Amanda Briston B.Vet.Med. MRCVS

I initially came to New Zealand over 4 years ago to work as a locum for 3 months, well… I’m still here and happy in my job. My husband and I graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London and we worked in the UK before coming over here. I worked in a rural practice and even did some zoo work around the lambings and cat speys. We have gained a cat, Myrtle, since living over here and we both have dogs back in the UK. I have owned many pets in my life from tortoises to horses. I really enjoy working with cats and dogs and I have a keen interest in rabbits as well. I enjoy horse riding, dancing and just being outdoors in general.

After being born and raised in The Netherlands, I graduated from the Utrecht Veterinary University in 1997.During the next four years, I worked in a Dutch rural clinic, treating dogs, cats and small companion animals, as well as dairy cows, sheep and pigs. In 2001, I accepted my current position at Newstead Veterinary Services. My work here focuses on the treatment and surgery of all companion animals, including birds. Although I visit The Netherlands every few years to see my family and friends, I am a permanent resident of New Zealand now, and consider the country as my home. The friendly atmosphere at the clinic definitely helped me to settle down here easily. In my spare time I love to go out tramping, and enjoy the outdoors and birdlife. I am also into four part harmony singing and you might find me performing around the area with the Waikato Rivertones.

Gwyneth Verkerk B.V.Sc, D.Phil

Gwyn was born a Southlander and will always be a Southlander at heart. She was raised on a dairy farm just out of Invercargill, and. She graduated as a vet from Massey University in 1976. After a further two years as a resident at the vet school, and a short period in small animal practice in Upper Hutt, Gwyn moved to Hamilton.

Newstead Veterinary Services began in 1980 when Gwyn and Ray arrived in Newstead, and Gwyn hung up her sign at the gate. Since then the clinic has grown and spread. In 1986 it moved from the house basement into the present building by the road, to make way for the goat embryo transfer surgery. Two extensions have since been added as the building has been remodeled.

Gwyn is technically “the Boss” and is the business and financial manager. Her main veterinary interest these days is dairy cattle, and she spends a lot of her time providing veterinary support to research teams that work with dairy cows. That is why you do not see her very much around the clinic, but she pops up at odd times working as either a vet (usually filling in gaps in the rota), a nurse (usually doing midnight caesarians) or as a receptionist (also filling in gaps).

Gabe

I was born a Londoner in the East End and spent two years as a toddler in Uganda where my dad worked as a doctor. My family moved to Glasgow where I stayed long enough to develop quite an accent, before losing it completely when we moved to Cambridge (UK).

As a boy I kept praying mantises and scorpions as well as the more usual guinea pigs and rabbits, and at age twelve I realised the only thing I ever wanted to do was to become a vet. After qualifying from Bristol vet school in 1993 I went straight into private small animal practice for two years and found that I enjoyed all aspects of it, but had a particular passion for surgery. I then spent 10 years working at the RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital in London where I gained a tremendous amount of medical and surgical experience, as well as filming Animal Hospital with Rolf Harris for the BBC.

It was there that I met my wife Mia, a New Zealander, and it was only a matter of time before we moved to her home town of Hamilton where she is due to give birth to our first child in July. We have brought everything but the kitchen sink with us including our dog, Spike, and cat, Peri, so they can start their new lives as Kiwis too. When I’m not vetting I like playing the piano, running and enjoying nature.

I grew up in Hamilton where I was the typical ‘animal lover’, having lots of animals and nurturing anything that needed it. I completed my Veterinary degree in Perth, Australia. I then worked in mixed practice in North Queensland with Brahman cattle, horses, cats, dogs, birds and the occasional snake. It was then time to return to Hamilton with my husband and three young children. When we first arrived back I worked full-time in a small animal practice in Hamilton for 4 years before becoming Programme Manager at Wintec for the Veterinary Nursing and Animal Care programmes. My role is administration, tutoring, teaching the students practical skills for the veterinary surgery and running the animal house which contains birds, rats, rabbits, chinchillas and terrapins. I also work part-time at Newstead Veterinary services working with small animals. I enjoy working with the very dedicated team there. As we live on a lifestyle block, we have a menagerie of pets including a dog (a staffie called ‘Chili’), cat (Freckles), cockatiel (Bluey), rainbow lorikeet (Bundie), Hereford cattle and often chooks and pigs.

Having decided I wanted to become a vet at age 12, I finally graduated from Massey in 1994. My first job was as a general all-rounder working in rural mixed practice in Kaitaia. After just over three years there I decided a change was needed and spent the next two years working at Newstead Veterinary Services with Gavin. Some of you will probably remember me from then, although I had shorter hair, glasses and a different surname then!

After two years here, I took time out before working for 5 months in an entirely small animal practice in Wales. I then spent the next year doing various things other than vet work, mainly farming at Kawhia, and kayaking in Alaska. On returning from Alaska, I began work in rural mixed practice in Pio Pio and Te Kuiti, where I have been employed on and off over the last few years (I left to get married then went back, I left due to illness and then went back, I left to have a baby and then went back…).

I am married to Clint, with a young daughter, Hannah. Clint is a farmer so my “spare” time is spent on the farm at Raglan where we run dry stock and sheep. I no longer have much time for kayaking although I get in a bit of fishing now and then, and Hannah will soon be old enough to take tramping and camping (we hope she doesn’t get too heavy to carry in a back pack!).

I've worked in the Veterinary Industry since 1999, moving from Rotorua to Newstead Vets in 2001. I gained my National Certificate in Animal Care at WINTEC, and my National Certidicate in Veterinary Nursing with Otago Polytechnic.

I have two cats, Smokey and Topaz and my two dogs Jessie and Floyd enjoy Agility which we do at the Cambridge Club. We live on a half hectare block in Orini which gives us all plenty of room to run around.

I've always been interested in animal behaviour and have attended some courses including a foundation course and advanced course with Jan Fennell (aka The Dog Listener). I'm now qualified to teach dog owners the method of Amichien Bonding and help with canine behavioural problems.

I also teach this method at Puppy School, which is run in the clinic.

I love working and caring for all small animals (and large ones when needed!) and hope I make a positive difference to their recoveries.

Animals and nurturing have always played a big part of my life. After gaining my National Certificate in Veterinary Nursing at WINTEC, I worked voluntarily with the Clinic before commencing employment in 2004.

Married with two children, my family and I live on a dairy grazing block on the outskirts of Hamilton. This lifestyle provides the best of both worlds and has also lead to many varied types of pets both small and large.

Vet Nursing can be a challenging job, but I love it and believe that people who enjoy their work offer the best service and care to their clients.

I have lived in the Waikato region my whole life and I have shared it with a wide range of animals. At the moment I have Oscar, a three year old silver tabby, and in the future I hope to have a dog or two. I am currently studying in the Batchelor of Nursing program at WINTEC. I also work as a receptionist here at Newstead Vets and thoroughly enjoy working with the smaller animals.