Dr. Sara Langsam Receives 2024 AAEP President’s Award

Sara Langsam, VMD, who as chair of the Racing Committee has spearheaded the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ efforts to address the issue of catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses beyond already established risk assessment protocols, received the President’s Award during the December 10 President’s Luncheon at the AAEP’s 70th Annual Convention in Orlando, Fla. 

The President’s Award recipient is selected by the sitting AAEP president and honors an AAEP member who has demonstrated a dedication to the associations during the past year by contributing significant time and expertise to benefit the health and welfare of the horse.  

Dr. Langsam, partner at South Florida-headquartered Teigland, Franklin and Brokken DVMs, Inc. (TFB Equine), and manager of its Belmont Park division, coordinated a Thoroughbred safety and injury prevention summit meeting of veterinary experts in October 2023. Among the recommendations to emerge was an ambitious and potentially transformational year-long project to begin in January 2025 under Dr. Langsam’s oversight to evaluate the suitability of six different wearable biometric sensors for widespread use in initial screening of the Thoroughbred racing and training population in the U.S. The goal is early identification of horses at risk for musculoskeletal injury. 

“Getting this project from idea to reality has been a Herculean task, involving defining the parameters of the research project, securing funding, communicating with the companies involved, navigating complex politics, facilitating the logistical details, and so much more,” said 2024 AAEP President Katie Garrett, DVM, DACVS.   

“Dr. Langsam has done all of this, while also finding time to coordinate initiatives like the incredibly successful ‘Day at the Races’ program, which brings veterinary students to racetracks so they can learn about veterinary careers in the racing industry. She is also a full-time practitioner and serves on the AAEP’s board of directors, so how much she has achieved this year is truly remarkable.” 

After receiving her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002, Dr. Langsam completed an in-hospital internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. She joined TFB Equine in July 2003, became a partner in 2009 and, in 2012, expanded the practice to provide year-round services for its clients at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.  

Dr. Langsam serves as an AAEP On Call veterinary spokesperson in support of live telecasts of Thoroughbred racing. She previously served on the Educational Programs Committee and Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee. Beyond the AAEP, Dr. Langsam is a member of the Horsemen’s Advisory Group of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. 

About AAEP 

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.