Veterinarian and theriogenologist Dr. Hernando Plata-Madrid has died at the age of 63, according to an obituary published by his family on Friday. The following was given to the TDN courtesy of the Plata family:

“Hernando Plata-Madrid, 63, of Versailles, KY, passed away on the morning of August 18. Hernando was born on July 14, 1961 in Bogota, Colombia, where as soon as he was able he devoted himself to his favorite pastime: work.

After receiving his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from De La Salle University in Columbia and completing his internship, master’s and residency in reproductive medicine at the University of Missouri, Hernando spent a year in Virginia Beach, VA, where he met a certain Lisa Martin before moving to the Bluegrass region. The couple married on January 28, 1998, and had three children: daughters Gabrielle and Mackenzie, and son Griffin.

After decades of playing a central role in the equine industry as a reproductive medicine physician, Hernando and Lisa opened their own practice in Plata LLC in 2014. Over the next decade, Hernando dedicated countless hours to the clients he cared about.

After years of excellence in the world of equine fertility, Hernando and Lisa opened Silver Meadows Farm, where Hernando imported purebred Brabant stock and bred his own foals. He later exported the first Brabant colt to Australia to continue his mission to preserve the breed.

While his work ethic was on par with anyone else’s, Hernando’s value to the people who loved him went far beyond his craft, with his infectious laugh, wise words, and complete inability to stop talking at times.

Anyone who had the privilege of meeting and getting to know Hernando knew that there was a direct correlation between the amount of time spent with him and the frequency of his smile.

Hernando is survived by his wife Lisa and his children Gabrielle (Johanna Carvajal Cortez), Mackenzie and Griffin, his parents Jaime Plata and Stella De Plata, his sister Adriana Plata (Mauricio Andrade), his aunt Maria Plata (Galo Vizcaiao), his uncles Bernardo Plata and Mauricio Plata, his cousins ​​Alexandra and Emilio Gotchelin and Maria Mejia-Opaciuch (John Opaciuch), his brother-in-law Michael Martin (Tana), his sister-in-law Marlene Brown (Henry), his mother-in-law Harriett Martin, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration in Hernando’s honor will be held on September 22nd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Praying Field Ministry, 6605 McCowans Ferry Rd in Versailles. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that all donations be made in Hernando’s name to autismspeaks.org.”