News Release - 6/21/06
For Immediate Release

New Painting Helps Horses

Lexington, Ky. (June 21, 2006) – A new equine-themed painting has been created to help horses create awareness and funding for the issue of large animal emergency rescue.

USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, through its Leg-Up Fund, commissioned famed artist David J. Pavlak to create “Helping Hands, Helping Hearts,” a vibrantly colorful painting which features a montage of six unique real-life rescue scenes showing horses being rescued by firefighters and emergency responders.

Having been an artist for more than 30 years as well as a former horse trainer and breeder, Pavlak was a natural choice for the artist to on this endeavor.

USRider, a national member-based group that officers a unique roadside assistance program for traveling equestrians, has been working diligently to raise awareness of the need for training in large-animal emergency rescue.

“USRider adopted large-animal rescue as our philanthropy when our organization was established in January 2002,” said Mark Cole, managing member of the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan. "At that time, the issue was barely on the radar screen. We found that emergency responders, while trained experts in human rescue and extrication, had no training in large-animal rescue. Because of this lack of training, these responders were being put at great risk. Moreover, in many accidents and disasters, animals without life-threatening injuries were being injured further or even killed by the use of incorrect rescue techniques. We were looking for a way to celebrate the brave responders, and David Pavlak in his brilliance as an artist truly captured this spirit. Your purchase will help raise valuable funds to continue large-animal emergency rescue training.”

Prints of “Helping Hands, Helping Hearts” will be made available in both signed and unsigned editions. Proceeds from the sale of these prints will be donated to the Large Animal Rescue.

Endowment Fund at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The endowment fund was established through USRider’s Leg-Up Fund to promote large animal emergency rescue training efforts and support related training programs.

Unframed prints are priced $35. A print that is framed and double-matted under glass to museum standards is $185. For just $10 more, the print will be signed by the artist. The prints will be available exclusively from Collectors Gallery.

For nearly 40 years, Collectors Gallery, located in Lexington, Ky., has offered a wide variety of original art, prints, books, gifts, sculpture, photographs and home décor with an equine theme.

“We are very pleased to be involved with this unique endeavor to enhance the welfare of horses,” said Chuck Star, President of Collectors Gallery.

Contact the Collectors Gallery by visiting www.horseartgallery.com or calling toll-free (800) 626-6927.

Contributions to the Large Animal Rescue Endowment Fund may be sent to the Division of University Development, CPO 19A, Jones 324, Eastern Kentucky University, 521 Lancaster Ave., Richmond, Ky., 40475-3102. The Development office may be reached at 859-622-1583.

For more information about USRider, visit www.usrider.org or call 1-800-844-1409.

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