Professor Sidney Ricketts retires as Senior Partner of Rossdales and Managing Partner of BCL

Professor Sidney Ricketts retired on 1st April as Senior Partner of Rossdales and Managing Partner of Beaufort Cottage Laboratories (BCL). We are pleased to confirm, however, that he will be staying on as a Consultant to both Rossdales Newmarket and Rossdales Hertfordshire, where his expertise and knowledge will be invaluable.

Professor Ricketts has had a long and distinguished career. He joined the Rossdale, Hunt, Peace and Hopes practice in 1972 and became a partner three years later. At Rossdales, he has specialised in equine stud medicine and in equine clinical pathology. He has been responsible for the development of BCL to an internationally acclaimed specialist equine clinical pathology laboratory, now servicing referrals from Rossdales’ clinicians and from over 500 other veterinary practices from all over the UK and EU. As a partner, he was responsible for Rossdales’ accounts department, financial management, IT and website.

He was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) for his thesis on endometrial biopsy pathology in mares in 1978 and a Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists in 2004 for his published works in equine pathology. He was awarded an RCVS foundation Diploma in Equine Stud Medicine in 1986, RCVS specialist status in Equine Stud Medicine in 1991 and a Diploma of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine in 2002. For many years, he has been senior veterinary advisor to The Royal Studs and to Juddmonte Farms. The Queen awarded him the honour Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in 1998, for services to the Royal Studs.

In 1996 he was awarded Honorary Membership of the British Equine Veterinary Association. Over the years, he has been a board member of and advisor to many of the veterinary and Thoroughbred industry’s professional bodies (in retirement he remains Veterinary Advisor to the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and a committee member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board and the British Horseracing Authority), as well as being appointed Visiting Professor in the Dept of Clinical Science, University of Bristol and Visiting Professor of Equine Pathology at the Royal Veterinary College, where at both veterinary schools, he now teaches equine reproduction. He has provided continuing education in equine stud medicine for many young graduates and has developed a number of successful specialist equine veterinary courses and seminars.

Professor Ricketts said: “I have been blessed with a wonderfully enjoyable professional career and have been privileged to work with excellent colleagues, staff, clients and patients. I have been honoured to have been a member of Rossdales’ highly successful team and hope to continue to be of value as a consultant. My involvement with students at Bristol Veterinary School and the Royal Veterinary College has been an added inspiration.”

Managing Partner Tim Greet said: “Sidney is one of the most distinguished veterinary surgeons of his generation. He has been a major influence on the development of Rossdales over the past 40 years and we are delighted that he is going to be available to us as a consultant for the next two years.”