Eric Lamaze Brings SSG Gloves Bonus Earnings to $12,000 at 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival
February 25, 2016 - Wellington, Florida
Photo by Jump Media
Photo by Jump Media
Canadian Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze scored his fourth win in the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion so far this season with a victory in the $130,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round VII on Thursday, February 25, at the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.
Lamaze and Fine Lady 5, a 13-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines Stable, topped a starting field of 71 entries. A total of 29 horses jumped clear over the track set by Spanish course designer Santiago Varela, setting the stage for a dramatic race to the finish. Returning mid-way through the jump-off order, Lamaze laid down another clear effort in a time of 36.60 seconds to take while wearing his SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves. There was no doubt that the $3,000 bonus on offer from SSG Gloves would be awarded as the top three finishers – Lamaze, Todd Minikus (37.42 seconds riding Quality Girl) and Tiffany Foster (37.77 seconds riding Victor) - were all sporting their ‘Digitals’.
“I was on the right horse for a jump-off with so many in it,” said Lamaze. “A lot of it becomes about risk and what you're willing to risk. That's how you win these classes. We take it one week at a time and one class at a time, but Fine Lady came to play this week.”
Lamaze collected three consecutive wins earlier this season, twice with Rosana du Park followed by one with Check Picobello Z, before piloting Fine Lady 5 to victory during week seven, bringing his total SSG bonus money won to date to $12,000.
“If you look at it per competition it's a $3,000 bonus but, if you start adding it up, it's almost like winning one WEF,” said Lamaze, comparing the first place prize money awarded to the bonus money on offer from SSG Gloves.
Having scored his last victory in the SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion during week four, Lamaze shared his secret to returning to the winner’s circle in week seven.
“I will let you in on a secret; I am wearing a new pair of gloves this week,” he confided of his SSG ‘Digitals’. “I decided that the other pair had won enough and it was time for a new pair of gloves. I think every rider is superstitious like that in one way or another. I could repackage these ones and sell them now that they are lucky!”
The SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” promotion offers $60,000 in bonus money to riders throughout the 12-week WEF competition running January 13 through April 3, 2016, in Wellington, FL. A $3,000 bonus is offered each week to the winner of the WEF Challenge Cup if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves with the horsehead logo clearly visible in all rounds of competition. In the weekly Maybach – Icons of Luxury High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic and the Sleepy P High Junior Jumper Classic competitions, a $1,000 bonus is on offer if the winning rider is wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves with the SSG Gloves horse head logo clearly visible in all rounds of competition.
SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves are available for purchase at numerous Wellington locations, including Tackeria, as well as on-site at the Winter Equestrian Festival show grounds at various retailers such as Running Fox.
Please refer to the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival Prize List for complete promotion details. For further information, please contact Jennifer Ward, Jump Media, at cell: 613-292-5439 or jward@jumpmediallc.com.