new level through their love of horses. PBEC is proud to be a part of such a fantastic event.
“The Great Charity Challenge is so much fun. You see these riders just barreling to try to win for their charity,” said Dr. Swerdlin. “Vinceremos was chosen (as a charity recipient for the GCC) this year, so we are very excited and hope to have a big turnout. I enjoy the competition and the mystery of who is going to win and what the charities will get. The way they have it devised so that it is such a win-win for all of the charities is wonderful. It is just fun for everybody, and it is such a good cause.”
Local Veterinary Educational Opportunities
Official Veterinarians for Wellington High School Equine Pre-Vet Program
Education of the public is also on the forefront of PBEC’s community involvement. Currently, through Wellington High School’s (WHS) Equine Pre-Vet Program, PBEC has a hands-on program for students looking to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.
Wellington High School seniors that choose to pursue the Equine Pre-Vet Program have a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips with one of the most advanced equine medical centers just down the road. Through the program at WHS and the generosity of the veterinarians at PBEC, students in the Equine Pre-Vet Program have the unique opportunity to learn all about the profession by shadowing the very best.
Knowledge from the entire Veterinary Team
Dr. Janet Greenfield-Davis is also very involved with this program and mentors the senior students. “We try to play an active role in our community, and we really enjoy having the kids visit the clinic,” Greenfield-Davis stated.
Dr. Swerdlin added, “We have board certified radiologists, we have three boarded surgeons, we have boarded internal medicine veterinarians, and we have boarded
radiologists, we have three boarded surgeons, we have boarded internal medicine veterinarians, and we have boarded ophthalmologists. We also have the most high-tech diagnostic equipment, so for a young veterinarian, PBEC is paradise. We like spending the time to teach American veterinarians as well as foreign veterinarians. I think we are improving the success and the health of horses all over the world by offering those opportunities.”
Palm Beach Equine Clinic enjoys getting involved in the community and looks forward to continued involvement in 2016. Palm Beach Equine Clinic provides experience, knowledge, availability, and the very best care for the horses of Wellington. Have them be a part of your team! To find out more and speak with an official veterinarian, call 561-793-1599.
6 Questions with Dr. Alex Emerson
Dr. Alex Emerson joined the roster of distinguished veterinarians at Palm Beach Equine Clinic in December of 2015. Read this interview by Jumper Nation to learn more about Dr. Alex Emerson.