KINGSTON, Jamaica – Two veterinarians, Dr Grace McDonnough Lyon, and Dr John Masterton will be honoured on the 11-race card scheduled to be contested next Saturday (April 30) at Caymanas Park.
The race day itself will celebrate World Veterinary Day, with the feature event being the tenth, an Overnight Allowance call for three-year-old and upwards horses at a mile.
This tenth race will be run for the World Veterinary Day Trophy.
Dr Grace McDonnough Lyon OD
Dr.Grace McDonnough Lyon OD is being recognized today for her service to the equine industry, having served as a regulatory veterinarian from 1974-1989. She was the first female veterinarian to work at Caymanas Park, where she provided services in the testing barn and paddock operations on race days.
Dr McDonnough Lyon served as the Deputy Director of Veterinary Services for Jamaica and she was one of the first women to own and operate a veterinary clinic locally.
Though retired from veterinary practice, she remains highly respected in the veterinary community and was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class), by the Government of Jamaica in 2021, in recognition of her service as a veterinarian.
Dr John Masterton OD
Dr John Masterton OD is an accomplished horseman in both show jumping and polo. Today he is being recognized for his decades of service to the racing industry in many roles to include veterinarian, steward, owner, and lover of race horses. He was the owner of Delilah who won a race piloted by Lester Piggott. The legendary Legal Light could not race without Dr Masterton working on him before each race and on his retirement from racing Legal Light went to live with Doc Masterton.
Dr Masterton is a trailblazer who was instrumental in building an equine surgical facility at Caymanas Park in the 1970s and introducing/lecturing on equine acupuncture in universities in the US & Canada. He was also member of the team of veterinarians who would visit stud farms all around Jamaica to assess and select the top yearlings for the Annual Yearling Sale.
Dr Masterton was also involved in Carlo Products and, helped to develop many of the household products we take for granted nowadays - such as wound oil, wound powder, screw worm, Pyro and more recently the natureorganic products.
He was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) in recognition of his many accomplishments and service to the people and animals of Jamaica.
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Thanks for your article on Dr Masterton. As an owner, I was twice the beneficiary of his advice. True Grit suffered a hairline fracture of his left sesamoid on the exercise track. I received a variety of advice ranging from surgery to retirement. But when I consulted Dr Masterton, he looked at the X-rays and told me to turn him out for a year. On his return to training, swimming only. I followed his advice, and True Grit went on to wing four graded stakes races including the Henry McGraph Trophy.
His second advice was with Supernova. She suffered a fracture of the first carpal (left knee) after taking one look at the X-ray, he asked me “what sex is this horse” upon being told filly, he said “you’re lucky, send her to breed” I got Toot Your Horn, and others. And how can I forget the acupuncture job on the rheumatic Bold Tartar!
Enjoy the day Dr Masterton 👍
Thanks for sharing.