SELWYN RAKAIA VET SERVICES - Key Persons
Aleisha joined Selwyn Rakaia Vets in August 2021 working as a casual for debuds and absolutely loved it, so then became full time in February 2022. She grew up on a lifestyle block in Darfield, where she is currently still living. She enjoys being outdoors as much as possible and having a good time. One of her favourite things to do is chill with her pet sheep and feed them bread, which they love.
Ash started at Selwyn Rakaia Vets after moving from Taranaki. He's grown up around cows and always had a soft spot for them. Naturally, most of his vet experiences have been around the rear end of a cow, and he's keen to see some of the different challenges for cattle and different farming practices in the South Island. Annual facial eczema episodes certainly won't be missed! He lives with a menagerie of large and small pets near West Melton. Outside of work he keeps busy with a variety of outdoor activities especially tramping, mountaineering, cycling and triathlon.
Bernice graduated from Lincoln with a BAgrSc (Hons) in 1991, worked for a couple of years and then returned to university and graduated with a BVSc (Distinction) from Massey in 1997.
Bernice has worked for Selwyn Rakaia Veterinary Services since 1997 as a dairy vet (now part-time) and combines this with an intensive 400-hectare farm business (cropping, beef and lamb finishing, and dairy support), 2 children, being on the NZ Veterinary Council Practice Standards Committee....and a tendency to travel and enjoy life as much as possible. Bernice's interpretation of enjoying life includes travelling, skiing, scuba diving, hockey, cheese making, good food and wine.
Chris has been chasing dairy cows for the last twenty odd years. He trained at Massey University and then spent ten years working in the Taranaki. During this time he toured the UK four times working as a dairy vet (and playing!). Jobs in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland meant the "grand slam" was completed with heavy exposure to varying feeding (and drinking!) systems. During the UK foot and mouth outbreak, he spent a year and a half fighting FMD in Northern England earning the undisputed title as NZ's longest serving FMD vet! Battle won, Chris, returned to NZ with English prize in tow. Buying a small farm he settled in Canterbury. Twelve years later, with two high BW crossbred bull calves added to the family, he is enjoying working with Canterbury dairy farmers and their cows.
Originally from Taranaki, Donald was exposed to dairy farming from a young age. He did his vet degree at Massey and postgraduate training at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. As the team leader/practice manager at SRVS he still loves to get out on farms but the amount of time spent on management tasks means he now spends a lot of time in the office.
He and Jose have three young adult daughters, all of which have left home for now anyway.
Thoroughbred and Greyhound racing/breeding are Donald's out of work interests. The greyhounds are doing much better than the thoroughbreds. The clinic has one of Donald's greyhounds called Fabulass which we all hope will do great things.
Grace started working at Selwyn Rakaia Vets in January 2020 as an office administrator. She previously rode track work for a thoroughbred stable. Grace is based in West Melton and competes her showjumping horses throughout the summer as well as playing hockey during winter. She also enjoys running and spending time at the beach.
Jade joined Selwyn Rakaia Vets in July 2013 in an office administration position. She lives and grew up on a lifestyle block in West Melton. Her main hobby is horse riding and she rides competitively in dressage and showing competitions. Her other interests include spending time with friends and family and playing sports which include netball and touch rugby.
Juan is a large animal veterinarian from Argentina, where he got his degree at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). He worked many years in beef and dairy farms in his home country before coming to New Zealand. Five years ago he moved here to Canterbury and has been working on different dairy farms. His last year he worked as a rural vet technician and he dealt with many species, mostly large animals. He joined Selwyn Rakaia Vets as a Technician in September 2022. In his free time he enjoys playing football and golf with friends.
Laura is from a sheep, beef and arable cropping farm in Southland. She graduated from Massey with
Loren joined the SRVS team in December 2021, with a New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Level 5) Rural Animal Technician.
Coming from a farming background, she joined the team from dairy farms around the North Otago area, as well as some history in racing stables/ sporthorse training/ stud work. She also AI tech assists for LIC back in North Otago in the breeding season.
Loren's main hobby outside of work is horse riding, mainly eventing or hunting.
Margot started at SRV as a casual in 2021, she then progressed into a full-time position mid-2023 and is currently studying veterinary nursing. She thoroughly enjoys working with a mix of large and small animals. Margot is based out in Darfield with her partner Roy and their three dogs. She also has a competitive showjumping background and dabbles in a bit of hunting too. Outside of work she enjoys doing some house renos, working on the farm in Waipara, and wining and dining with friends and family.
Having spent over forty years in the veterinary industry you will realise that I am one of the "older" members of the team at SRVS.
I live on a small block in Greendale where I have a few Border Leicester sheep, a dozen chooks and two Connamare ponies that I use for pleasure driving, I also breed and show golden retrievers.
I joined Selwyn Rakaia Vets in August 2017 after moving to Kirwee from Southland with our dog Cassie. My husband & I were previously dairying in Southland for several years before changing directions to work at a Vet clinic in Southland. We have 2 adult children who currently reside in Christchurch.
Sonja's interest in dairy cows is in her blood as her family have been dairy farmers for generations in Switzerland and in Leeston since 1997. After vet school, she spent eight years tending to cows in the Waikato. There was plenty to do with outbreaks of Theileria, Facial Eczema, Zinc toxicities, and Phosphorous deficiency anaemias. During this time she enjoyed working with her farmers to make long-term improvements in animal and human welfare. She was known to get stuck in any time someone mentioned phrases like six-week in-calf rate, anti-microbial stewardship, data analysis, diet composition or biosecurity plans. There she met her husband Cameron, a refrigeration engineer and mad golfer. They played in the same rock band and their family expanded when an abandoned cat decided to join them at a practice one night. They named her "Roadie".
They all moved to Canterbury in January 2019, lured by the superior ski-fields and the chance to go support a champion super rugby team. They settled on living in Rolleston because of the great sushi and its close proximity to Weedon's golf course. Roadie appreciates the friendlier nature of the suburban cats compared to the feral farm cats she battled with up north.
Sonja is enjoying her time at SRVS so far, getting to know the locals on-farm and at the Friday touch tourny.
Job Titles:
- Selwyn Rakaia Vets As a Technician
Sue joined Selwyn Rakaia Vets as a technician in 2011. She has qualifications in Equine Management and Technology and worked at the Gribbles Pathology Lab in specimen reception and haematology for ten years. She is also currently studying for her Vet Nursing Certificate and hopes to carry on and complete the Rural Animal Technician course next year. In her spare time, she enjoys anything to do with horses, especially dressage, and has three horses at home along with her two dogs and a small herd of Belted Galloways.
Thomas joined the SR Vets team in Jan 2023 after graduating with a BVSc (distinction) in
I joined Selwyn Rakaia Vets in 2015 as an office administrator.
I moved to Rakaia from Christchurch 25 years ago and really enjoy the quiet country life.
I have two adult children and am lucky enough to still have them living in the South Island. They also both work in the farming industry. I have one dog and two cats which are finally starting to tolerate each other.
I enjoy biking, gardening and tinkering. I am looking forward to doing some travelling, this is something I haven't done much of so the world is my oyster they say.