Eric Lamaze riding Coriana van Klapscheut is presented with a $3,000 bonus from ringmaster Cliff Haines, Jennifer Ward and Ed James of SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round VIII at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Photo by Sportfot

March 1, 2012 – Wellington, FL – Canada’s Eric Lamaze laid claim to his first $3,000 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round VIII on Thursday, March 1, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.

Lamaze defeated 81 other entries while wearing his SSG ‘Digital’ gloves to win a $3,000 cash bonus.  It was a duel to the finish as both Lamaze and Great Britain’s Nick Skelton, who has already claimed $9,000 in SSG bonus money this year, finished first and second.  First to go in the jump-off, Lamaze guided Coriana van Klapscheut home in a time of 37.04 seconds but Skelton and Carlo 273 couldn’t quite catch them, crossing the timers in 37.99 seconds.

Now in its second season, the popular SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion offers a $3,000 bonus each week in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup series.  Although he has come close before, Lamaze has never before claimed the bonus.

“It’s the first time I’ve won it in Florida, and I’m happy for sure,” said Lamaze as he pocketed the $3,000 bonus following the presentation.  “It’s a nice thing that SSG does and an extra bonus for the riders.  When you have 82 riders in the class, the prize money and the world ranking points are great, but any bit of extra money you can get is really nice.  It all adds up and is part of the reward for winning.”

Lamaze has been personally sponsored by SSG Riding Gloves, a Canadian company based in Aurora, Ontario, since 2009.  SSG Riding Gloves has more than 50 styles to accommodate every equestrian discipline, and Lamaze’s affinity for the SSG ‘Digital’ style of glove was the catalyst behind the creation of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion, which rewards riders for winning while wearing SSG ‘Digitals.’

“They are great gloves; you have a good grip on your reins, even in wet conditions, plus they look nice and fit well,” said Lamaze of his ‘Digital’ gloves.

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.