Four decades of service to equine veterinary medicine recognised

Dr Peter Gillespie, one of New Zealand's most respected equine veterinarians and Trustee of NZ Horse Ambulance Trust, has received the 2026 Brian Goulden Award in recognition of more than 45 years of service to the equine industry and his lasting contribution to horse welfare across the country.

The Brian Goulden Award recognises individuals whose dedication, leadership, innovation and service have had a lasting impact on equine veterinary practice in New Zealand. Dr Gillespie's career spans more than four decades, beginning with his graduation from Massey University in 1981 and an early posting in Kaikōura where, by all accounts, he was thrown in at the deep end from day one.

The veterinarian he was replacing reportedly walked out the door as he walked in, leaving the newly graduated Dr Gillespie to manage everything from companion animals to livestock and horses. It is a story that sets the tone for a career defined by resilience and an unwavering commitment to getting the job done.

His passion, however, was always horses.

Following his time in Kaikōura, Dr Gillespie worked alongside equine veterinarians Pete Scholes and Bill Bishop at Canterbury Equine, and later with Cliff McGruther at Racecourse Equine. He eventually establishes his own practice, BE Veterinary Services, which many in the industry know today as VetEquine.

Over the ensuing decades, Dr Gillespie operated practices in both Christchurch and Dunedin, travelling countless kilometres between them. To many veterinarians, that level of travel would seem unsustainable. To him, it was simply part of looking after horses and supporting clients wherever they happen to be. His affection for Otago eventually won out, and he made the decision to focus his efforts there. Alongside his clinical work, he was also a founding force behind VETPRO, helping to guide that organisation for many years.

Colleagues describe Dr Gillespie as an astute clinician — competent, thorough, and an exceptional diagnostician. He possesses a rare ability to quietly observe a horse, notice something others have missed, and arrive at a diagnosis through experience, intuition and careful assessment. He is equally comfortable in medicine and surgery, making him a true all-round equine veterinarian.

Those same high standards extend well beyond the clinic. His vehicle is invariably immaculate — a source of both admiration and frustration for generations of junior veterinarians whose own cars often bear a closer resemblance to mobile rubbish skips. Remarkably, he could scan ten mares in a morning and somehow emerge looking as though he has never been near a horse.

For many years, Dr Gillespie has been a familiar figure at racecourses throughout the South Island, serving as a race-day veterinarian. It is through this work that he identified a significant gap in equine welfare and began asking a simple but important question: surely, we can do better.

That question ultimately led to one of the most significant welfare initiatives ever undertaken in New Zealand racing — the development of the New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust.

Dr Gillespie not only envisioned a purpose-built horse ambulance service, he worked tirelessly to make it happen. He undertook much of the early research, worked with engineers, developed prototype designs, and advocates relentlessly for the project. Together with Barry Armour, he developed the original prototype, and alongside fundraising maestro Bill Bishop, that vision grew into a fleet of world-class equine ambulances now operating at racecourses throughout New Zealand and beyond.

Barry Armour, Transport Engineer and Peter Gillespie with an early prototype horse ambulance

The horse ambulance programme transforms race-day welfare, improves outcomes for injured horses, supports veterinarians working under pressure, and established a standard admired worldwide. Hundreds of horses benefit directly from Dr Gillespie's vision, determination and attention to detail.

Dr Gillespie's contribution extends beyond his clinical and advocacy work. When a fellow veterinarian requires medical leave, he steps in and travels weekly to Central Otago to help keep the practice running. He volunteers his expertise in remote communities such as the Chatham Islands. He builds clinics, including transforming an empty shell at Invermay into a fully functioning equine hospital through sheer determination and hard work.

His passion for animal welfare is unmistakable to anyone who spends even a short time with him. He is determined to raise the bar for equestrian sports, especially when disaster management and welfare standards are on the line.

Those who presented the award spoke to the breadth of his impact on the profession.

"He has always been willing to help colleagues," pointing to a career spent quietly supporting others, often without recognition and without expecting anything in return.

His clinics, too, reflect his character. While the latest veterinary equipment occasionally has to wait, there is always excellent coffee, freshly roasted beans, and artwork that would not look out of place in a gallery.

The Brian Goulden Award recognises those whose contribution leaves the profession better than they found it. Through more than 45 years of service, Dr Gillespie has improved horse welfare, advanced equine veterinary practice, supported colleagues, and inspires those who follow in his footsteps.

"Pete, on behalf of your colleagues, your friends, and the New Zealand equine veterinary community, thank you for everything you have contributed".

The 2026 Brian Goulden Award was presented to Dr Peter Gillespie at an NZ Equine Veterinary Association dinner in Auckland on June 2026.