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Three stalwarts of the Wellsford Vet Club have been honoured with life memberships.
Founding president Gordon Levet, long-serving secretary Rick Middleton and Kaiwaka sheep and beef farmer Doug Donaldson were recognised at the annual meeting held late last year.
The club formed in 1967 with assistance from the former Albertland Dairy Factory at Te Hana.
Gordon recalls that in the 1940s, dairy factories started employing vets to assist their suppliers with their animal health issues.
The government then set-up what became known as the Veterinary Services Council, which it funded with contributions from the dairy and meat producer boards.
“The national body encouraged the formation of farmer-owned clubs and set salaries for vets and mileage allowances,” Gordon says.
Seven elected farmers initially ran the Wellsford club. Today, after 51 years, there are only two surviving members of that committee – Gordon Levet and Stewart Shirley, now retired in Warkworth.
The dairy company supplied guarantees to allow the financing of the new club premises, in Rodney Street/SH1, which has been extended as the business has grown.
The Wellsford club adopted a unique profit sharing arrangement two decades ago, which benefited all permanent employees of the club. This involved the club taking a predetermined amount for maintenance and development, with the rest of the profit shared amongst the staff.
“The system has worked well, with staff keen to generate more business knowing that they will be financially rewarded,” Gordon says.
Today the practice employs four vets and two vet nurses, and covers from Warkworth to Kaiwaka, coast to coast. The club chief executive and chief vet is Stephen McAulay.
