Equine Sports Medicine Symposium Foundation & Organizers

Dr. Bob was born and raised on a farm in Lisle Illinois, just outside of Chicago. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Illinois Benedictine College (now Benedictine University) in 1980 and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois in 1984.

He and his brother Dr. Jim Meyer started Neuse River Equine Hospital in Wendell,NC in 1987.

Dr. Bob’s special interests include sports medicine, podiatry and reproduction. He also enjoys teaching senior students who participate in the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine equine primary care rotation.

He has served on boards and committees for state and national equine organizations including; The North Carolina Horse Council, The North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Miller-Motte University, and the National Cutting Horse Association.

Dr. Bob and his wife Lynn have a farm in Rolesville, NC where they breed and raise American Quarter Horses. They both enjoy riding for fun as well as competing in National Cutting Horse Association shows on a regional and national level.

 Meghann Lustgarten, DVM, DACVR, DACVSMR earned her board

certifications from the American College of Veterinary Radiologists in

2013 and from the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and

Rehabilitation in 2018. She has authored and co-authored multiple

publications on musculoskeletal imaging in horses and has been an

invited speaker at ACVS, ACVR, Duke and UNC. She currently provides

consultation services for referring veterinarians in North Carolina.

As practice owner of 3H Equine Hospital and 3H Equine Rehabilitation, Fernando’s life revolves around family and horses. Fernando has been practicing high quality, progressive medicine for over 20 years in the RTP area. He excels in many areas of equine medicine, but his love for sport’s medicine has garnered him a reputation in the area as a top lameness professional. In addition to being a veterinarian, Fernando is also a highly accomplished Grand Prix show jumper with rides at WEG, Pan American Games, and the Central American and Caribbean Games for his original home country of Colombia. More than 22 years after graduating vet school, Fernando still has the passion and desire to learn more and do more for his equine counterparts and works every day to improve their lives.

Dr. Lauren Schnabel is a Professor of Equine Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at NC State University and is also an Associate Director of the Comparative Medicine Institute at NC State University. Dr. Schnabel completed her DVM at Cornell University and her internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. She then returned to Cornell as a postdoctoral fellow in the Orthopedic Laboratories of Dr. Lisa Fortier and Dr. Alan Nixon where she performed research on tendon and ligament repair. Dr. Schnabel completed her surgical residency at Cornell from 2006-2009 and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons  in 2010.  She then completed her Ph.D. with Dr. Fortier on the immunologic properties of stem cells. Dr. Schnabel moved to NC State University in 2013 to both work in the equine hospital and build her own independent research laboratory. Both her clinical and research work are focused on the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and advancing equine rehabilitation protocols. In 2015, Dr. Schnabel became a Diplomate of the American College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation and also started a new ACVSMR Residency Program at NC State, which she is the director of. In 2019, Dr. Schnabel was named an NC State University Faculty Scholar for her success in clinical work, research, teaching, mentorship, and community outreach efforts. She was also recently awarded the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence.

Dr. Travis Blackwelder grew up working daily at this father’s practice the Statesville Bovine and Equine Clinic. At a young age he knew that his lifelong goal was to become a veterinarian and work in the family business. After graduating with a BS degree in Animal Science from North Carolina State University he went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Animal Nutrition. During this time he spoke on his research topics across the US and Canada along with publishing articles in scientific journals and co-authored a chapter in a veterinary textbook.

In 2001 Travis received his DVM degree from North Carolina State University College Of Veterinary Medicine and joined his father in private practice. He is the owner of Statesville Equine Clinic and focuses on diagnostics and treatment of equine lameness. 

Travis is on the executive board of directors and currently the past president of the NEAEP (northeast association of equine practitioners)

 He has also served on the lameness committee and been a speaker and wet lab instructor for the NEAEP. The NEAEP is one of the top equine veterinarian and podiatry educational organizations in the country and its annual conference brings practitioners and speakers from all over the US and europe. This position is one Travis has worked very hard to achieve and is extremely proud of, especially in his role with enhancing the veterinarian education in lameness and podiatry. He has also spoken at lameness conferences in North Carolina and was the lameness chair for the 2016 N.C. State College of Veterinary Medicine Annual Symposium.
Travis Blackwelder married Lisa Baucom who also is an equine veterinarian in October 2007. They live on small farm in Mocksville along with their 6 horses, 4 dogs, 5 cats and African grey parrot. Travis’ hobbies include working on his farm, golfing, fishing, and spending time with his wife on Kiawah Island, SC.

Since the mid 1980’s Dr. Mansmann has had a long-standing interest in helping to develop educational programs that have included veterinarians, farriers and interested horse owners. The topics are always at professional medical levels and thus have allowed for locally available professional C.E. credits. 

His philosophy has been, the more good medical information that can be disseminated to equine practitioners, farriers, other horse professionals and horse owners through all our meeting and post meeting interactions, the better the care we all can give our horses. 

A corollary to his philosophy has been the more veterinary college faculties with their teaching, clinical work and research can learn from their practitioners and constituents and equally vice versa; the better, especially for our horses!