Category Archives: Equestrian Aid Found.

Equestrian Aid Foundation Processes COVID-19 Relief Grants for Industry Professionals in Crisis

Wellington, Florida — Apr. 16, 2020 — The Equestrian Aid Foundation is proud to announce the distribution of 160 relief checks to equestrians in financial crisis as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative to support equestrian professionals and industry service providers has been funded through EAF’s Disaster Relief Fund.

“The essential shutdown of our industry has really thrown the community into crisis,” said EAF board member Scot Evans. “Many of the people we work among week in and week out have been left with no means of financial security and no way forward. It’s been devastating.”

Applications for emergency grants have come from all corners of the equestrian community, from jump crew to stewards to instructors whose lesson income has all but disappeared. Thanks to community support, private donations, and the Great Charity Challenge, the Equestrian Aid Foundation has been able to fund emergency grant payments of $500 to assist qualified applicants with basic living expenses. The Foundation is also honored to have financial support from a growing number of businesses.

“When we conceptualized our Disaster Relief Fund several years ago, we never imagined we’d be helping our community through a pandemic,” said EAF board member Louise Riggio. “But this fund is designed to help people overcome the unimaginable. We’re making great strides to help alleviate the financial impact of COVID-19, and as long as we have community support, we’ll continue to face it head-on. We are horsemen helping horsemen.”

All donations to the Disaster Relief Fund will be directed toward assistance for equestrian professionals and service providers who are in financial crisis as a direct result of COVID-19.

For more information about Equestrian Aid Foundation, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

Equestrian Aid Foundation Opens Disaster Relief Fund

Wellington, Fla. — Mar. 26, 2020 — The Equestrian Aid Foundation has opened its Disaster Relief Fund to assist equestrian professionals and industry service providers in unexpected financial crisis as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation will prioritize assistance to industry professionals and service providers who have lost their primary or only income as a direct result of the pandemic. A one-time emergency grant payment of $500 is intended to assist qualified applicants with basic living expenses. The grant window for EAF’s COVID-19 relief program is open through April 15.

In light of the recent guidelines set by US Equestrian regarding the suspension of horse showing for an extended period of time, the equestrian community is facing critical need now more than ever.

Donations made to EAF’s Disaster Relief Fund at this time will be directed in full toward assistance for equestrian professionals and industry service providers in financial crisis directly due to the suspension and related cancellations caused by COVID-19.

For more information about Equestrian Aid Foundation, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

California Fire Season Prompts Grant from EAF’s Disaster Relief Fund

Photo by Matt Howard.

Wellington, Fla. – Nov. 25, 2019 – The Equestrian Aid Foundation provided a grant to the Fleet of Angels’ Emergency Horse Hay Bank program this week to support the organization’s ongoing work of providing horse owners with essential forage in the aftermath of natural disaster. The donation was prompted by recent wildfires in California.

“While we have been told the California equestrian community has fared slightly better than expected, the grave accounts we’ve heard from horsemen who evacuated compelled us to take action,” said EAF board member R. Scot Evans. “Given the increasing frequency and severity of these fires and natural disasters, our donation to the Hay Bank will ensure immediate funds for whatever the equestrian community faces next.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2019 is the fifth consecutive year in which 10 or more billion-dollar weather and climate disaster events have impacted the United States(1). Elaine Nash, founder of Fleet of Angels and director of its Emergency Horse Hay Bank program, sees firsthand the toll these disasters have taken on equestrian communities. “For well over a year, we’ve had continual natural disaster work to do,” she said. “As horse owners and first responders are learning all too frequently these days, providing evacuation and post-disaster services for large animals like horses is a great and costly challenge.”

The Equestrian Aid Foundation established its Disaster Relief Fund in early 2019 to assist equestrian communities devastated by natural disaster. True to EAF’s motto of “horsemen helping horsemen,” the fund was met with enthusiastic community support, thus enabling outreach such as this week’s donation to the Fleet of Angels’ Emergency Horse Hay Bank. EAF thanks its donors and supporters who made this assistance possible.

For more information about Equestrian Aid Foundation, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

Second Edition of EAF Resources Guide Now Available

Wellington, Fla. — Sept. 30, 2019 — EAF is proud to announce the publication of its Equestrian Aid Foundation Resources Guide, 2019 Edition. The guide is a comprehensive yet succinct handbook of agencies and organizations that provide support to individuals facing times of crisis.

The updated guide includes the addition of the following materials and resources:

  • Disaster prep checklist for people with disabilities
  • Disaster assistance resources
  • Accessible parking resources
  • Caregiver resources
  • Keys to successful self-advocacy
  • Homeownership Preservation Foundation contact information
  • Service Dog resources
  • Advocacy and legal resources

All members of the equestrian community are invited to use the resources guide as a tool, regardless of their status as an EAF grant recipient. The guide is available both as a hard copy and online.

