An expanded horse health care facility at the University of Saskatchewan will be called the Ryan/Dubé Equine Performance Center in recognition of a couple's longtime support for veterinary research and education.

Heather Ryan and her husband, L. David Dubé, contributed $1.2 million toward the expansion of the college's existing equine performance center. Three other donors (the Government of Saskatchewan, Marg and Ron Southern of Calgary, Alta., and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine ) provided the rest of the funding for the $2.8-million project.

The expansion, which will begin being construction in February 2011, will add nearly 1,000 sq. m (10,600 sq. ft.) as well as vital resources to the WCVM's equine education, clinical, and research programs.

"This expansion will give our students, faculty and staff the tools and indoor space that they need to enhance horse health care in Western Canada," says WCVM Dean Douglas Freeman, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT. "In particular, this building will be a focal point for diagnosing, treating, and investigating different lameness issues. Through those activities, it will also be a place where our veterinary students can learn more about how to recognize and accurately diagnose the causes of lameness in horses, and provide their future clients with the best treatment options