Horse owners share a unique and deeply personal bond with their equine veterinarians. These professionals provide not only medical expertise, but also compassion, dedication and partnership through every stage of a horse’s life.  

To celebrate this extraordinary relationship, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and AAEP Educational Partner Zoetis is bringing back “My Vet Rocks.” This campaign invites horse owners to publicly honor their equine veterinarians for going above and beyond. 

Submission details

Beginning July 1, horse owners may submit a short video—up to one minute in length—sharing why their equine veterinarian is exceptional. Submit videos via AAEP’s Facebook or Instagram direct message (DM) through July 31. 

The contest sponsors encourage horse owners to get creative with their submissions. Videos can be as simple as a heartfelt message addressing the camera or as imaginative as owners want them to be. 

All submissions must include the owner’s full name and the veterinarian’s name. They must focus on partnership, dedication and care beyond the expected. The nominated practitioner must be an AAEP member to be eligible to win the grand prize.  

Each horse owner who submits a video will receive a digital $10 Starbucks gift card. There is no limit to the number of videos an individual can submit. However, each person is only eligible for one gift card.

Awards

Following the close of the submission window, the judges will select a grand prize winner and second- and third-place honorees. The AAEP will acknowledge all winners across its print and digital channels.  

The veterinarian featured in the grand prize-winning video will be honored in person during the Opening Session of the AAEP’s 2026 Annual Convention December 7-11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There will also be an award for the horse owner who submitted the winning video, courtesy of campaign sponsor Zoetis. 

In addition to the top three placed videos, the judges will select winners in three special recognition categories: 

• Most Creative Video, recognizing the submission that best demonstrates originality, humor or imagination in how the story is told; 
• Longest Relationship with a Veterinarian, honoring the horse owner whose bond with their equine veterinarian spans the greatest number of years; and 
• Best Junior Submission, awarded to the most compelling video submitted by a young rider, recognizing the next generation of horse owners and their appreciation for equine veterinary care. 

“Equine veterinarians are there for horses and the people who love them, after hours, in every kind of weather, and sometimes at real personal sacrifice,” said Nathan Voris, DVM, MBA, director, Equine Technical Services at Zoetis. “Their dedication to the health and welfare of horses is extraordinary, and it deserves to be celebrated. Through ‘My Vet Rocks,’ we invite horse owners to share a short video about what their equine veterinarian means to them and their horse, and to help us shine a light on the professionals who show up every day when it matters most.” 

For more information about the “My Vet Rocks” campaign, contact Marketing and Communications Strategist Giulia Garcia at [email protected]. 

About the AAEP 

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is a non-profit organization based in Lexington, Kentucky. Its focus is the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide. It is involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry. Visit www.aaep.org. 

About Zoetis 

Zoetis is the world’s leading animal health company. It has a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. With a legacy of nearly 75 years, Zoetis continues to pioneer ways to predict, prevent, detect and treat animal illness. The company supports veterinarians, livestock producers and pet owners in over 100 countries. Zoetis delivers meaningful innovation across medicines, vaccines diagnostics, biopharmaceuticals and digital solutions. Guided by its vision to be the most trusted and valued animal health company, Zoetis’ mission is to set new standards for the future of animal care. It does this through innovation, customer obsession and purpose-driven colleagues. To learn more, visit  Zoetis.com.  

The Zoetis Equine division works to provide horse care you can count on. It considers the opportunity and responsibility to support horses and the people safeguarding their well-being its chief inspiration. Whether at the clinic or in the field, Zoetis is always there with a comprehensive, innovative portfolio of equine products and services throughout a horse’s life. Visit  ZoetisEquine.com to learn more.  

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