For more information about Equestrian Aid Foundation, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

Equestrian Aid Foundation Grant Helps California Trainer through Recovery Period

Lisa Avila schooling a young eventing prospect on the cross-country course. Photo by Carolyn Orndoff.

Wellington, Fla. – Apr. 29, 2019 – As the daughter of a cattle foreman, California native Lisa Avila grew up in the saddle. Horsemanship was second nature. While her passion for high performance horse sports eventually led her to experiences far beyond ranch life, a generations-old ability to train horses was coded into her DNA.

In 2008 she established Burgeon Training in California’s East Bay, where she has built her reputation within the equestrian community by starting young horses and retraining difficult ones. Her interests lie in dressage and eventing, but she is readily available to help horsemen of any discipline work more productively with their animals.

Last November, Lisa tore her ACL upon falling off a young horse, effectively bringing her business to a halt. It wasn’t a particularly bad fall, she remembers, just an unlucky landing. She underwent surgery to repair the tear, and doctors gave her a strict timeline for recovery and rehabilitation. “As horse people, we’re always getting hurt, but this was the first time I really had to put on the brakes and so I could heal,” said Lisa. “It scared me.”

With her business in limbo, Lisa and her husband faced the mounting pressure of their financial responsibilities. Their lifestyle was modest, yet with two young children, the family was dependent upon two incomes. Lisa reached out to the Equestrian Aid Foundation for assistance, and the grant she received helped pay the rent for the family’s home during her recovery period.

With the financial burden alleviated, Lisa spent the winter months in physical therapy and is now beginning to focus on her business again. While she isn’t strong enough to train or jump yet, she has been cleared to start legging herself back up on her quietest horses. “The answer’s not always ‘no’ from the doctors anymore,” she says optimistically.

Lisa first learned of the Equestrian Aid Foundation in a magazine ad several years ago, but it wasn’t until the unthinkable happened that she realized the depth of the foundation’s commitment to getting equestrians back on their feet. “EAF’s grant was a huge deal for me,” she said. “It was a real blessing.”

For more information about Equestrian Aid Foundation, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

Paddock Master Pruning Funds Will Bring Relief to Horsemen in the Heartland

Roads and pasture land remain non-navigable for many horsemen in the Heartland, where Bomb Cyclone Ulmer wreaked havoc earlier this month. Photo submitted.

Wellington, Fla. – March 29, 2019 – Funds raised by the equestrian community during the WEF ingate staff’s Paddock Master Pruning are making an impact far and wide, as horsemen across the western states face the devastation of crippling flooding and blizzards. The Equestrian Aid Foundation is partnering with the nonprofit organization Fleet of Angels, where a portion of Pruning funds have been used to send a tractor trailer loaded with hay to a distribution center near the borders of Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota.

“The devastation from this storm ranges from northern New Mexico up to Michigan, with either snow or flooding in all states in between,” said Elaine Nash, executive director of Fleet of Angels and coordinator of its Hay Bank. “The Equestrian Aid Foundation’s support will be essential to struggling horsemen in the Heartland.”

While the Equestrian Aid Foundation’s primary mission is to assist horsemen facing catastrophic illness or injury, its Disaster Relief Fund provides emergency assistance to equestrian communities in crisis.  “Of course, we can’t entirely mitigate the loss these people have experienced, but as fellow horsemen we can stand beside them and help them take the next step forward,” said EAF board member Monique Keitz.  “Its levity aside, the Paddock Master Pruning was a poignant example of the equestrian community’s desire and ability to take care of its own.”

Donations to the Equestrian Aid Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund made through April 15 will be used to support relief efforts for equestrian communities in the Heartland.

For more information about Equestrian Aid Foundation, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

Spread the Love This Holiday Season

Need a good gift idea? Make a tribute donation to the Equestrian Aid Foundation in honor or memory of the special equestrian in your life.

When you do, we’ll send a special notification of your gift to the person you designate.

For your tribute of $25 or more, we’ll also send you an EAF eco bag to fill with horse treats or people treats or whatever your big heart desires.

Click here to get started, or email us to set up your tribute gift.

For more information about Equestrian Aid Foundation, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

The California Fires: Four Ways to Help

Horses and humans seek refuge in Zuma Beach (Brittny Mejia / Los Angeles Times)

Wellington, Florida — Nov. 14, 2018 — It’s heartbreaking to watch the images coming out of California this week, especially those involving fellow horsemen. For those who feel compelled to help, it can be hard to know where donations will have the most impact. While many credible efforts to raise funds for California’s wildfire victims exist, here are four direct and effective ways you can help members of the equestrian community in crisis:

  1. Donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

This foundation provides vital private funding for the Los Angeles Fire Department when city funds run out. Tax-deductible donations go directly to the firefighters, securing the equipment and supplies they need for their courageous effort on the front lines.

