In The News
Sort By Year
SmartPak has been pleased to be featured in numerous equestrian and other publications. In the media room, publications noting the SmartPak system or products are archived by year. Feel free to browse through the news archive to see what people are saying about SmartPak!
2008 News
Stable Management
May 2008
SmartPak introduces a new way to store and feed SmartPaks with a storage bag. The bag is an alternative to the plastic storage drawer and hangs right on the stall door. The bag is made of 400 dernier nylon and comes in two sizes; standard and large. The standard bag can hold a 2-week supply of a 4-well SmartPak and costs $23. The large size can accommodate a 2-week supply of a 7-2ell SmartPak or a 4-week supply of the smaller dose Paks and costs $25. The bags are available in 19 colors and can be embroidered. For more information, check out www.smartpak.com or call 1-800-461-8898.
Equestrian Retailer
May/June 2008
Paal Gisholt, CEO of SmartPak Equine, wanted to spur the pace of his company’s growth. So in late 2007 he secured a $25 million equity investment from Waltham, Mass.- based North Bridge Growth Equity.
It was not the first time he used private equity—he had received three prior rounds of funding. But it was the biggest infusion of capital and has helped the multichannel marketer of animal health products broaden its offerings, strengthen its existing technology and build a stronger management team.
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Old Colony Memorial
June 2008
They've Kept It Simple
When looking into companies that have shown consistently high levels of growth for at least three consecutive years to feature in his latest book, Jim Champy found just what he was looking for in SmartPak, right here in Plymouth.
Champy’s book Outsmart! How to do What Your Competitors Can’t features the stories of eight businesses, including SmartPak, owned by the husband and wife team of Paal Gisholt and Becky Minard.
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Equine Wellness
July/August 2008
Smart Idea
Do you have an insulin-resistant horse? Then check out SmartPak’s SmartControl IR. It’s a breakthrough supplement formulated to help manage insulin resistance, a condition associated with obesity and chronic laminitis in horses. It contains a selection of ingredients that work synergistically to support proper metabolic function and blood sugar regulation. The product may be beneficial for horses with Cushing’s if they have also been diagnosed with insulin resistance. www.SmartPakequine.com
Eventing USA
July/August 2008
The USEA is proud to introduce SmartPak Equine as a Legacy sponsor for the Spalding Labs USEA Young Event Horse Series.
SmartPak is a longtime sponsor of several USEA programs, including USEA Horse of the Year Leaderboard and also the popular SmartPak Canine Dog Show at the Wellpride USEA American Eventing Championships. In addition, they generously donated many items to the USEA for the AEC Benefit and the Annual Meeting Benefit eBay auctions last year.
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California Riding Magazine
August 2008
SmartPak™ Teams Up with APHA
Visitors to this year’s American Paint Horse Association (APHA) World Championship Show got a special chance to see National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Freestyle Reining Champion and winner of the prestigious Road to the Horse Competition, Stacy Westfall, share her secrets to "thinking like a horse" during a free horsemanship seminar on Sat., June 28, presented by SmartPak. Recently featured on the Ellen DeGeneres show, Westfall has become one of the most sought after clinicians in the industry due to her great insight and effective teaching style. In addition to presenting this free event, SmartPak also raffled off a set of Big D Horse Blankets to one lucky attendee.
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Horse & Rider
August 2008
Going, Going Green
The trend toward be-kind-to-the-environment continues to resonate, not just with consumers, but also with the manufacturers of equine-related products. Case in point: SmartPak, which allows horse owners to customize their animals’ supplements into convenient single-servings.
