WADE SHOEMAKER, DVM

Owner / Veterinarian

Dr. Wade Shoemaker was raised on a commercial cattle and quarter horse ranch in Divide, Colorado. Growing up on a high altitude ranch and being raised in the 4-H program allowed Dr. Shoemaker to gain a deep understanding of not only the process of production and health of all large animals but also the importance of handling each of the species for successful ranching. This knowledge allowed Dr. Shoemaker to be quite successful in showing both English and Western performance horses and working his share with a rope in his hand. Livestock judging provided the scholarships for Dr. Shoemaker’s first two years of undergraduate work at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado. After which he transferred to Colorado State University where he graduated with a degree in Animal Science. In 1999, he graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Shoemaker’s professional interests encompass nearly anything that involves the performance horse or beef cow. Specifically, he spends most of his time working on performance horse lameness and correcting issues that cause a decrease in performance. In the spring, he also breeds a number of mares via artificial insemination and works to perfect the art of embryo transfer. Dr. Shoemaker paid for most his college and entry fees by shoeing horses. Wade also spent time during veterinary school working in the vet hospital on therapeutic cases for in-house surgeons. Today Dr. Shoemaker still enjoys the challenging foot issues that are such an important part of keeping the performance horses working. Many soft tissue surgeries are performed by Dr. Shoemaker. Being raised on a ranch and running a cow herd at home, Dr. Shoemaker does not deny that he enjoys working cattle. During the pregnancy checking and calving seasons he will spend a considerable amount of time working in that segment of the practice. Dr. Shoemaker’s involvement as a youth showing and judging steers, lambs, and hogs, has provided a self desire to work with youth in the 4-H and FFA programs.

Personally, Dr. Shoemaker tries to devote time to his wife, Dawn, and young family of daughter, Kassandra and son, Coy. Dawn is a farm raised girl that works at keeping the cow herd fed and healthy, as well as the crop and farm land wet. Dr. Shoemaker is an avid and accomplished horseman. He enjoys branding, ranch rodeos, and catching wild cattle. Dr Shoemaker is a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and works all of the roping events. Dr. Shoemaker spends the remainder of his time working with young horses and helping Kassandra and Coy with their rodeo and showing interests. Due to the fact that the Shoemaker’s only ride what they have raised and trained, this an involved task.

KIMBERLY GOWIN, RVT

Head Technician/ Registered Veterinary Technician

Kimberly grew up in the small town of Cohutta, Georgia with her parents and older sister. Kimberly has always had a love for horses and other animals. She also spent a lot of time competing in softball, racing four wheelers, trail riding and barrel racing. She started working at a very young age teaching her to be a very determined and hard worker. Kimberly has had the opportunity to work in many disciplines, and with many horse breeds. She started out at a boarding barn doing the dirty work, she always says “you gotta start somewhere”. The trainer that was leasing out the boarding facility scooped her up bringing her with him to his own facility in Ooltewah, TN. She worked by his side breaking, training, showing, etc. With that experience, she went on to become a very young farm manager in north Georgia where she was responsible for over 48 head of horses where she showed, cared for and marketed horses. She did it all during her 10 years there. When Kimberly wasn’t at school or working, she was at rodeo events. She qualified for Georgia’s High School Rodeo Finals on several occasions as well as bringing home many ribbons, buckles, saddles and trophies along the way.

Kimberly left Georgia fresh out of high school and moved herself, her horses and her dog all the way to Colorado where she attended Lamar Community College. She studied Horse Training Management & Equine Business Management. While attending school in Colorado, she rode for a cutting horse trainer full time and worked at a gymnastics facility part time. She then went back east transferring to University of Kentucky where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in Equine Science. She took a job working at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital where she was a night shift technician and later a night shift supervisor. During her 6 years in the area and at the hospital she worked side jobs at thoroughbred horse sales, rode horses for many of the area farms, farm/pet sat, ponied as well as broke horses for the track. Her adventures finally took her back south to Alabama where she was an equine technician at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine for 6 years. While there, she purchased a house and some acreage and built a barn to house her equine family. Kimberly finally found her way back to Colorado and is enjoying being part of the Countryside Large Animal Veterinary Services team. She is an asset to both the hospital and the community. She is certified with the American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians, and the American Institute of Medical Laser Applications. Kimberly currently resides in Galeton, CO along with her many horses and dogs. She gets outside to enjoy the beautiful outdoors every chance she gets, whether it be for her love of helping others or enjoying it via foot, bike, hunting, car or horseback. Kimberly continues to compete in barrel racing every chance she gets and still enjoys teaching others.

BROOKE TAYLOR, RVT

Registered Veterinary Technician

I was raised in Thornton, Colorado. At the age of 12, I found my passion riding horses and showing in western pleasure, showmanship and english equitation. I’ve always found myself around all animals small to large. Now, I spend my free time helping training and working horses while finding time to go on adventures like camping, paddle boarding, hiking and road trips.
This past year I graduated from FRCC with a Vet Tech Degree and passed my VTNE certification. I am grateful to be part of the Countryside team and look forward to adding to my skills, knowledge and meeting new people.

TONYA BUHRMAN

Practice Manager / Accountant

Tonya grew up in Fort Collins and always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. However, at age 16 she discovered an aversion to blood and an attraction to numbers. So, as talents would have it, she became an accountant and has spent many years in the trenches of CPA firms, doing accounting for a variety of business types. Tonya joined the Countryside Large Animal Veterinary Services, PLLC team as our Accountant in May, 2013. She came to us with Bachelor’s degrees in both Accounting and Finance, from the University of Northern Colorado and brings 17+ years of accounting experience to the office team.

A lifetime resident of the state of Colorado, Tonya lives on her family’s ranch in Nunn, CO, where she raises quarter horses and paint horses. Tonya competes in amateur reining and is a horse enthusiast through and through. Outside of the arena, Tonya has spent many hours in the saddle traversing the rugged Rocky Mountains, starting colts and working on the ranch.

MICHELLE DERRERA

Inventory/ Client Services Representative

Michelle is a Colorado native and has lived on the Western Slope and Northern Colorado, growing up mostly in and still living in Johnstown/Milliken area. While growing up lived she lived on a small farm in Milliken and had goats, pigs, cattle and a horse, not to mention numerous dogs and cats. Michelle was in 4-H growing up, as her parents were 4-H leaders, showing goats, steers, rabbits and dogs. Since obviously having a love for animals, working with them seemed like the thing to do and applied at a small animal clinic 20+ years ago and got the job and the rest is history. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her family, husband (Mark), 3 kids (Jordan, Christopher, and Marcus), and 3 grandkids (Izaiah, Illianna, and Julian) she also enjoys camping, paddleboarding, kayaking, hunting, and riding 4 wheelers. Michelle and her husband also raised English and French Bulldogs for the last 15 years and enjoyed showing them when she had the time to do so, the 4 she has now, Jemma, Jax, Myles, and Layla keep her busy cleaning up their messes they leave behind! She is excited to be a part of the Countryside team and looks forward to the future with them learning all about large animal side of things!!