Kelsey Thatcher, mounted on Everything, is presented with a $1,000 bonus from Jennifer Ward on behalf of SSG Gloves for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves on her way to victory in the $15,000 SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Photo by Sportfot
Kelsey Thatcher of Bluffdale, Utah, proudly displays her $1,000 bonus from SSG Gloves in its “Go Clean for the Green” promotion. Photo by Starting Gate Communications

January 11, 2015 – Wellington, FL – Kelsey Thatcher rode away a winner in the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion, running throughout the duration of the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Each week, bonus money is offered to the winner of the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup, the High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, and the Sleepy P Ranch High Junior Jumper Classic for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves on their way to victory.

2008 Canadian Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze claimed the first SSG Gloves bonus of the 2015 season. Having guided Rosana du Park, owned by Artisan Farms LLC and Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable, to victory in the $25,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round I while wearing SSG ‘Digitals’, Lamaze picked up a $3,000 cash bonus.

Kelsey Thatcher was the next winner in the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion after topping the $15,000 SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic held January 10. From an original starting field of 46 entries, Thatcher qualified both of her mounts, Everything and Athena, for the nine-horse jump-off. As the first to challenge the jump-off track with Everything, Thatcher laid down what would prove to be the winning trip, jumping clear in a time of 35.10 seconds. She would prove to be her own closest competition, guiding Athena home clear in a time of 35.91 seconds for second place.

“The High Amateurs at WEF is always competitive; all the amateurs are out there to win it, so we have to go in there and go for it!” said Thatcher of her jump-off performance with Everything, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding purchased three seasons ago from Ireland’s Cian O’Connor.

A recent graduate of the University of Georgia, Thatcher noted, “My horses all had four months off, and they have all come back ready to go. I have to credit my team for keeping them healthy and sound. I’m standing here right now, but it takes a village.”

For wearing her SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves in both the first round and the jump-off, Thatcher was awarded a $1,000 bonus from the Canadian riding gloves manufacturer.

“My mom is going to be very excited!” smiled Thatcher, 22, of Bluffdale, Utah as she received her bonus money for her loyalty to the SSG Gloves brand. “She said we were going to go for it this year. It is such a great promotion, because it gets everyone to go out and buy them. I always put the SSG gloves on to show. I like that they are breathable. My gloves are about three years old, and they are still holding up very well.”

SSG Gloves will continue to offer a $3,000 bonus in each of the weekly Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series events, as well as a $1,000 bonus in the High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic and the Sleepy P Ranch High Junior Jumper Classic competitions. If the winning rider in any of these three competitions is wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style gloves with the SSG horse head logo clearly visible, they will be presented with the SSG Gloves bonus during the awards presentation. A total of $60,000 in bonus money is on offer from SSG Gloves at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival.

SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves are available for purchase at numerous Wellington locations including Tackeria and Dover Saddlery, as well as on-site at the Winter Equestrian Festival show grounds at various retailers including Running Fox and Hadfield’s Saddlery.

Please refer to the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival Prize List for complete promotion details on the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion. For further information, please contact promotion manager Jennifer Ward, Starting Gate Communications Inc., at cell: 613 292-5439 or jward@startinggate.ca.