  1. Donate to Woosley Fire Horse Relief

This Facebook fundraiser initiated by California horsewoman Sami Gros is grassroots-meets-digital-age mobilization at its finest. Sami and others are working around the clock to locate, transport, and care for horses and horse people in devastated areas. She knows what these horsemen need because she’s beside them in the thick of disaster, and she pledges that every dime raised will be put toward the immediate needs of these animals and their caretakers who have lost everything.

  1. Donate to Horse Relocation and Support Costs

Devon Maitozo, WEG team coach and the most decorated vaulter in U.S. history, is working to help other horsemen even as the safety of his renowned vaulting center in Thousand Oaks remains in question. Donations to Devon’s Facebook fundraiser will help provide feed to displaced horses and veterinary care to those injured by fire and smoke.

  1. Donate to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund

One hundred percent of your tax-deductible donation will go to the North Valley Animal Disaster Group, U.C. Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team, and the Humane Society of Ventura County. US Equestrian will be working through the USEF Disaster Relief Fund with these organizations and others over the coming weeks to support the ongoing rescue and rehabilitation efforts throughout the state of California.

No donation is too small. Together, we can make a difference.

#HorsemenHelpingHorsemen

For more information, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

Janise Gray Retires as EAF’s Director of Grant Recipient Services

Gray (right) with EAF grant recipient Debbie Atkinson, Mary Phelps, and a friend of the foundation in 2007. Photo courtesy of Phelps Photos.

Wellington, Fla. – Sept. 24, 2018 – The Equestrian Aid Foundation announced this week that Janise Gray has retired as the foundation’s Director of Grant Recipient Services. She had held the position for over 20 years.

“For two decades, Janise has been a compassionate advocate for each and every person our foundation has assisted,” said board treasurer Marilou Case. “While we wish her the very best in her new adventures, we will surely miss her presence amidst the day-to-day workings of the foundation.”

A professional equestrian with a background in dressage and eventing, Gray joined EAF’s Board of Directors in 1996 and served briefly as the organization’s Executive Director before taking over the role of Director of Grant Recipient Services. In addition to her service to the foundation’s grant recipients, she was also involved in fundraising and event planning.

The foundation’s grant recipients characterize Gray as a true friend. “So many times I fell down trying to make my legs work, and she would say, ‘Get back on the horse!’” said Joe McCloskey, a farrier who received aid from EAF after sustaining a crush injury. “She was the first person I called when I found a new way to move my legs.”

A resident of New Jersey, Gray’s immediate plans for retirement include focusing on her four-legged children — a trio of Cirneco dell’Etna sight hounds that are both pets and agility athletes. However, the friendships she has forged in the equestrian community will remain a central part of her life.

“I am so proud to have been an integral part of this organization,” said Gray of her years with the Equestrian Aid Foundation. “I have grieved for those we’ve lost and rejoice for all who we’ve helped. I will miss all we have accomplished together to assist our fellow equestrians.”

For more information, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.

Equestrian Aid Foundation Is a Proud Partner of 43rd Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show

Wellington, Florida — August 24, 2018 — The Equestrian Aid Foundation is proud to return for the second year as an official partner of the Hampton Classic Horse Show.

The Hampton Classic Horse Show and its exhibitors hold special significance to the Equestrian Aid Foundation. “Since our inception in 1996, the Hamptons equestrian community has been an integral force in the work we do,” said foundation board member and co-founder Scot Evans. “The Hampton Classic itself is characterized by a unique international-yet-local energy. Its organizers and exhibitors are truly committed to the equestrian community and never hesitate to turn their conviction into action.”

The Equestrian Aid Foundation is one of ten charities that will participate in the horse show’s signature Jump for Charity presented by Sea Shore Stables. The event will be held during Friday’s $75,000 Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Qualifier, where riders will compete to raise money for ten designated charities with connections to the Hamptons community. Catherine Tyree will captain the Equestrian Aid Foundation’s team.

Funds for the Jump for Charity are generated through the sale of team ball caps and a raffle to win a course walk with a Grand Prix rider. Click here to make your purchases to support your favorite team, or visit the Hampton Classic’s information booths or souvenir stand.

Last year, a Jump for Charity win by Daniel Bluman earned $12,000 for Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Joining Tyree as team captains in this year’s competition are Georgina Bloomberg, Daniel Bluman, Beezie Madden, Callan Solem, Adrienne Sternlicht, Shane Sweetnam, Jimmy Torano, McLain Ward and Andrew Welles.

For more information, please visit EquestrianAidFoundation.org.