Shawn Casady riding Zubantos is presented with a $4,000 bonus from Simon Stafford and Jennifer Ward representing SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $10,000 Griffis Group High Junior Jumper Classic during week seven of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Photo by Sportfot
Meghan Nusz receives a $1,000 bonus from Jennifer Ward representing SSG Riding Gloves for her win in the $15,000 High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on February 25 riding Vesuvius.. Photo by Sportfot

February 26, 2012 – Wellington, FL – Shawn Casady rode away a winner, claiming $4,000 in bonus money from SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $10,000 Griffis Group High Junior Jumper Classic on Sunday, February 26, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.  Meghan Nusz also picked up a $1,000 bonus after wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves on her way to victory in the $15,000 SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Classic.

The SSG Riding Gloves bonus money had been building in the weekly $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic, increasing by $1,000 each week that it went unclaimed.  Casady, who has been wearing SSG ‘Digitals’ each week, finally laid claim to victory after defeating Lydia Ulrich and Santos Utopia in a two-horse jump-off.  His winning mount was Zubantos, a horse owned by Elm Rock that he began riding earlier this season.

“I love the idea,” said Casady of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion.  “It’s especially nice for the people who have to pay their own way.”

As for what the 17-year-old from Midtown, Tennessee, plans to do with $4,000 in bonus money, Casady answered, “I’ll put it in the bank.  I’m a pretty big saver.”

After a moment of hesitation, he reconsidered.  “But it also looks like I could have some fun with it!”

In Saturday’s $15,000 High Amateur-Owner Classic, Meghan Nusz of The Woodlands, Texas, increased her chances of victory with five horses entered.  The 24-year-old qualified three of those horses for the jump-off, emerging victorious on Vesuvius, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that she has been riding for the past nine months.

“I started wearing the gloves last year,” said Nusz, referencing that the SSG incentive program was first introduced at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.  “I normally wore Roeckl riding gloves, but these are great.  Plus, they really work in the rain.”

Earlier in the week, Nusz’s trainer, Kent Farrington riding Voyeur, won the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round VII wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves to claim a $3,000 bonus.

The SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion offers a bonus of $3,000 each week to the winner of the WEF Challenge Cup Series.  In the weekly Junior Jumper High Classic and Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic, a bonus of $1,000 is offered.  Any bonus money not awarded is carried forward to the next week.

SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves are available for purchase at numerous Wellington locations, including Tackeria, as well as on-site at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival show grounds at Running Fox, Beval Saddlery, Hadfield’s Saddlery, Ann K Hubbard’s Tack Shop and Jods.

Please refer to the 2012 WEF Prize List for complete details.  For further information, contact Jennifer Ward, Starting Gate Communications, at cell: 613 292-5439 or jward@startinggate.ca.