Rood & Riddle Win Galbreath Award

Veterinarians Dr. Bill Rood and Dr. Tom Riddle have been chosen as the recipients of the John W. Galbreath Award, the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program announced yesterday. The Galbreath Award is given annually to someone who has created and led successful equine business enterprises. 

“We recognize people, and their organizations, who have impacted the horse industry in a positive way through the development of a meaningful business enterprise that serves the equine world,” said Tim Capps, the director of the Equine Industry Program. “We look for the difference makers, the innovators who saw opportunities and turned those situations into reality, and Bill Rood and Tom Riddle exemplify the entrepreneurial mindset.” Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital is one of the most renowned equine health care facilities in the world. Roos and Riddle started working together in 1982 and founded the hospital four years later. 

“In the early ’80’s, the horse industry in central Kentucky was growing at a rapid rate, with more and more people getting involved in the horse business as a business,” said Bill Rood. “There were a lot of investors in breeding stock who wanted to keep their horses in Kentucky, so all the service providers—farms, vets, farriers—benefitted from this growth. We knew that Hagyard, Davidson, and McGee was a long-established practice group in the area, but felt there was certainly room for another such practice, so we decided to go forward in 1986, despite the signs of a downturn in the industry. It was a risk, but one we thought would pay off.” 

The property includes surgical centers, a podiatry unit, a reproductive center, a colic intensive care unit, and a similar neo-natal facility, the latest diagnostic equipment and a pharmacy. Last year, Rood and Riddle opened their first “out of market” facility in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 

The hospital employs 50 veterinarians and has a staff of over 200 as well as an externship program. 

“We’re certainly proud of what Rood & Riddle has become,” said Tom Riddle. “But, we’ve even prouder of the good work our vets and staff continue to do in taking care of the animals who have been entrusted to us. Every day is a labor of love.” 

The Galbreath Award presentation will take place Nov. 20 at the University Club on the University of Louisville campus.