United States Eventing Association

Talia Czapski, a 22-year-old eventer living and working in Virginia, was seriously injured in a car accident on June 9, 2013. Czapski was on the way to work at Dancing Horse Equestrian Center in Leesburg, VA, with a friend when their vehicle was hit head-on by a drunk driver. She was airlifted to Inova Fairfax hospital, where she was diagnosed with two broken femurs, a broken hand and a broken foot. She successfully underwent surgery and is now in in rehabhilitation at Mt. Vernon Hospital in Alexandria VA.

Czapski was holding two jobs to be able to afford care for her mare, Aria. A fund has been set up by a friend for the mare's expenses that Czapski will be unable to pay while she is recuperating.

Furthermore, ECOGOLD has started a fundraiser:

"ECOGOLD will donate 20% on ALL ORDERS placed in the EVENTING SECTION of the website, which has been renamed Talia’s Fundraiser, until June 25 2013 (one week). If anyone would like any item in another section (Dressage, Hunter/Jumper) to count towards this fundraiser, just write “Talia’s Fundraiser” in the comments and it will be added to the total."

Her trainer, Lee DiGangi helped set up the fundraiser:

“I’ve known Talia for several years and have been her trainer for about 6 months to a year. She took lessons with me when she was able to afford them, since she was on a pretty tight budget. I’m caring for her horse with these donations so that she doesn’t have to worry about her dear mare in addition to recovering from her horrific injuries.

This is a lovely, kind, hard-working, decent and wonderful young woman (only 22, working her way through college AND working full time to support her horse), she has toiled for everything she has and is the opposite of an “entitled young person”. This was finally going to be “her year”, since she just traded in her car for a small pickup, bought a crummy old trailer and fixed it up with the help of her friends, so that it would be roadworthy. She just hauled herself to her first show 3 weeks ago. She got her mare for free (after she failed a PPE and no one wanted her), and nursed her back to soundness. She has been patient and tireless.

She and her mom are very grateful to be able to take this concern off her plate, and we are profoundly appreciative for all the support she has received so far. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart!”