Three Elected to Hall of Fame
Two professors of veterinary medicine and a practicing veterinarian are being honored by the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to equine care.

Brookfield, Wis.- Immense knowledge of equine health issues and an equally remarkable willingness to share their know-how distinguish the newest inductees to the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame. Ted Stashak, professor of veterinary medicine at Colorado State University, and J.D. Wheat, professor of equine surgery at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, were recently elected for their accomplishments in the hall's research and teaching category. Stephen O'Grady, a farrier turned veterinarian in The Plains, Va., was honored for his achievements in the practicing veterinarian category of the annual awards program sponsored by American Farriers Journal.

O'Grady worked as a farrier for 10 years and apprenticed under the guidance of International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame farrier Joseph Pierce in West Chester, Pa. O'Grady then attended veterinary school, and after graduating worked for two years in Cape Town, South Africa. He returned to practice for five years at Georgetown Equine Hospital in Charlottesville, Va., before opening his own practice, devoted to equine podiatry. O'Grady has authored numerous articles on equine podiatry and lectured extensively on equine foot problems at shoeing and veterinary clinics around the world.

Stashak also emphasizes the importance of equine podiatry in his work as a professor at Colorado State. He is the editor of the popular book Adam's Lameness In Horses and author of Horse Owner's Guide to Lameness. Stashak stresses cooperation between veterinarians, farriers and horse owners for the good of all concerned, and Hall of Fame voters noted his willingness to communicate and accept input from farriers and horse owners.

Wheat trained generations of veterinarians during more than 40 years as a professor of equine surgery at California-Davis. He earned the "Distinguished Teaching Award" from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, as well as many other awards. A recognized leader in equine surgery, Wheat is regarded as an innovator and is credited with starting a special horseshoeing program in the 1960s to give veterinary students an opportunity to learn about hoof care from knowledgeable farriers. In his honor, the university developed the J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory. He remains involved in equine research projects.

The Hall of Fame voting was conducted among 14 equine veterinarians previously elected to the hall and 92 members of the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame.