Equine team
The Equine team works closely to deliver a wide range of services, both in paddock and at the clinic which includes a purpose built full equine surgical facility and 6 bay stables.
Over a number of years the team has developed strong relationships with clients, and work in a team environment with a mutual desire to see clients succeed.
With a rapidly expanding client base, across all disciplines, the team of Vets are supported by enthusiastic technicians and nurses pursuing their special interests.
Andrew Bailey
Equine Veterinarian (Director)
Andrew is a local lad- being born and raised on a local dairy farm. Other than spending one year practicing in the UK Andrew has been with RVC since graduating in 2004, and became a partner in 2011. Andrew's main areas of clinical interest are in equine internal medicine and in particular breeding and artificial reproduction techniques. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his two children on their lifestyle block in Fernside as well as motorbike riding, water/snow skiing, and multisports.
Sam Taylor
Equine Veterinarian (Director)
A very talented and accomplished eventing rider himself Sam gets great pleasure out of working with clients to help with equine lameness and performance issues. Following on from great beginnings as a teenage agricultural contractor and completing his veterinary degree Sam undertook a one year equine internship in Matamata where he gained a great knowledge and understanding of equine performance and athletic function. He then made the move to RVC, where he has been ever since. He and his wife Mitzi are proud parents of twin daughters and when not working or training and competing his own horses he can be found in his garage tackling all manor of DIY and home building tasks.
Rachael Smith
Specialist Equine Surgeon
We are pleased to announce the arrival of Rachael Smith, Specialist Equine Surgeon who joins us from Perth, where she was a Senior Lecturer in Equine Surgery at The Animal Hospital, Murdoch University, School of Veterinary Medicine. LEARN MORE
Sam Burrows
Equine Veterinarian
Sam joined the RVC equine team early in 2017, with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and also a Bachelor of AgriScience he has a wide variety of interests in both equine and farm. Sam enjoys Polo and horse riding, his Polo horses - Max, Red, Basil, Pino, Ocean, Mystery and Poppy are all thoroughbreds. He also enjoys playing rugby and is a social golfer. Any spare time he has he happily makes the effort to go home and help out on the family dairy farm in North Canterbury, where he grew up with this twin brother and younger sister before he took off to Massey University.
Charlotte de Lege
Equine Veterinarian
Charlotte joined the RVC Equine team in April 2019. She completed her Masters in Veterinary Science in Holland at Utrecht University, and went on to work for 3 years as an Equine Vet at specialised equine clinics in Holland.
Charlotte was born and raised in Holland, always surrounded by pets and horses at home, before she moved to Utrecht for her studies, where she continued to ride horses. As a Vet her special interests include reproduction, foal medicine and dentistry.
Early in 2019 she relocated to New Zealand with her partner Tristan who grew up in Christchurch. Outside of work Charlotte enjoys climbing and bouldering, hiking, skiing and socialising with friends and family.
Matthew Turner
Equine Veterinarian
Graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London in 1990, Matthew worked on the equine side of a mixed practice for 18 years in Leicestershire, England before emigrating to New Zealand in 2008 with his family. He spent 10 years in Taranaki, also on the equine side of a mixed practice, before deciding to move South and join the Equine team at RVC in May 2021.
He has been involved in all aspects of equine, including dental care, hoof balance and effect on action/lameness and reproductive work.
Away from the practice Matthew enjoys spending time with his family and keeping up with their adventures and interests. When there is time he likes to cycle, and walk the dogs Poppy and Millie. The pet family also includes two cats Billy and Smartie, and 2 donkeys Guy and Storm which arrived from the Donkey Rescue society to stay for a short period to eat the extra grass we had at the time after my daughter’s horses had moved - 3 years later it appears they are here for good!
Georgia de Gouw
Equine Vet Nurse BVT
RVC welcomed Georgia to the Vet Nurse team in November 2021. She gained her Bachelor of Veterinary Technology at Massey, after 3 years of study in Palmerston North she returned to Canterbury.
Georgia thrives in emergency and critical care situations, especially if it involves foals or weanlings.
Outside the clinic environment, she enjoys riding her 5 year old off the track thoroughbred Zak. She is also a proud plant parent and loves adding to her growing collection of indoor plants.
Hannah McLean
Equine Vet Tech
Hannah became part of the RVC team mid 2022, she first got to know our customers as part of the customer service team and then moved into the Equine Vet Tech role permanently nearer the end of the year.
The move to Rangiora and RVC was a complete career change for Hannah. With a BCom (Majoring in Accounting and Taxation), PG Cert Agribusiness, CAANZ (Chartered Accountant), she was getting bored sitting behind a desk working as an accountant and in equine insurance.
Hannah has a special interest in vet work and research surrounding helping horses recover from strenuous exercise, especially where long travel to/from a competition/race is involved.
Outside the RVC equine environment Hannah has many other equine related interests including sport horse competition grooming, eventing, show jumping, polo, racing. She has groomed at various yards around NZ and also spent two years in the UK as head groom for a top international eventing yard, where she was involved in the New Zealand High Performance Squad. She groomed internationally at many top events including in the UK, the US, Japan, Germany and France. Highlights for her during this period were travelling to Tokyo with Team New Zealand for the 2020 Olympics and to Kentucky for the 5* Three Day Event. Hannah also enjoys socialising, going for walks and a good gin!
Born in Christchurch, but growing up and schooling in Auckland, frequently moving back and forth between the two, she always supported the Crusaders. After her stint in the UK it was an easy decision to return to Canterbury where she enjoys time with her retired horse Carter, and two cats, Boots and Charlie.
Sacha Crawford
Equine Support
Sacha joined the Large Animal support team in 2018.
Outside the clinic environment, she loves spending time with her daughter and mucking about on their lifestyle block in West Eyreton which includes - horses, cows, sheep, dogs and a cat.
Sacha has travelled extensively and lived overseas, she is always happy to explore new cultures and has a keen interest in boxing, horse riding & exploring new places with friends.
Rebecca Kreisel
Equine Support
Rebecca has a certificate in vet nursing and has been a familiar face at RVC since 2012.
She has a special interest at RVC in pet insurance, and also horses, this particular interest in horses carries on outside the clinic environment and extends to dressage and Shetland ponies, along with anything outdoors
Born in Christchurch and growing up in North Canterbury, she is married to Adam and together they have a gorgeous daughter, Lily. Extended close knit family members live pretty close by and they enjoy getting together as a family, along with Rebecca’s menagerie of pets including dogs Ruby, a Japanese Chin and Cobber, a Jack Russell, Baldrick the horse, Izzy, Rose and Kadion the Shetland ponies, 9 sheep, 5 chooks and 1 goat.