Catie Boone riding Naleida receive a $2,000 SSG Riding Gloves bonus from Jennifer Ward after winning the $10,000 Amateur-Owner Low Jumper Classic on Sunday, February 20, at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Photo by Sportfot

February 20, 2011 – Wellington, FL – Catie Boone of Lexington, KY, claimed a $2,000 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $10,000 Amateur-Owner Low Jumper Classic on Sunday, February 20, at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

As the bonus money in the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion had not been awarded the previous week, the money doubled for Sunday’s event. The third to last rider in a starting field of 81 horses, Boone took over the lead by posting a clear jump-off round in a time of 30.05 seconds riding Naleida. She did so wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves to claim the $2,000 bonus.

“I always wear SSG gloves, but I usually wear the ‘Technical’ style. I got the ‘Digitals’ for the promotion, and I really like them, rain or shine,” said Boone, 21. “The SSG promotion is really thrilling. Not that we don’t already want to win, but it steps it up a notch. You really want to grab that check!”

The winner of Sunday’s $15,000 Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic, Charlie Jacobs, competes with bare hands and therefore did not win the $1,000 in SSG bonus money. That means the bonus doubles to $2,000 for next week’s competition.

The bonus money also doubles for the weekly WEF Challenge Cup Series, as this week’s winner, Beezie Madden, was not wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves. A bonus of $6,000 is up for grabs in the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series Round VII on Thursday, February 24, if the winner is wearing SSG ‘Digitals’ Riding Gloves.

SSG Riding Gloves is offering a total of $57,000 in cash bonuses for riders competing at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival running January 12 through April 3 in Wellington, FL. The SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion is offered in the weekly WEF Challenge Cup Series, the Amateur-Owner Jumper Low Classic, and the Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic competitions. For the upcoming Amateur-Owner Low Jumper Classic on Sunday, February 20, the bonus money has doubled to $2,000.

Cash bonuses are given directly to the rider during the award presentations in front of the SSG Riding Gloves signature jump by either Ed James of SSG Riding Gloves or Jennifer Ward of Starting Gate Communications, who manages and handles publicity for the ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion.

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 Beval Saddlery, Collierville, Hadfield’s, Jod’s, Kocher, and Running Fox.

Please refer to the 2011 WEF Prize List for complete details. For further information, contact Jennifer Ward, Starting Gate Communications, at cell: 613 292-5439 or jward@startinggate.ca.