"Many horse owners may think that ordering their horse’s supplements in a big bulk bucket is “quot;greener" than our daily-dose SmartPaks," says the company’s Karen Sinnott. "However, they may want to think again! … "
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Everything for Horse & Rider
Summer 2008
Fun and flirty by design, this anti-sweat sheet is fashioned from an absorbent 100% microfiber fabric that pulls moisture away from the coat and guards against both sun and insects. Equine Couture Monte Carlo Anti-Sweat Sheet from SmartPak, sizes 70"-84", SRP $79.95. Also available from the Monte Carlo collection: saddle pads, polo shirts and socks. 1-800-461-8898; www.smartpakequine.com
Equine Journal
October 2008
SmartPak™ Reaches Another Milestone
Just a year and a half after they celebrated their 100 millionth SmartPak™ served, SmartPak Equine announced that they have served their 150 millionth supplement in customized daily dose SmartPaks. "When we first started SmartPak, people assumed the SmartPak supplement feeding system™ would be best suited to high level competitive horse kept at a boarding stable," says Becky Minard, founder and senior vice president of SmartPak. "But as we’ve exposed the system to broader audiences, horse owners of all types are finding that it’s both convenient and cost effective. Whether keeping a horse on your own property, or boarding, it’s a great way to know your supplements are going to get fed right, and simplify your busy life."
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Holistic Horse
Oct/Nov 2008
SmartPak Goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
With a high percentage of female customers, many of whom have shared their stories of fighting breast cancer, SmartPak recognizes that this disease is one of women’s biggest health concerns. Since the 2005 launch of its exclusive SmartPink™ product line to benefit breast cancer research, SmartPak has donated over $50,000 to breast cancer research.
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When you’re competing there’s nothing more important than your horse’s health. When your horse is feeling great, chances are he’ll also be looking great and performing great in the pen. The demands placed on competition horses today are greater than ever. Strenuous riding schedules, excessive hauling to shows, and more time confined in a stall are all factors that can place increased stress on horses, making them more prone to injury and illness. Keeping your horse healthy can help to prevent more serious issues down the road – issues that might just keep you out of the ribbons. It’s sort of like maintaining a car, the better you keep up with it, the longer it’s going to run.
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Equestrian Retailer
Nov/Dec 2008
Argyle Isn't Just for Socks Anymore
SmartPak has introduced its new collection of Argyle blankets as a follow up to its SmartPink and SmartBlue plaid line. The Thinsulate turnout features a tough 1200 denier waterproof nylon outer lining. Other features include buckle front enclosure, front gussets, elastic leg straps, as well as one surcingle and a tail cord, allowing the cover to be used alone as a striking dress sheet, or a blanket liner. Blankets come in pink with black trim and blue with black trim. The pattern in the Argyle collection was custom designed to include SmartPak’s signature galloping horse. Contact 1-800-461-8898; www.SmartPak Equine.com
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Equine Wellness
Nov/Dec 2008
Be the envy of your tack room this holiday season with the solidly constructed, beautifully detailed SmartPak Deluxe Wood Trunk! Constructed by seasoned cabinet makers, only the finest solid hardwoods, premium durable woods, and cabinet grade plywood are used. Prices range from $599.95 through $799.95. Order by calling SmartPak at 1-800-461-8898.
Have your own photo printed on a Custom Tote Bag (suggested retail, $24.95) from SmartPak Equine. The tote is made of 100 percent polyester woven with a durable finish and comes in white with black, blue or red straps. Call 1-800-461-8898 or go to www.SmartPak.com
Everything for Horse & Rider
Winter 2008
The Power of Pink
If the shelves at your local tack store look rather pink this October, it’s all for a good cause. Breast cancer has touched the lives of countless equestrians, and pink is the signature color for those battling this devastating disease – especially during national Breast Cancer Awareness month.
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Everything for Horse & Rider
Winter 2008
When Paal Gisholt, president and CEO of SmartPak, saw An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary on global warming, he immediately made changes in his personal life including switching to compact fluorescent bulbs in his home.
"The nice thing about running a business is that you can go beyond yourself and have a greater impact," he says. One of the first things Gisholt did was to develop an environmental policy for SmartPak, which is posted on its website at www.smartpak.com/environment.aspx.
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