January 27, 2013 – Wellington, Florida – Abigail McArdle, a multi-winner in the SSG Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion, added another $1,000 to her bonus money account with a win in Saturday’s $15,000 SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic during week three of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

Eight members of the 35-horse starting field posted a clear effort over the first round course to qualify for the jump-off.  In a blazing fast time of 32.79 seconds, McArdle knocked almost four full seconds off of the time posted by Michelle Navarro-Grau, who had stopped the timers in 36.71 seconds riding Alfi, to take the win.  In addition, McArdle won a $1,000 bonus for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style gloves on her way to victory.

McArdle of Barrington, IL, has now won a total of $8,000 in the SSG Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion.  Having claimed a $2,000 bonus during the final week of the Winter Equestrian Festival last year, McArdle then traveled to Lexington where she again won $2,000 during the first two weeks of competition at the Kentucky Horse Shows.  At the Alltech National Horse Show in November, she made a clean sweep of the Junior division, taking home $3,000 in bonus money.

“The gloves have definitely been a good investment!” smiled McArdle, 18, noting that she has been saving her bonus money checks.

McArdle began riding Cosma 20, a nine-year-old Hanoverian mare, at the end of last year’s Winter Equestrian Festival.  She and her older sister, Amelia, started training with Katie Monahan Prudent two years ago.

“She’s an incredible teacher,” said McArdle of her coach.  “She always wants to win, and she makes it happen for me.”

Unfortunately for Prudent, she was not wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves when she won the $33,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round III riding V on Thursday.  That means the bonus money now increases to $9,000 for the $33,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round IV on Thursday, January 31.

There was also no winner in the $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic during week three, increasing the bonus money on offer to $2,000 on Sunday, February 3.

SSG Riding Gloves offers a $3,000 bonus in each of the weekly WEF Challenge Cup Series events, as well as a $1,000 bonus in the Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic and the Junior Jumper High 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 a cash bonus during the awards presentation.  If not awarded, the bonus money carries forward to the next event in the series.  A total of $60,000 in bonus money is on offer from SSG Riding Gloves at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival.

SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves are available for purchase at numerous Wellington locations, including Tackeria, as well as on-site at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival show grounds at various retailers including Running Fox and Beval Saddlery.

Please refer to the 2013 WEF Prize List for complete details.  For further information, contact Jennifer Ward, Starting Gate Communications, at cell: 613 292-5439 or jward@startinggate.ca.