Guy Thomas won twice to pick up two $500 bonuses in the SSG Gloves ‘Roar for Four’ promotion during the HMI Equestrian Challenge held from May 15 to 19 at California’s Sonoma Horse Park. Photo by Deb Dawson Photography
Megan Garcia claimed a $500 bonus for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves on her way to victory in the $5,000 Nutrena Open Hunter Derby riding Rimpochet. Photo by Deb Dawson Photography
Sloan Lindemann-Barnett riding Miss January took the fourth and final $500 SSG Gloves bonus on offer during the HMI Equestrian Challenge after winning the $1,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic on May 19. Photo by Deb Dawson Photography

May 31, 2013 – Petaluma, California – Guy Thomas made his first visit to Sonoma Horse Park in Petaluma, CA, a winning one by picking up not one, but two bonus cheques in the newly unveiled SSG Gloves ‘Roar for Four’ promotion.

Running exclusively at Sonoma Horse Park, the SSG Gloves ‘Roar for Four’ promotion sees four different classes selected as eligible events at each horse show, with a $500 bonus on offer to each of the winning riders if they are wearing one of four styles of SSG Riding Gloves.

Riding his long-time partner Peterbilt, bred by his parents Butch and Lu Thomas, Thomas topped the $2,500 1.30m Schockemohle Sports Open Jumper Classic on Friday evening, May 16, during the HMI Equestrian Challenge held May 15 to 19.  Having learned about the SSG Gloves ‘Roar for Four’ promotion earlier in the day, Thomas purchased a new pair of SSG ‘Technical’ gloves.  Wearing them on his way to victory netted Thomas the win and a $500 bonus from SSG Gloves.

The winning didn’t stop there.  Thomas and Peterbilt returned for the $25,000 HMI Equestrian Challenge Grand Prix, presented by CVC Shavings, where they were the only combination to post a clear round, clinching first place without a jump-off.  Naturally, Thomas was once again wearing his new SSG ‘Technicals’, which are quickly becoming lucky gloves for the New Zealand rider.

“You get a really good grip on your reins and they aren’t too thick or too hot to wear all day long,” said Thomas in praise of his ‘Technical’ gloves, which earned him a total of $1,000 in SSG Gloves bonus money.

Over in the hunter divisions, Megan Garcia won the $5,000 Nutrena Open Hunter Derby riding Rimpochet, a Dutch-bred gelding that she has been showing for the past four years.  Like Thomas, Garcia was also making her first trip to Sonoma Horse Park, traveling from her Tile Valley Farm in Beaverton, Oregon, where she trains with her partner, Leslie Bierly.

Garcia first learned of the SSG Gloves promotion while showing at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC, and was excited when her loyalty to the brand was recognized south of the border with a $500 bonus.  While Garcia is well-stocked with SSG ‘All-Weather’ gloves, she was wearing ‘Digitals’ for the win at Sonoma Horse Park.

“SSG gloves are the ones I always wear, with or without the promotion!” said Garcia.  “Each season I go out and buy at least 10 pairs of the ‘All-Weather’ style.  This way I can just go to my tack trunk and have a new pair ready to train or show in.  I wear the ‘Digital’ style for special classes, as they are more formal looking.  They are form-fitting without being too tight.  They give me a smooth, silky feel and aren’t sticky like leather gloves.”

Sloan Lindemann-Barnett took the fourth and final $500 bonus on offer during the HMI Equestrian Challenge.  Riding Miss January, Lindemann-Barnett won the $1,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic on May 19.

Now in its second year of partnership with the Sonoma Horse Park, SSG Gloves is offering a total of $12,000 in bonus money to competitors during the 2013 show season.  In the new ‘Roar for Four’ promotion, riders must be wearing one of four eligible styles of SSG Gloves: Digital, Hybrid, Technical, or All-Weather.

Designed to reward competitors for their loyalty to the SSG Riding Gloves brand, a $500 bonus is on offer to the winning rider in designated events at Sonoma Horse Park if they are wearing eligible styles of SSG Riding Gloves with the horse head logo clearly visible in all rounds of competition.  If the winning rider is not wearing SSG Riding Gloves, the bonus money is carried forward to the next event, increasing from $500 to $1,000, etc.

The following events are still to come in the 2013 SSG Riding Gloves ‘Roar for Four’ bonus promotion at Sonoma Horse Park:

HMI June Classic - June 12 - 16, 2013

HMI Equestrian Classic I - July 23 - 28, 2013

Strides & Tides - September 11 - 15, 2013

SHP Season Finale - September 18 - 22, 2013

SSG Riding Gloves are available for purchase on-site at Sonoma Horse Park at Cross Creek Tack Shop and The Equestrian's Concierge.

For more information on the SSG Gloves promotion, please visit www.ssgridinggloves.com or contact program manager Jennifer Ward of Starting Gate Communications at contactus@startinggate.ca.

For more information on Sonoma Horse Park and its competitions, please visit Sonoma Horse Park or contact Sally Hudson at 831.594.1719.