RETIRED VET Keith Mason BVMS, more commonly seen stewarding at Ayr and Hamilton races, has been appointed chairman of the Equine Grass Sickness Fund (EGSF).

Keith spent much of his career as senior veterinary surgeon for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and was instrumental in founding their veterinary department at the beginning of the professional racing era, helping bring the first ever UK bred racehorses to Hong Kong. Closer to home Keith was also heavily involved in setting up the Weipers Equine Centre project at Glasgow University.

Keith was invited to join the EGSF Committee by the late Sir John Gilmour, who sought Keith's breadth of experience and strategic expertise to help the Fund meet the challenge of raising the funds to conduct a nationwide vaccine field trial for the control of grass sickness. If successful this project will mark a historic turning point in the prevention of this disease, and perhaps make one of the most significant breakthroughs in equine veterinary medicine of our times.

Keith succeeds Sir John Gilmour, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away in February 2013.

Kate Thomson, spokesperson for the Fund, said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome our new chairman. Keith is quietly spoken, resourceful and very determined, and we are sure will lead us to a successful conclusion of the vaccine trial."

EGSF is the only UK charity specifically raising funds into Equine Grass Sickness (EGS)

EGS affects an estimated 1 in 50 horses in high risk areas, effectively paralysing the digestive system. The disease is predominantly fatal.

A number of horses with the milder chronic form of EGS do recover and return to a full working life.

Horses most at risk are aged between two and nine years and there is a strong seasonal bias, the majority of cases occurring in spring/early summer and early autumn.

There are a number of ways of reducing the risk, including feeding hay all year round.

In 2012 a vaccine trial pilot study of 100 horses in Scotland was undertaken, the results of which are being used to inform the design of a full UK wide trial of 1200 horses and ponies.

The full vaccine trial is expected to start in early 2014 and the EGSF are co-coordinating a national appeal. The vaccine trial is being led by the Animal Health Trust and the Universities of Edinburgh and Liverpool.