Lexington, KY - Moved by the tragedy of the wildfires in Southern California, Massachusetts based company, SmartPak generously donated $5,000 to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund, further demonstrating their continued support and dedication to the welfare of individual horses and the industry as a whole.

The Equine Disaster Relief Fund is dedicated to helping equines of any breed that find themselves victims of disasters, including but not restricted to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards and fires. The money will be held by USEF in an account restricted for this purpose and disbursed only upon authorization of the USEF Chief Executive Officer.

The USEF thanks SmartPak for their support and recognizes their dedication to charities in general, both through their SmartPink program which benefits breast cancer research and SmartBlue benefits equine charities.

“At times like this,” said Paal Gisholt, SmartPak’s Chief Executive Officer, “It is so important that the equine community come together to help horses less fortunate than our own. We appreciate the tremendous leadership provided by USEF, not just in its governance and development of the sport, but just as importantly their assistance to horses and owners in need. We are pleased to be able to support USEF’s work with a donation from our SmartBlue Equine Charities program, and we thank the SmartPak customers who have purchased SmartBlue™ Blankets and Accessories who helped make this donation possible.”

The USEF is currently working with groups that have personnel on the ground in California, including the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the Humane Society of the United States, to ensure that resources from the Disaster Relief Fund will be utilized most effectively.

The USEF is grateful for SmartPak’s generosity which is an example of the outpouring of support from the entire equestrian community.

“We are grateful for the generous support of SmartPak and their customers, providing help and hope to horse owners in California affected by these devastating wild fires," said CEO John Long. “It further demonstrates SmartPak’s commitment to the welfare of the entire horse industry.”

Joanie Morris

ENDS