Alexandra Crown and her new mount, Von Cim, receive a $1,000 bonus from SSG Gloves representative Jennifer Ward for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves on her way to victory in the $15,000 SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic during week seven of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Photo by Sportfot
Jennifer Ward, accompanied by ringmaster Gustavo Murcia and Cafino’s new owner Karen Long Dwight, presents Victoria Colvin with her third SSG Gloves bonus so far this season after winning the $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic on Sunday, February 22. Photo by Sportfot

February 22, 2015 – Wellington, FL – Alexandra Crown and Victoria Colvin were both wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves to earn $1,000 bonuses in the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion running throughout 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 if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves on their way to victory.

A tough track set by Steve Stephens greeted the 59 entries in the $15,000 SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Saturday morning, February 21. Only four riders were able to find their way to a clear round, with Alexandra Crown returning as the pathfinder in the jump-off. Another clear performance sealed the deal for Crown and her new mount, Von Cim, as none of the three who followed were able to stay fault-free.

“We wanted to do a neat, clear round and put pressure on everyone else and hope that it went my way today,” said Crown of her jump-off strategy with Von Cim, a 10-year-old Holsteiner mare she began riding approximately one month ago. “It was my first time jumping the Highs on this horse. She is perfect. She is so ready to win; she wants to win every class, and she tries so hard. I’m in love with her.”

As Crown was wearing SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves on her way to victory, she was awarded a $1,000 bonus in recognition of her loyalty to the SSG Gloves brand. Also a winner in the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion in 2014 during week three riding Verona, Crown was excited to be a two-time recipient of the $1,000 SSG Gloves bonus.

“My gloves are the SSG gloves, and I love them,” said the 19-year-old from New York City. “I have worn them for years, and have worn nothing else since I started wearing them. They are very grippy and work well in the rain. They are perfect!”

Von Cim may be biggest beneficiary of SSG bonus money, however. When asked what she planned to spend her bonus money on, Crown quickly answered, “A lot of treats!”

Already a two-time winner in the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion so far this season, Colvin double her odds of winning a third time by qualifying two mounts for the jump-off in Sunday morning’s $10,000 Sleepy P Ranch High Junior Jumper Classic. It was Colvin’s first mount to return, the newly-acquired Cafino, that would emerge victorious, posting the winning time of 27.20 seconds.

Week seven marked Colvin’s first week showing Cafino, a 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding formerly ridden by Sweden’s Alexander Zettermann.

“He is an amazing horse, he is very easy,” described Colvin, 17, of Loxahatchee, FL. “He is very calm at the barn and in the schooling ring, and then when you get in the ring, he puts his game face on and is on fire.”

Colvin, who competes in the hunter, equitation and jumper rings with her SSG ‘Digitals’, decided the first thing she was going to buy with her bonus money was a new pair of gloves.

“I think they have an amazing grip and they are very airy; they keep my hands very cool,” said Colvin of her SSG ‘Digitals’. “These are definitely my lucky gloves. I always use them. They are lucky in the jumpers, lucky in the hunters, and lucky in the eq. They are just lucky everywhere!”

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.